Method for enhancing training effectiveness

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for exercise training to improve exercise performance in an individual using low-resistance positive airway pressure and specialized gas mixtures during or immediately after exercise. The methods include wearing an interface, i.e. mask, connected by a tubing circuit to a positive airway pressure (PAP) assist ventilator device. The PAP device is connected to flexible tubing connected through a pressure regulator to a liquid gas source which supplies the gas mixture. Optionally, a gas impermeable bag or vessel is connected to both the PAP device and the liquid gas source to receive, store and condition gas(ses) that is delivered to the PAP device from the liquid gas source. The methods also include simulating high altitude exercise training by using the PAP device with a hypoxic level of oxygen in the gas mixture. The methods of the present invention reallocate oxygen between muscle groups, improve oxygen delivery to muscles, improve oxygen utilization by muscles reduce fatigue, lessen episodes of dyspnea, improve conditioning levels and overall improve training to extreme levels of performance.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of training an individual to improve performance in exercise, sports or other competitive activity by achieving a higher level of training for muscle groups associated with said competitive activity, comprising having said individual breath a low-density gas mixture comprising helium and oxygen (HeO 2 ), said breathing of said low-density gas mixture being done while said individual is training, said training being performed to a point of exertion reasonably approaching the limits of performance for said individual; whereby the viscous resistance associated with breathing said low-density gas mixture is low as compared with the viscous resistance associated with breathing air, the amount of oxygen consumed by the muscles involved with breathing is low as compared with consumption of oxygen of said muscles involved with breathing when said individual is breathing air, and the oxygen available for exercising the muscles being trained is increased to provide increased development of the muscles being trained as compared with the development associated with breathing air while training. 
     
     
         2 . A method of training as in  claim 1 , wherein said gas mixture is delivered by a viscous circuit under a positive airway pressure. 
     
     
         3 . A method of training as in  claim 1 , wherein said individual wears an interface which delivers the low density gas mixture to the individual. 
     
     
         4 . A method of training as in  claim 3 , wherein said interface is connected via a tubing circuit to a low resistance positive airway pressure (PAP) assist ventilator device which is connected to flexible tubing connected through a pressure regulator to a liquid gas source that supplies the low-density gas mixture to the PAP device, wherein said interface and said tubing circuit comprises a breathing circuit. 
     
     
         5 . A method of training as in  claim 4 , further comprising a gas impermeable (or very low permeability) bag, vessel, or other type of container, connected to the liquid gas source and to the PAP device via flexible tubing, wherein the gas impermeable container serves as a reservoir to receive, store and condition gas or gasses that are delivered to the PAP device from the liquid gas source. 
     
     
         6 . A method of training as in  claim 5 , wherein the gas impermeable bag/vessel contains a pressure sensor which communicates with the pressure regulator on the liquid gas source and/or with the PAP device either directly or through an external electronics computer system in order to regulate gas flow into the gas impermeable bag. 
     
     
         7 . A method of training as in  claim 5 , wherein the volume of the gas impermeable bag ranges from about 5 liters to about 170 liters or more. 
     
     
         8 . A method of training as in  claim 1 , wherein the individual is a healthy individual or an individual suffering from an illness for which exercise may be a beneficial treatment. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the HeO 2  gas mixture provides a fractional inspired oxygen in the range of 12% to 60% or greater, and a corresponding fractional inspired helium in the range of 40 or lower and 88%. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the interface comprises a mask selected from the group consisting of a full-face mask/face shield, a nasal style mask, an oro-nasal style mask, a mouth-only style mask, a high flow nasal cannula and any other style mask capable of delivering gas and pressure from the breathing circuit to the individual, wherein said mask has a fixed or a variable leak function, wherein said mask optionally vents exhaled breath into the atmosphere through a resistance, and wherein said mask optionally contains an adaptor capable of accepting power and/or transmitting data between the mask and the PAP device. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubing circuit consists of a flexible, reinforced tube having adaptors configured to fit into the PAP device and the interface, and wherein the tubing circuit is gas impermeable and optionally contains internal wires for transmitting electrical power and/or data between the PAP device and the interface. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual breaths the low-density gas mixture during exercise training to reduce the work of breathing by the individual, and immediately after exercise training to reduce recovery time from the exercise training. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the low-density gas mixture is delivered into the breathing circuit in a closed configuration in which the low-density gas mixture is supplied directly to the PAP device via the flexible tubing connected to a liquid gas source, or is delivered into the breathing circuit in an open configuration in which the PAP device draws air from the surrounding environment at ambient atmospheric pressure into the breathing circuit and the low-density gas mixture is delivered into the tubing circuit or into the interface or into both the tubing circuit and the interface, said HeO 2  gas mixture being delivered via flexible tubing connected to a liquid gas source. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid gas source is an external high capacity liquid gas storage tank or a liquid gas canister, or a traditional gas canister. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the interface or the tubing circuit contains an end tidal carbon dioxide sensor safety override system capable of measuring carbon dioxide levels in the breathing circuit, wherein detection of unsafe levels of carbon dioxide levels alters the PAP device by altering system flow or leak levels to allow for greater carbon dioxide escape from the breathing circuit, by changing pressure or flow levels, or by terminating function of the PAP device. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the PAP device contains internal flow sensors and pressure sensors capable of sensing variable inspiratory rates, expiratory rates and leak rates within the breathing circuit, and wherein the PAP device has an internal electronic algorithm which varies the pressure delivered within the breathing circuit in order to maintain a desired pressure. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the PAP device generates a continuous level fixed respiratory pressure ranging from about 4 cm to about 30 cm of H 2 O pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the PAP device generates a bi-level respiratory pressure in which the PAP device cycles between a higher inspiratory pressure and a lower expiratory pressure, said inspiratory pressure and said expiratory pressure ranging from about 4 cm to about 30 cm of H 2 O pressure. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the PAP device is powered by a power source selected from the group consisting of an internal or external power supply for with in an alternating current wall plug and an internal or external battery pack power supply. 
     
     
         20 . A method of simulating high altitude exercise training in an individual comprising breathing a low-density gas comprised of a mixture of helium gas and a hypoxic level of oxygen gas (He-hypO 2 ) by having an individual wear an interface which delivers the He-hypO 2  gas mixture to the individual, said interface connected via a tubing circuit to a low resistance positive airway pressure (PAP) assist ventilator device which is connected via flexible tubing to a liquid gas source that supplies the He-hypO 2  gas mixture to the PAP device, wherein said interface and said tubing circuit comprises a breathing circuit. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the He-hypO 2  gas mixture provides a FiO 2  ranging from about 12% to about 20% and a corresponding FiHe ranging from about 88% to about 80%. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the PAP device contains an oxygen sensor system capable of measuring the concentration of oxygen in the breathing circuit and communicating this information to a control system of the PAP device. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the He-hypO 2  is delivered into the breathing circuit in a closed configuration in which the He-hypO 2  gas mixture is supplied directly to the PAP device via the flexible tubing connected to an external (high capacity liquid) gas storage tank. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the He-hypO 2  is delivered into the breathing circuit in an open configuration in which the PAP device draws air from the surrounding environment at ambient atmospheric pressure into the breathing circuit and helium gas is delivered into the breathing circuit to dilute the FiO 2 , wherein the helium gas is delivered into the tubing circuit or into the interface or into both the tubing circuit and the interface, wherein the helium gas is delivered via flexible tubing connected to a liquid helium gas supply, wherein helium flow rate is controlled by an electronic pressure regulator connected to the liquid helium gas supply, said pressure regulator controlled by an electronics system of the PAP device, wherein the helium flow rate is varied according to the individual's minute ventilation rate and may also be controlled by the oxygen sensor system, pressure sensor, flow sensor or safety sensors. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the PAP device contains a pulse oxymetry safety override system consisting of a pulse oxymeter probe which is worn by the individual during exercise training, said pulse oxymeter probe capable of transmitting data either wired or wirelessly from the oxymeter to the PAP device electronics system, wherein a safety protocol will interrupt helium delivery or alter PAP device function if unsafe oxygen levels are detected in the individual. 
     
     
         26 . A method of training an individual to improve performance in exercise, sports or other competitive activity by achieving a higher level of training for muscle groups associated with said competitive activity, comprising having said individual breath a low-density gas mixture comprising a mixture of helium and a hypoxic level of oxygen gas (He-hypO 2 ), said breathing of said low-density gas mixture being done while said individual is training, said training being performed to a point of exertion reasonably approaching the limits of performance for said individual; whereby the viscous resistance associated with breathing said low-density gas mixture is low as compared with the viscous resistance associated with breathing air, the amount of oxygen consumed by the muscles involved with breathing is low as compared with consumption of oxygen of said muscles involved with breathing when said individual is breathing air, and the oxygen available for exercising the muscles being trained is increased to provide increased development of the muscles being trained as compared with the development associated with breathing air while training. 
     
     
         27 . A method of training as in  claim 26 , wherein said gas mixture is delivered by a viscous circuit under a positive airway pressure. 
     
     
         28 . A method of training as in  claim 1 , wherein the method is used to train different muscle groups at different times. 
     
     
         29 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising training with the lungs to an extreme level of performance by increasing the workload associated with breathing by providing high viscous resistance passages for inhalation by the individual undergoing training. 
     
     
         30 . A method as in  claim 29  wherein the low density gas mixture is a hypoxic mixture comprising helium and oxygen.