PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN MARTIAL ARTS ATHLETES IN ALTITUDE TRAINING

ABSTRACT Introduction: Recent studies have shown that altitude training can significantly improve hemoglobin content in athletes. This allows for greater oxygen transport to the muscles and, consequently, greater load capacity during training. However, there is no confirmed evidence of athlete-specific training in martial arts. Objective: Explore the load capacity and ability changes caused by high altitude training in athletes. Methods: The research selected ten high-level martial arts athletes as volunteers to compare the functional changes caused by high-altitude training. Physical and functional data were collected before the beginning of the experiment and at its conclusion after three weeks. Results: Measured abilities were significantly improved after 11 days of altitude physical training. After 21 days of altitude training, these abilities improved significantly. The urea nitrogen and creatine kinase values increased rapidly with increasing load intensity in the first stage, peaked in the second stage, and decreased in the third stage. Conclusion: Training in the low-pressure hypoxic environment at high altitude, using dual stimulation of hypoxia and exercise to make the athletes stress response, can stimulate the physical potential to achieve a range of physiological abilities to improve the body’s resistance to hypoxia. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.