Interval (Intermittent) Hypoxic
Training Method

Interval (or Intermittent) Normobaric Hypoxia (repeated, simulated “climbing up and leaping from mountain” at constant, normobaric air pressure) had been initially proposed in 1970 by prof. R.B. Strelkov, et al. and had been described in detail in 1994 in "Recommended practices and clinical guide for physicians" from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Follow-up studies of the Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT) method for treatment of wide range of chronic diseases resulted in development of numerous manuals and guidebooks for physicians, sports - trainers and wellness-practitioners.

Recently, significant advance in the IHT efficiency has been achieved by introduction of oxygen-enriched air inhalation after each period of hypoxic inhalation. It provides more rapid and pronounced development of beneficial adaptations.. This method had been dubbed "The intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia treatment/training (IHHT)”.

Patents

Relationship between the Oxygen Content and Altitude

Currently, three main variants of intermittent hypoxia applications are used:

А. Intermittent hypoxic training method  employs controlled reduction of the oxygen content in вдыхаемом воздухе при inhaled normobaric air,  within the range from 10 % (hypoxia) to 20.9 % (normoxia);

B. Intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia training method employs controlled reduction of the oxygen content in inhaled normobaric air, within the range from 10 % (hypoxia) to 40.0 % (hyperoxia);

C. Biofeedback - controlled intermittent hypoxic training that employs monitoring of users physiological parameters to automatically manage the oxygen content depending on current functional values of SpO2, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.)

Schematic Illustration of Normobaric Hypoxic Training Methods