Kit review- Elevation training mask v1.0

This will be a review that will divide opinion. The benefits or using gas masks and gas mask simulators have been debated for some time now with evidence on both sides for permanent benefits vs a short term goal. I'm not going to get into that here, but here is the link to the information from the makers of the mask (Which is obviously tilted in their favour!): trainingmask.com



After reading through various reviews I decided to give it a go. I could have bought a normal gas mask from an army surplus provider, but I wanted to go with the professional Elevation Training Mask for 2 main reasons:

• It had different settings as default allowing me to chose how difficult I wanted my work out to be. 
• I'll look less like a serial killer with a sports-based one!

The mask arrived on 9th Jan and I immediately wanted to try it out. The instructions said that I should wear it in for a week without any of the restriction filters in it, but as I'm a bloke and obviously know better I went straight to the yellow filter.

The mask finally arrived!

I used it for the Bas Rutten Thai and General workout CDs, just to see what it was like. My God, it was really hard going. At the time, I could blitz both CDs back to back without breaking a sweat, I was using them as a god warm up. With the mask on, I lasted 8 minutes on the general workout CD before I had to take it off.

I made sure to wear it regularly, trying at least 3 training sessions a week. Within a month my stamina on cardio work has gone through the roof! With the mask on, training sessions were tough and a real burn. Without it I could train harder and for longer than ever before. 

I tried my first run with it on 2 months after first getting it, aiming for 2 miles. I made it but only just. Considering I was comfortably running 8 miles at the time, this was a real surprise. The biggest surprise with using the Elevation Mask however wasn't the breathing issues. I was expecting it to be more difficult to breathe. Th surprise was how the lack of oxygen to my muscles wore them out. Half a mile into that first run and my legs felt like they have done 10. It was a killer, they just lost all stamina. 

Ready for my first run

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, my experience of elevation training with this mask has been superb. My cardio improved much faster than any other part type of training that I had tried previously.

www.trainingmask.com