Altitude Training for Cyclists: How Live High, Train Low Works

Altitude training is one of the oldest tools in endurance sport, and one of the most misunderstood. This guide explains what altitude does to the body, how "live high, train low" works, who benefits, and what to expect on a camp in the Sierra Nevada.

What altitude does

At altitude there is less oxygen in every breath. Over days and weeks the body adapts: it gets better at carrying oxygen and at doing more work with less of it. In plain language, you become able to hold higher power while your muscles use less oxygen – and when you come back down, that is the feeling riders describe as "flying".

The adaptation is real, but it is also individual, which is why a plan and monitoring matter.

Live high, train low

The idea is simple: sleep and recover at altitude, where the body adapts, but do the hardest sessions lower, where you can keep the quality of your training high. On the Portcycling Altitude Road Camp in the Sierra Nevada you live in apartments at 2,300 m. Rides start low, at around 800 m, and climb higher day by day; key sessions at altitude come in the final days.

Who it is for

Triathletes, amateur road racers and gran fondo riders preparing for an important start who want an altitude block done properly rather than improvised. It is not suitable for everyone: there is a health notice on the camp page.

Check with your doctor before you book. We recommend:

• a general blood test,
• blood pressure,
• iron status, especially ferritin – your body needs iron to adapt to altitude, and low ferritin can cancel out the benefit.

Not recommended during pregnancy. Riders with asthma or other lung conditions should be especially careful and only come after talking to their doctor. The full list of conditions is in the health notice on the camp page.

How a camp is structured

Fifteen days in three phases.

Phase 1 – Adaptation. The body gets used to working and sleeping with less oxygen. Easy riding, lots of rest, close attention to sleep, hydration and how you feel.

Phase 2 – Rolling in. Shorter sessions low down, around 800 m, with rides up to about 1,500 m. This is where the first interval work comes in – training quality stays high because the hard efforts happen lower.

Phase 3 – Up high. With the adaptation done, we climb to 3,000 m. Because the body is already adapted, the whole training block becomes more effective.

The camp includes two power profile tests, an individual daily plan, a guided hike to 3,000 m and a 1-month training plan after the camp.

How to prepare

• Get your blood tests done and fix what is missing: take the vitamins and minerals your results show you need – iron first of all, if your ferritin is low. Do this with your doctor.
• Sleep well in the weeks before. You arrive with a full tank, not an empty one.
• Train according to your plan. If you don't have one, ask our coach for a preparation plan before the camp.
• Read the preparation guide. Every rider receives our recommendations before the camp: what loads to do, what to bring, what to check.

Risks and what to watch

Warning signs to take seriously:

• dizziness when walking,
• very dry skin – you notice it first around the eyes, where the skin is thinnest,
• unusual fatigue, headache or poor sleep.

Hydration is the first answer. At altitude the body works harder and needs good circulation, and you lose more fluid with every breath in the dry air. Drink much more than you usually do, spread through the whole day – always with electrolytes, and with the vitamins and minerals your coach recommends.

Protect your skin. Moisturise the skin around your eyes. "Honestly, no cream works for me – what helps is a plain petroleum-jelly lip balm. I put it around my eyes before every ride," says Darina. And always use SPF: the sun is much stronger at 2,300 m.

If you feel unwell, tell your coach straight away. Symptoms that don't improve with rest and fluids are a reason to go down and see a doctor.