Elevation Sports Training Masks For Breathing: Uses and Benefits

You have probably seen training masks in gyms, on social media, or worn by athletes during intense workouts. But do they actually work? And if so, what are they really doing?

The short answer is yes, but not in the way most people think. A training mask does not simulate altitude. What it does do, when used correctly, is strengthen your breathing muscles, lower your sensitivity to carbon dioxide, and improve endurance in ways that standard training alone cannot.

This article explains exactly how, and why the Oxygen Advantage SportsMask is the tool we recommend.

Do Training Masks Simulate High Altitude? The Truth

Many people wear training masks believing they replicate the conditions of high altitude, where lower atmospheric oxygen forces the body to adapt. This is a myth.

No mask on its own can create the physiological adaptations associated with altitude training. A mask reduces airflow and adds resistance, but the drop in blood oxygen saturation is minimal, around 2%. That is far below altitude levels.

To achieve genuine hypoxic adaptation, you need to combine the mask with breath hold exercises, which we cover below.

Using a mask incorrectly also carries risk. According to Dr. Mitch Lomax of Plymouth University's Department of Sport and Exercise Science:

"If it isn't done right, there is the risk of hyperventilating and passing out. Technique with these devices really matters because they can also cause injury or strain if they aren't used correctly."

What Is a Sports Training Mask?

An elevation sports training mask adds resistance to your breathing. Every breath in and out requires slightly more effort, which forces your breathing muscles, primarily the diaphragm, to work harder than they normally would.

Think of it like strength training for your respiratory system. Just as lifting weights builds your arm muscles, a training mask progressively strengthens the diaphragm. A stronger diaphragm means better endurance, better posture, better recovery, and less breathlessness during exercise.

The Oxygen Advantage SportsMask is a patented training mask designed for use during even the most vigorous training. Its adjustable vent can be opened or closed to control the level of resistance, so you can progressively increase the load as your breathing muscles get stronger.

Crucially, it is designed to encourage nasal breathing. Most breathing muscle training products use a mouthpiece. A recent scientific study concluded that nasal breathing is superior for the respiratory system during loaded breathing muscle training.

7 Benefits of Using a Sports Training Mask

Here are some benefits of the elevation trainig sports mask:

1. A stronger diaphragm means better endurance

More than half of athletes develop diaphragm fatigue after bouts of high intensity training.

When the diaphragm tires, the brain diverts blood from the legs to support breathing. Your legs give out before they should. A stronger diaphragm delays this response, keeping more blood where you need it.

2. Measurable gains in respiratory muscle strength

A twelve-week program of inspiratory muscle training produced significant strength improvements in handball athletes.

The gains were not marginal. They translated into real, measurable performance improvements on the field.

3. Up to 36% more cycling endurance

A ten-week program of inspiratory resistive loading improved respiratory muscle strength in cyclists by 34% and endurance by 38%.

It also produced a 36% increase in cycling time to exhaustion at 75% of VO2 max. Heart rate, ventilation and perceived exertion were all lower in the cyclists who undertook inspiratory load training.

4. Lower CO2 sensitivity for calmer breathing

During use, CO2 pools inside the mask. You inhale slightly higher concentrations of the gas. Over time, this regularly exposing your body to elevated CO2 reduces your sensitivity to it.

Your BOLT score increases, breathing becomes more regular, and breathlessness during exercise decreases. This is particularly relevant for people with sleep apnea, anxiety, panic disorder and asthma.

5. Better core stability and posture

The diaphragm is integral to core strength, not just the abs. Every breath creates intra-abdominal pressure that stabilises the spine and pelvis.

When the diaphragm is strong, posture improves and movement becomes more efficient. Good posture and healthy breathing are closely linked and each supports the other.

6. Improved pelvic floor function

The diaphragm is structurally and functionally connected to the pelvic floor through fascia and muscles. Strengthening the diaphragm can improve pelvic floor control, with direct implications for urinary incontinence in both men and women.

The same structures are important for sexual function. Pelvic floor muscles play a key role in erectile function and preventing premature ejaculation in men. Diaphragm strength matters well beyond sport.

7. Greater disease resistance

Between 1965 and 1972, scientists studied 20,000 soldiers at altitude between 3,692 and 5,538 metres above sea level. Despite poor hygiene conditions, after two or three years the men suffered significantly fewer respiratory infections, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and skin diseases.

Mental health disorders were more than halved. When used to support altitude simulation training, an elevation mask may carry similar benefits for general health and disease resistance.

How to Use a Sports Training Mask Correctly

The mask alone will not replicate altitude. To get the full benefit, you need to combine it with breath hold exercises. Here is how the combination works.

Step 1: Use the mask to add load to breathing.

Close the vent partially to increase resistance during your workout. Breathe in and out through your nose throughout. Start at a low resistance and increase gradually over weeks as your diaphragm gets stronger.

Step 2: Add breath hold exercises to create genuine hypoxia.

Practice breath holds after exhalation during low-to-moderate intensity movement. This creates hypoxia (blood oxygen drops below 91%) and hypercapnia (CO2 rises), triggering three key adaptations:

• Diaphragm strengthening: The combination of breath hold and mask resistance gives the diaphragm a more intensive workout than either alone.
• Red blood cell production: The breath hold causes spleen contraction within around 30 seconds, releasing stored red blood cells into circulation and increasing your oxygen-carrying capacity.
• Natural EPO production: Intermittent hypoxic training triggers natural EPO synthesis. EPO stimulates the bone marrow to produce more mature red blood cells, achieved here legally and safely through breath training.

If you use the mask without the breath holds, you will still get some benefit. But you will miss the altitude simulation effect entirely.

Can a Training Mask Help You Breathe Better in Everyday Life?

Yes, and this is where many people are surprised. The SportsMask is not just a tool for elite athletes.

Medical workers wearing PPE, retail staff wearing masks during long shifts, and anyone who finds face coverings uncomfortable all share the same underlying problem: poor diaphragm strength and high CO2 sensitivity make any added breathing resistance feel suffocating. Training with the SportsMask addresses both directly.

Regular use will:

• Reduce breathlessness and air hunger by lowering your sensitivity to CO2
• Strengthen the diaphragm so breathing requires less effort
• Improve oxygenation, boosting energy and mental clarity
• Build cardiorespiratory fitness over time
• Increase aerobic capacity
• Activate the vagus nerve through slower, more controlled breathing, improving stress resilience

Oxygen Advantage instructors Dirk Van Spitaels and Pieter Libot of Breathe and Connect in Antwerp work with emergency rescue professionals including firefighters. In a small study, they found that a good breathing pattern developed through long-term training allowed workers to function for 15 minutes longer with breathing apparatus.

In an emergency, 15 minutes is the difference between life and death.

Get the Oxygen Advantage SportsMask

Most training tools work one dimension of your fitness. The Oxygen Advantage SportsMask works three at once.

It builds respiratory muscle strength, lowers CO2 sensitivity, and when combined with breath hold exercises, triggers the same physiological adaptations as altitude training.

It is adjustable, designed for nasal breathing, and built to handle the demands of high-intensity training. Whether you are an athlete looking for a measurable edge, or someone who simply wants to breathe more easily and feel less winded during the day, the SportsMask delivers.

Buy the Oxygen Advantage SportsMask and start building the breathing fitness your performance has been missing.

Pair it with our online breathing course to learn the breath hold exercises that make the mask work at full potential, or find a certified Oxygen Advantage instructor who can guide you through a personalised program.