PT- Running with weight and gasmask

[Blackadder1916]

I was reading up about it in the Journal of Sports Science.  It says it; -Dr Mitch Lomax, university of Indiana's Department of Sport and Exercise Science

Training the muscles responsible for breathing in – inspiratory muscles – can improve performance by 15 per cent, meaning a runner can run for longer and a swimmer can swim faster

While I haven't seen professional journal articles or the original study by Dr. Lomax, I did find that an article about Dr. Lomax's study was quoted in another thread Physical Fitness (Jogging, Diet, Cardiovascular, and Strength ).  Since it may seem that you equate training in a gas mask to training the respiratory muscles as per Dr. Lomax's study, I'll requote some pertinent passages from that article.

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/04/training-breathing-muscles-can-boost.html

. . . . .  IMT involves the use of a hand-held device that provides resistance as one inhales through it, requiring greater use of inspiratory muscles. For half of the study participants, the IMT device was set to a level that provided resistance as the subjects took a fast forceful breath in. For six weeks they took 30 breaths at this setting twice a day. The cyclists in the control group did the same exercises with the IMT adjusted to a minimal level.

. . . . . .

    In the study, Dr Lomax used an inspiratory muscle training device which works in a similar way to other resistance training devices to build muscle strength. An athlete doing training would use such a device to do one set of 30 breaths twice a day. For inspiratory muscle warm-up, because the power-boosting effect of warm-up exercises typically dissipates within half an hour, an athlete would use the device to do two sets of 30 breaths immediately before the sporting event for best results.

. . . . . .

    She also said it is important athletes and coaches use the device correctly because, as with any other sports equipment, if used incorrectly it could do more harm than good. “If it isn’t done right, there is the risk of hyperventilating and passing out. Technique with these devices really matters because they can also cause injury or strain if they aren’t used correctly.”

    Dr Lomax tested 12 runners over six weeks and found that those who did inspiratory muscle warm-ups improved their times by 5-7 per cent; those who did inspiratory muscle training improved their times by 12 per cent; and those who did both improved by 15 per cent. Dr Lomax said those were very conservative figures and did not rule out athletes making even greater gains. A sample size of 12 is a typical sample in sport and exercise physiological studies.

It should be made clear that this study was not about training while wearing a gas mask, but rather a breathing device that restricted the flow of air.  The device was not used continually during a training period.

I am nowhere near a SME on exercise physiology or even much interested these days in performing at peak physical condition (I'll pause while those who know me snort and make rude remarks about when or if I was ever interested in being in peak physical condition).  However, there was a time when my primary duties (and some odd secondary duties) exposed me to some of the things being discussed.

The breathing exercises (and breathing device) proposed in the study reminds me much of the "breathing physio" that post-op cardiac patients had to do nearly 30 years ago when I worked in the cardiac unit at NDMC.  The intent was probably much the same - to get the individuals to breathe deep and exercise the muscles involve in respiration - it did not restrict the total amount of air inspired nor did it lead to hypoxia.  Do not automatically assume that training while wearing a gas mask will equal the inspiratory muscle exercises as per Dr. Lomax's study.  There is no measurement of the breath intake while wearing a gas mask.  One can just as easily continue breathing but taking in less air, thus leading to hypoxia.

But there can (possibly, maybe, hopefully) some benefit in training in hypoxia.  During my quick google search I did come across some relatively recent (within the last ten years) journal articles about exercise results in both normobaric and hypobaric hypoxic conditions.  It seemed that the goals of these research studies was often aimed at the obese - a way to increase the workload without increasing the physical demands on joints etc.

The only time I've ever done PT while wearing a gas mask was during BOTC, but that was punishment c**k because there were stupid people on course.  On one of the few instances when I observed a soldier seriously doing individual PT in a gas mask, he passed out; however he was a stupid person and that was not the only sample of his idiotic behaviour.  It's a good example for making the case that doing PT in a gas mask should be a controlled activity, not something that should be done alone.

Nobody knows what the harmful long term effects of doing cardio with a gas mask on because there are no medical researchers whom would ethically subject people to such a test.

While I know of no studies that were specifically aimed at doing PT in a gas mask, there has been some research into effects of physical activity while wearing gas masks and other elements of NBC ensemble.  I'm personally familiar with some conducted in Canada in the 1970s.  I couldn't quote the results or even the intent of the studies; at the time I was more interested in the test allowance and the extra days of leave granted for each individual test.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Training with weight on your back? Sounds totally whacked out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V8X01mewno

Unless you're training for war in the infantry, I guess....

 

[Jarnhamar]

I didn't dig down that deep, good find Blackadder.

The little device they use in the article, I imagine, would be significantly harder to breathe through that a gas mask.
Pro's and con's to it I guess. 
I can't imagine CJIRU not doing all kinds of PT with gasmasks on and and bunny suits all done up and my friend did the army run- 5k-  in TOPP high (forget the new term). 

The videos on the NZSAS are pretty neat. It sounds like they do a lot of running (and shooting) with the masks on.

Hey Grimaldus, let's be PT buddies!

Great! You can catch me if I pass out.

 

[Timmy!]

If you were in my town, I would be game as a training buddy.

 

[dangerboy]

I can't imagine CJIRU not doing all kinds of PT with gasmasks on and and bunny suits all done up and my friend did the army run- 5k-  in TOPP high (forget the new term). 

It is Dress State 4 mask worn. TOPP was replaced with MOPP and it is now called Dress State.

 

[George Wallace]

It is Dress State 4 mask worn. TOPP was replaced with MOPP and it is now called Dress State.

Just another case of someone wanting to get a check in a box on his/her PER.  Me; I stick with the old standby: "Raincoats ON/Raincoats OFF" philosophy.  Just tell me what you want, don't confuse me......I am CLC qual.......ummm JLC qual........no......JNCO qual and JNCO CF qual.......NO! ........PLQ qual.........FRIG IT!.... I earned that damn Leaf, I can understand what you want (If you give Clear, Concise Orders).........

 

[blacktriangle]

I didn't dig down that deep, good find Blackadder.

The little device they use in the article, I imagine, would be significantly harder to breathe through that a gas mask.
Pro's and con's to it I guess. 
I can't imagine CJIRU not doing all kinds of PT with gasmasks on and and bunny suits all done up and my friend did the army run- 5k-  in TOPP high (forget the new term). 

The videos on the NZSAS are pretty neat. It sounds like they do a lot of running (and shooting) with the masks on.
Great! You can catch me if I pass out.

Is TOPP High the same thing as MOPP 4? It would be better since at least no one will confuse the call with "Mop floor". EDIT: Disregard, just read the posts above me.  "Dress State" ? Wow, that sounds super.  :

I'd like to try mixing some of the New SAR Tech fitness test with CBRN gear, I bet that would be a bag drive.  I just wish I didn't have to worry about getting taken down by the cops while I workout...

 

[daftandbarmy]

It is Dress State 4 mask worn. TOPP was replaced with MOPP and it is now called Dress State.

Wait? What? Does that mean we can get rid of LD and bring back the 'Start Line' now too?

 

[resolute]

1.  Running with weight.  Joint considerations have been outlined reasonably above.  Do you throw a grenade (or shot put) like you do a baseball?  Obviously not.  Your rotator cuff would be torn to $hit in short order.  Another thing to consider is you don't necessarily want to do something that will significantly alter your form / neuromuscular programming.  You can probably get away with a bit of extra weight, maybe 5 or 10 % BW, and still run at 3/4 speed or sprint.  But too much of a good thing (like running with a giant parachute behind you or doing overspeed training down a very steep hill), and you are now training a fundamentally different movement, and actually messing up your "normal" running form.  To use a more mundane example, consider that when a person has sprained an ankle, they can actually do more long term damage to the (originally) uninjured structures by trying to do "too much / too soon" and then acquiring abnormal compensatory movements (i.e. limping) that may be difficult to shake completely once the ankle has healed.

2.  Running with gas mask on.  First of all, this isn't really like altitude training. 
a) You may be somewhat increasing your "pneumatic resistance" such that the required inspiratory and expiratory pressures are larger (just like in the article quoted).  I was involved (actually, as a guinea pig) in research at DRDC utilizing a device called a "Power Lung" which did this in a measurable way.  There was no translation to real world performance.  The reason for this (I think), is that the lungs are seldom the limiting factor during submaximal or maximal exercise (unless you're a steady smoker with COPD).  There are some exceptions to this (e.g. exercise induced arterial hypoexemia), but generally, it's the cardiac output and the rate of utilisation of oxygen by the working muscles that limit performance.  Improving the capacity of a non-limiting component is useless. 
b) Other than possibly increasing the resistive forces by increasing turbulence / reducing laminar flow, the other probable difference to running with gas masks (vs. without) is that you are increasing "dead space."  This means that you are rebreathing the same air to a greater degree.  I am unfamiliar with the actual volume of the masks, but if you significantly increased dead space, not only would your breathing mixture be hypoxic, it would also be hypercarbic.  This is NOT the same as hypoxic training, which uses a carefully regulated mixture of gas that is hypoxic but NOT hypercarbic.  Again, there are a lot of variables (e.g. the amount of dead space, tightness of the mask on the face, rate of metabolism), but the possibility of unpredictably losing consciousness does exist (just like those jokers who hyperventilate before taking a large breath of air and then trying to swim as far as possible underwater). 
c) Even if it WAS like altitude training, most proponents of altitude training have long ago adopted the "train low / sleep high" philosophy, because the erythropoietic stimulation of hypoxia can be gained by ~ 16 hours of daily exposure while still having optimal intensity of training in a normoxic environment. 
d) The "real world / functional" arguments of the CJIRU-types only applies if you are wearing the rest of your gear.  There were people in KAF doing Army Runs and the like with PT gear and a gas mask.  I'm no SME on CBRN, but I'm not sure what readiness / MOPP state corresponds to spandex shorts + tank top + gas mask. 

Just my $0.02.  Well, probably more like 3 or 4 cents, actually.  Sorry for the length...

 

[daftandbarmy]

1.  Running with weight.  Joint considerations have been outlined reasonably above.  Do you throw a grenade (or shot put) like you do a baseball?  Obviously not.  Your rotator cuff would be torn to $hit in short order.  Another thing to consider is you don't necessarily want to do something that will significantly alter your form / neuromuscular programming.  You can probably get away with a bit of extra weight, maybe 5 or 10 % BW, and still run at 3/4 speed or sprint.  But too much of a good thing (like running with a giant parachute behind you or doing overspeed training down a very steep hill), and you are now training a fundamentally different movement, and actually messing up your "normal" running form.  To use a more mundane example, consider that when a person has sprained an ankle, they can actually do more long term damage to the (originally) uninjured structures by trying to do "too much / too soon" and then acquiring abnormal compensatory movements (i.e. limping) that may be difficult to shake completely once the ankle has healed.

2.  Running with gas mask on.  First of all, this isn't really like altitude training. 
a) You may be somewhat increasing your "pneumatic resistance" such that the required inspiratory and expiratory pressures are larger (just like in the article quoted).  I was involved (actually, as a guinea pig) in research at DRDC utilizing a device called a "Power Lung" which did this in a measurable way.  There was no translation to real world performance.  The reason for this (I think), is that the lungs are seldom the limiting factor during submaximal or maximal exercise (unless you're a steady smoker with COPD).  There are some exceptions to this (e.g. exercise induced arterial hypoexemia), but generally, it's the cardiac output and the rate of utilisation of oxygen by the working muscles that limit performance.  Improving the capacity of a non-limiting component is useless. 
b) Other than possibly increasing the resistive forces by increasing turbulence / reducing laminar flow, the other probable difference to running with gas masks (vs. without) is that you are increasing "dead space."  This means that you are rebreathing the same air to a greater degree.  I am unfamiliar with the actual volume of the masks, but if you significantly increased dead space, not only would your breathing mixture be hypoxic, it would also be hypercarbic.  This is NOT the same as hypoxic training, which uses a carefully regulated mixture of gas that is hypoxic but NOT hypercarbic.  Again, there are a lot of variables (e.g. the amount of dead space, tightness of the mask on the face, rate of metabolism), but the possibility of unpredictably losing consciousness does exist (just like those jokers who hyperventilate before taking a large breath of air and then trying to swim as far as possible underwater). 
c) Even if it WAS like altitude training, most proponents of altitude training have long ago adopted the "train low / sleep high" philosophy, because the erythropoietic stimulation of hypoxia can be gained by ~ 16 hours of daily exposure while still having optimal intensity of training in a normoxic environment. 
d) The "real world / functional" arguments of the CJIRU-types only applies if you are wearing the rest of your gear.  There were people in KAF doing Army Runs and the like with PT gear and a gas mask.  I'm no SME on CBRN, but I'm not sure what readiness / MOPP state corresponds to spandex shorts + tank top + gas mask. 

Just my $0.02.  Well, probably more like 3 or 4 cents, actually.  Sorry for the length...

Wait a minute there, you sound like you actually know what you're talking about. Now how the heck am I going to BS people on this thread? Geez.... no consideration from some people 

 

[Jarnhamar]

Next someone is going to suggest you can't have BMQ students attempt chin-ups with rucksacks on  :

 

[Armymedic]

Next someone is going to suggest you can't have BMQ students attempt chin-ups with rucksacks on  :

there is no issue with that as long as the troop can grip the bar while having the shoulder and elbow joints in the proper physiological and anatomical position before the full load is placed onto the joints.

I had the opportunity to discuss this issue of gas mask tng with a large group of military MOs and PAs. The common consensus is that while there is literature (one of which is mentioned above) shows there is some  small benefit to training with restricted breathing, it should only be done by those who's occupation routinely requires that a breathing apparatus be worn in a life threatening environment where removal of said device would result in harm or death. The thought is that it is only beneficial to train while requiring the small increase in inspiratory stregnth for job perfomance, as once restricted breathing device  training is ceased, the benefits of it are completely lost in 3-6 months. Further, there is no data that shows if there is any long term effects from restriced breathing to the lung tissue itself.

Further, the study was conducted with restricted brathing apparatus, under direct supervision of a medically trainied personnel. This is also the way professional and high perfomance athletes train as well.

 

[The_Falcon]

I have been running with a weighted vest since last july, started with 12lbs, now up to 66lbs.  I find that when I run without the vest my speed and endurance has gone up significantly.  Also learned early on while running with it on, that for at least myself personally, running right a forefoot strike/POSE style stride, significantly reduced/eliminated any pain I felt in my legs/joints, so much so that I run that way now without the vest as well (also because I wear minimalist shoes, that really aren't designed to be run in using heel strike running.).