The Science of High-Altitude Training Camps: Live High Train Low in Practice in Taiwan

Every year before the Tour de France, almost all top teams schedule high-altitude training camps. From Livigno in the Alps to Spain’s Sierra Nevada, altitude training is standard equipment in professional cycling. Although Taiwan is not large in area, we possess the Hehuan Mountain system with elevations exceeding 3,000 meters, which makes a “Taiwanese version” of high-altitude training possible.

The Physiological Mechanisms of Altitude Adaptation

Why Can Altitude Improve Performance?

The higher the altitude, the lower the atmospheric pressure, and the lower the partial pressure of oxygen in the air. At 2,500 meters above sea level, the partial pressure of oxygen is only about 75% of that at sea level. When the human body faces this “hypoxic” environment, it activates a series of adaptive mechanisms:

Short-term responses (0-48 hours):

• Increased respiratory rate
• Increased heart rate
• Increased stroke volume per heartbeat
• The kidneys begin regulating acid-base balance

Mid-term adaptations (3-14 days):

• Increased secretion of erythropoietin (EPO)
• Red blood cell count begins to rise
• Increased hemoglobin concentration
• Increased capillary density
• Improved mitochondrial efficiency in muscles

Long-term adaptations (2-4+ weeks):

• Significantly improved blood oxygen-carrying capacity (hemoglobin can increase by 1-3%)
• Increased muscle oxidative enzyme activity
• Improved ventilatory efficiency
• Enhanced buffering capacity

The Key HIF-1 Pathway

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to William Kaelin, Peter Ratcliffe, and Gregg Semenza for their discoveries on how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1) is central to this process:

1. Under low-oxygen conditions, the HIF-1 protein is stabilized (it is degraded under normal oxygen pressure)
2. HIF-1 enters the nucleus and activates more than 100 target genes
3. These include the EPO gene, which stimulates red blood cell production
4. It also activates genes involved in angiogenesis, metabolic regulation, and more

The Live High Train Low (LHTL) Model

The Principle

LHTL was proposed by Dr. Benjamin Levine and Dr. James Stray-Gundersen in the 1990s. The core concept is:

• Live High: Use the hypoxic environment at altitude to stimulate red blood cell production
• Train Low: Train in an environment close to sea level to ensure training quality does not decline due to hypoxia

Research Evidence

Their classic study (1997) found:

• The LHTL group (living at 2,500m, training at 1,250m): 5,000-meter running performance improved by an average of 1.4%
• The Live High Train High group: improved by 0.6%
• The Live Low Train Low control group: almost no change

Subsequent research on cyclists has shown similar results. A 2012 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that 3 weeks of LHTL improved VO2max in trained cyclists by approximately 3%, and 10km time trial performance improved by about 1.5%.

Optimal Parameters

Based on the consensus of current research:

Parameter	Recommended Value
Living altitude	2,000-2,500 meters
Training altitude	Below 1,500 meters (ideally sea level)
Daily altitude exposure time	At least 12 hours (including sleep)
Total exposure days	Minimum 14 days, ideally 21-28 days
Duration of effects	2-4 weeks after returning to low altitude

Taiwan’s High-Altitude Training Resources

The Hehuan Mountain System

The most suitable area for high-altitude training in Taiwan is the Hehuan Mountain system:

Location	Altitude	Features
Wuling	3,275m	Highest point on Taiwan’s road network
Kunyang	3,091m	Has a parking lot, can serve as a training starting point
Songxue Lodge	3,150m	Taiwan’s highest hotel, accommodation available
Yuanfeng	2,756m	Observation deck, has restrooms
Cuifeng	2,309m	Accommodation options available
Cingjing	1,700-2,000m	Numerous guesthouses, good amenities

The Real-World Challenges of a Taiwanese LHTL

Ideal LHTL requires living high and training low. But in Taiwan, the commute from the Hehuan Mountain area to low-altitude regions is too long, making it impractical to directly copy the foreign model. Therefore, we need a “Taiwanese adapted version.”

Taiwanese Adapted High-Altitude Training Plans

Plan One: Short-Term High-Altitude Training Camp (3-7 days)

Target audience: Amateur riders, using long weekends or holidays

Base accommodation: The Cingjing Farm area (approximately 1,800-2,000m elevation)

One-week itinerary example:

Day	Morning	Afternoon	Accommodation
Day 1	Drive to Cingjing	Easy adaptation ride (30 minutes Zone 1 around Cingjing)	Cingjing
Day 2	Ride to Cuifeng and back (2,309m) Zone 2, 2hr	Rest, stretching, nutrition	Cingjing
Day 3	Recovery day—walking trails or yoga	Can drive up to Wuling for a visit, experience the altitude	Cingjing
Day 4	Cingjing→Yuanfeng and back Zone 2-3, 2.5hr	Rest	Cingjing
Day 5	Cingjing→Wuling Zone 2, 3hr	Descend back to Cingjing in the afternoon	Cingjing
Day 6	Easy ride around Cingjing	Afternoon: descend to Puli for one high-intensity interval session	Cingjing
Day 7	Pack up and head home

Plan Two: Weekend Altitude Exposure (Long-Term Strategy)

Target audience: Office workers who cannot take extended leave

Strategy: Visit Cingjing/Hehuan Mountain for 4-6 consecutive weekends

Week	Saturday	Sunday
Week 1	Drive to Cingjing, easy 1hr ride in the afternoon	Cingjing to Cuifeng and back, head home in the afternoon
Week 2	Drive to Cingjing, ride to Cuifeng	Ride to Yuanfeng, head home in the afternoon
Week 3	Drive to Cingjing, ride to Yuanfeng	Challenge Wuling, head home in the afternoon
Week 4	Repeat Week 3

Note: This intermittent altitude exposure has limited effectiveness; its main value lies in acclimatizing to high altitude and practicing climbing, rather than truly triggering the hematological adaptations of LHTL.

Plan Three: Simulated Altitude Devices

If you cannot go to the mountains frequently, consider devices that simulate altitude:

Altitude Tents:

• Simulate a hypoxic environment of 2,000-3,000 meters while sleeping
• Brands such as Hypoxico, Altitude Training Systems
• Price: NT$100,000-300,000 (purchase) or NT$5,000-15,000 per month (rental)
• Advantages: Can achieve LHTL at home
• Disadvantages: Expensive, noisy, partners may not adapt well

Respiratory Resistance Masks (Training Masks):

• Note: This is NOT true altitude simulation!
• Training masks only increase breathing resistance; they do not change the partial pressure of oxygen
• They train respiratory muscle strength, not hypoxic adaptation
• They have some training value, but do not expect LHTL effects

Hypoxic Training Rooms:

• Some university sports departments and sports centers have hypoxic training rooms
• The National Sports Training Center in Taiwan has related equipment
• Private facilities such as some advanced gyms are also beginning to introduce them

Risk Management for High-Altitude Training

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

Above 2,500 meters, anyone can develop acute mountain sickness. In the Hehuan Mountain area, this is a very real risk.

Symptoms (usually appearing 6-12 hours after arrival):

• Headache (most common)
• Nausea, loss of appetite
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Insomnia

Prevention strategies:

1. Gradual ascent: do not stay directly above 3,000m on the first day
2. Adequate hydration: at least 3 liters per day
3. Avoid strenuous exercise for the first 24 hours
4. Avoid alcohol
5. If you have a history of altitude sickness, consult a physician about whether prophylactic medication (such as Acetazolamide) is needed

Response principles:

• Mild symptoms: stop ascending, rest, hydrate thoroughly
• Moderate symptoms: descend to a lower altitude
• Severe symptoms (altered consciousness, severe breathing difficulty): descend immediately and seek medical attention

Adjusting Training Intensity

At altitude, both your power output and heart rate response will change:

Altitude	Decrease in Max Power	Heart Rate Change
1,500m	-2 to -5%	+5 to +10 bpm
2,000m	-5 to -8%	+8 to +15 bpm
2,500m	-8 to -12%	+10 to +18 bpm
3,000m	-12 to -18%	+12 to +22 bpm

Practical advice: When training at altitude, use power rather than heart rate to control intensity, and reduce your target power by 10-15%.

Maintaining Effects After Returning to Low Altitude

The effects of altitude training gradually fade after returning to low altitude:

• Days 1-3: You may feel more fatigued (re-acclimatization period)
• Days 4-7: You begin to feel performance improvements
• Days 7-14: Peak effectiveness period
• Days 14-28: Effects gradually diminish
• After day 28: Most effects have disappeared

Race timing advice: If preparing for a specific race, scheduling it 7-14 days after the end of a high-altitude training camp is ideal.

Races That Pair Well with High-Altitude Training

• KOM Challenge (held every October, Wuling)—training in the Hehuan Mountain area directly prepares you for this race
• Sun Moon Lake Loop Race—rolling terrain requiring endurance
• Taroko Marathon Cycling Race—although not at high altitude, it requires climbing endurance
• East-to-West Wuling—the classic challenge route starting from Hualien

Conclusion

High-altitude training is not something only professional athletes can do. Taiwan’s unique geographical conditions—having roads above 3,000 meters on a small island—give us exceptional training resources. Even if you cannot replicate the textbook-perfect LHTL model, through sensible planning and risk management, you can still gain substantial benefits from high-altitude training.

However, please remember the most important point: for amateur riders, high-altitude training is the icing on the cake, not the cake itself. Solid base training, good nutrition, and adequate sleep will always be the biggest levers for improving performance.

Related Reading

• The Effects of Training Altitude on Adaptation: Lowland Training vs. Physiological Differences Above 2,000m
• The Physiology of Riding at High Altitude: Red Blood Cell Production and Performance Enhancement
• The Benefits of Altitude Training for Cyclists: The Effects of Altitude on Red Blood Cells
• High-Altitude Training Guide: How Lowland Riders Can Use the Altitude Effect to Improve Performance