PoleVaultPower.com

I have been meaning to start this discussion for a long time, but have continually forgotten, so here goes...

A few weeks ago on College Gameday, they did a special on an Ohio State fullback (correct me if I'm wrong) who sleeps in a special chamber. The chamber slightly lacks the amont of oxygen in the outside environment, so essentially, as he is sleeping, his body is being depleted of O2. As a result, as most would expect, when he practices and competes in the normal air, he feels fantastic, and studies have shown that he recovers much faster and effectively after a game or practice than any other athlete not using the chamber. This has gone to the point where he said that the DAY AFTER a game, he feels recovered enough that he could play another game.

Now for the relationship to pole vault. This is just something that popped into my mind, and please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but there is an astounding correlation to this kind of training.

Training at altitude would essentially accomplish the same effect that this linebacker is experiencing by depleting his body of oxygen, if you compete at lower altitudes. This would not have been a second thought in my mind until I thought about what elite level pole vaulters train at high altitudes. If this is true, the vaulter would be able to recover faster and more effectively and feel much better in competition for longer periods of time...
Does anyone know where I am going with this?

Pat Manson.

Somebody please correct me if I am wrong, but for the last couple of years, Pat has trained at altitude in Colorado.
22 years over 5.50?
Is there any correlation between Pat's longevity and the altitude he trains/competes at?
I know he and his wife post on here, so I hope that they respond.

I hope this sparks a good discussion.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks.

In a power event like the vault, it surely makes less of a difference. It is a physiological fact that in endurance training, such as distance running or cycling, training at altitude is extremely beneficial. The main point is that altitude training raises your red blood cell count. This is the same thing that the common performance enhancing drug EPO does. Notice that the only athletes getting caught with EPO are distance runners, cyclists, and marion jones.... now the reason that marion was on it was not for performance enhancement, but rather training enhancement. She could increase the volume of her workouts since her red blood cell count was higher. Since altitude training does this seem thing, only naturally, it can be argued that training at altitude could indeed increase the athlete's ability to train at a higher level and do workouts that would be tougher at sea level, and will ultimately benefit the athlete much more. So, in the grand scheme, while training at altitude does not do as much for vaulters, sprinters, or other power athletes as it does for endurance athletes, it can certainly be argued that it can help a vaulter's training and therefore enable the athlete to reach a higher level of fitness, year after year after year (22 of them apparantly )

jcoover wrote:Notice that the only athletes getting caught with EPO are distance runners, cyclists, and marion jones.... now the reason that marion was on it was not for performance enhancement, but rather training enhancement.

Allegedly

jcoover wrote:Notice that the only athletes getting caught with EPO are distance runners, cyclists, and Marion Jones....

Marion Jones' B sample came back negative. The EPO test is VERY UNRELIABLE. She was cleared of any wrong doing that stemmed from her initial positive test on June 23. USADA cleared her. This is the same organization that banned people like Tim Montgomery without a positive drug test. If there was a doubt in USADA's mind that she was using EPO, they would have banned her!

SKOT wrote:

jcoover wrote:Notice that the only athletes getting caught with EPO are distance runners, cyclists, and Marion Jones....

Marion Jones' B sample came back negative. The EPO test is VERY UNRELIABLE. She was cleared of any wrong doing that stemmed from her initial positive test on June 23. USADA cleared her. This is the same organization that banned people like Tim Montgomery without a positive drug test. If there was a doubt in USADA's mind that she was using EPO, they would have banned her!

Nonetheless, Conte did testify that sprinters were using EPO, so regardless of whether or not Marion did, it is a valid point to discuss these types of things in relation to pole vaulters.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

SKOT wrote:

jcoover wrote:Notice that the only athletes getting caught with EPO are distance runners, cyclists, and Marion Jones....

Marion Jones' B sample came back negative. The EPO test is VERY UNRELIABLE. She was cleared of any wrong doing that stemmed from her initial positive test on June 23. USADA cleared her. This is the same organization that banned people like Tim Montgomery without a positive drug test. If there was a doubt in USADA's mind that she was using EPO, they would have banned her!

Nonetheless, Conte did testify that sprinters were using EPO, so regardless of whether or not Marion did, it is a valid point to discuss these types of things in relation to pole vaulters.

But it's not valid to name MJ as one who was caught.

i get the feeling that this is going to go off topic very quickly lets focus back on the oxygen chamber as our topic shall we

interesting idea....how much does one of these "oxygen chambers" cost?


lol

theczar wrote:interesting idea....how much does one of these "oxygen chambers" cost?


lol

The term you guys are looking for is oxygen tent. WADA considered banning them, but they have not.

I have never heard of a pole vaulter using one, but it is an interesting idea.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

SKOT wrote:

jcoover wrote:Notice that the only athletes getting caught with EPO are distance runners, cyclists, and Marion Jones....

Marion Jones' B sample came back negative. The EPO test is VERY UNRELIABLE. She was cleared of any wrong doing that stemmed from her initial positive test on June 23. USADA cleared her. This is the same organization that banned people like Tim Montgomery without a positive drug test. If there was a doubt in USADA's mind that she was using EPO, they would have banned her!

Nonetheless, Conte did testify that sprinters were using EPO, so regardless of whether or not Marion did, it is a valid point to discuss these types of things in relation to pole vaulters.

Thanks Becca. I was not trying to single out Marion (although I mean come on she's the world's best sprinter for years, then she comes under suspicion, stops running well, and then starts getting better again right as she gets caught with her A sample...) But it was more of a generalization about sprinters' reasons for using a drug like EPO, which is directly related to oxygen tents through the connection in my original post. thanks!

theczar wrote:interesting idea....how much does one of these "oxygen chambers" cost?


lol

Just sleep with your head under the covers.

jumpbackin wrote:

theczar wrote:interesting idea....how much does one of these "oxygen chambers" cost?


lol

Just sleep with your head under the covers.

no no no all you have to do is put a plastic bag over your head, much easier and much more effective in my opinion.