Step 3 of The Oxygen Advantage® Program - Increase Oxygen Capacity

3 minute read

Summary:

• The 3 step Oxygen Advantage® program is about how the athlete breathes to maximize muscle oxygenation. It's all about the oxygen.

 

• Step 3 of the Oxygen Advantage® program works on increasing the amount of oxygen the blood is capable of transporting to muscles by naturally increase blood hemoglobin.

 

• Step 3 employs a special breathing technique that simulates high-altitude training, can be performed anywhere including sea-level, and can be easily incorporated into the athletes regular training program.
  

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he Oxygen Advantage® program is all about athletes and all about oxygen. The more oxygen that reaches the muscles, the more energy is produced and the more speed, strength and endurance the athlete experiences.

To improve muscle oxygenation, the Oxygen Advantage® program is divided in three steps that build on each other. The three steps are:

      Step 1: Optimize Breathing Mechanics – work on the fundamentals of how we breathe
      Step 2: Maximize Muscle Oxygenation – improve the ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles
      Step 3: Increase Oxygen Capacity – increase the amount of oxygen flowing to the muscles

Step 3 - Increase Oxygen Capacity
In Step 2 of the Oxygen Advantage® program the athlete learned how to maximize the transfer of oxygen out of the blood and into active muscle cells. In Step 3, the focus is on how to increase the volume of oxygen the blood can carry.

The key to the blood carrying more oxygen is increasing the amount of available hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the blood molecule that holds the oxygen as blood circulates through the body. The more hemoglobin molecules, the more oxygen that can be carried and the more oxygen that reaches muscles.

For decades, athletes have worked to increase their hemoglobin. Some, unfortunately, have used doping drugs like erythropoietin (EPO). Elite and professional athletes employ high-altitude training techniques. Living and training at altitude naturally and legally increases the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. When athletes return to lower altitudes, increased amounts of oxygen carrying hemoglobin stays in their blood for awhile, enhancing their speed, strength and endurance.

Intermittent Hypoxic Training
Unfortunately, high-altitude training can be expensive and is not available to every athlete, especially those who have no choice to live and train at lower altitudes. The good news is the science of breathing tells us the use of intermittent hypoxic training (IHT), a highly specialized breathing technique, provides the same results as high altitude training. The better news is IHT can generate the same results no matter where the athlete lives, including sea level.

Step 3 of Oxygen Advantage® program, employs IHT techniques and is as effective as training at altitude. Step 3 IHT techniques are designed to be easily integrated into the athletes training regiment. No matter where the athlete lives, Step 3 of the Oxygen Advantage® program affords the athlete a legal, effective and easy way to increase their hemoglobin levels and oxygen capacity.

The Close
Most athletes who want to improve their speed, strength and endurance employ high-altitude training to increase the oxygen carrying hemoglobin in their blood. With intermittent hypoxic training, a specialized breathing technique, taught during the Oxygen Advantage® program, the athlete can achieve the results of living at high altitude regardless of where they live, even sea level. Just one more example of how you breathe really matters.

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