Box Altitude athlete profile – Jake Swinglehurst
Introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background and sport
My name is Jake, i'm 30 years old and I live in Brisbane QLD. I’m currently training for the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona. Fairly fresh into the triathlon world going on 3 years now with my first 70.3 race being Port Mac in 2023. I enjoy the competitive nature of the sport but also the community around it. Decided after Port Mac I wanted to give this sport a nudge so I reached out Clayton Fettell and we have been working together for just over year. Working a full time job requires sessions to be very early morning and at night after work. Because of this I try to maximize my recovery between sessions. Kona will be my first race after following an altitude program.
How has your experience been with sleeping/training at altitude?
Like anything new there was a adaptation phase so once I had acclimatised over the duration of 10 days that’s when I began to really notice the benefits of sleeping at altitude. The day by day progression up from 1,500m meant it wasn’t too much of a shock to the system, but certainly noticeable.
My resting heart rate has decreased by 5-10 bpm while increasing my workload. I've also been able to reduce weight down to race weight much easier than usual. I used Pillar Performance Triple Magnesium before bed every night to give my recovery a much needed boost through altitude blocks, I’ve continued to use the Magnesium since coming off altitude to ensure I’m achieving the most out of my recovery.
Have you faced any challenges or found areas where sleeping at altitude might not be as beneficial?
Initially the first 10 days reaching desired altitude is hardest resulting below average recovery, once I was past this it was fine. I was giving it second thoughts until I went up to Cairns for a training camp and noticed how quickly my body was responding I knew it was worth it. While acclimatising to the altitude room I ensured every morning I had some Pillar Performance Immunity to make sure I didn’t fall ill from the added load on the body. This supplement is a must to ensure consistent training weeks.
How do you think sleeping at altitude has impacted your overall performance and recovery compared to other methods you’ve tried?
The main impact I’ve seen from sleeping at altitude is the reduction in my resting heart rate. I haven’t seen any other forms of recovery do this. I regularly use cold plunge or saunas to recover but this takes it to a new level.
Would you recommend sleeping at altitude to others in your sport, and if so, why?
Yes absolutely. Today everyone is searching for marginal gains in performance and recovery, sleeping at altitude provides a greater gain than most.
What advice would you give to athletes considering incorporating altitude sleep into their training routine?
I’d recommend giving yourself 10 days to acclimatise, within those 10 days your sleep might not be ideal but it does get better. Set up in a room with aircon as it can get hot in the tent otherwise. Also a good idea is to plan what your big event is and schedule in a block or 2 of altitude session. For me, Kona was only 8 weeks away so the first block was 3 weeks and the 2nd is 4 weeks (1 week in cairns + 1 week in Kona before race day).
In what specific areas (e.g., endurance, strength, recovery) have you seen the most noticeable improvements from sleeping/training at altitude?
Recovery for sure, once coming down from altitude I found by body was fresh after harder sessions and didn’t have lingering muscle fatigue.
Have you noticed any changes in your sleep patterns or quality since you began sleeping at altitude?
I have a pretty consistent sleep pattern but the quality of sleep has certainly improved as well as how I feel in general.
How has sleeping/training at altitude influenced your day-to-day recovery or overall well-being?
I've found it that I can rely on it more than say ice baths, recovery boots or saunas. I just set the altitude and go to bed.
