Laramie, Wyo. (Aug. 22, 2018) -- Live High. Train Low. It's the motto of athletes looking to optimize their performance.  It's also now a unique offering of the University of Wyoming Mick and Susie McMurry High Altitude Performance Center (HAPC).
 
At 7,220 feet of elevation, living high comes naturally at UW. Training low takes a little help from the engineers at Altitude Control Technologies (ACT). UW installed two ACT-O2tm altitude simulation chambers at the HAPC, allowing student-athletes to quickly and safely experience the effects of nearly a mile of altitude change.
 
The first altitude simulation chamber, located in the sports performance area of the
HAPC, is set to 2,500 feet of altitude. Here, at an effective altitude similar to that of
Tucson, Ariz., student-athletes are able to increase their training intensity load for up to two hours at a time. High intensity – low altitude training is beneficial for all athletes, and especially for those recovering from injury.
 
"We use it for return-to-play", explains Jeremy Ross, Head Football Athletic Trainer at the University of Wyoming. "Student-athletes who have long-term injuries can use it as a step for getting back into shape before returning to the field".
 
The second altitude simulation chamber, located in the sports medicine area, is set to
1,300 feet of altitude. At an effective altitude similar to that of Pittsburg, Pa., this chamber is a big hit with student-athletes who use it for rest and recovery.
 
"It's a unique training piece," says Ross. "No one else is utilizing this the way we are at Wyoming. We live at moderate altitude, and to take advantage of training at sea level is something physiologically unique. "
 
Safely varying effective oxygen levels by 25% isn't as easy as just pumping in more O2.
The patent-pending technology offered by Altitude Control Technologies addresses the
fire prevention, air quality and oxygen safety concerns of UW.
 
"Safety must never depend on hardware, software, atmospheric conditions or even correct operation", explains Larry Kutt, CEO of Altitude Control Technologies. "The ACT- O2tm systems installed at the HAPC are fail safe even in the event of a power outage or complete system failure".
 
Indeed, Altitude Control Technologies is the world leader in normobaric altitude simulation, and has more experience and installations than all other companies in the field combined. The company has built its reputation on engineering systems that are quiet, convenient, and reliable across a wide variety of applications. Its systems help train U.S. Navy Seals, protect the treasures of the Smithsonian and facilitate research at Harvard Medical School.
 
It's not just elite warriors and priceless artifacts that benefit from altitude simulation.
Homeowners in Jackson Hole, Aspen, Vail and other high altitude towns rely on ACTO2tm systems to lower effective altitude and combat the effects of altitude sickness and insomnia. Self-calibrating sensors discreetly monitor barometric pressure, oxygen levels, and motion in the room. The system, discreetly located in a closet or attic nearby, silently and invisibly maintains an effective altitude up to 7,000 feet lower than true altitude. The homeowner can monitor and control the settings via an interface in the room or from a smart phone app anywhere in the world.
 
Before installing an ACT- O2tm system, Lynn Moore of the Vail valley struggled with altitude. He remembers sleeping restlessly and being tired in the mornings. "Each time I came up [to Vail], I always had issues with altitude, particularly at night when I was sleeping", he said. "The system works great! We sleep great at night. We wake up in the morning well rested. And frankly I think it was one of the best things we ever did."
 
Whether used for sleeping or training, the technology installed by Altitude Control
Technologies is the gold standard the world over. At UW, this expertise translates into a competitive advantage. Being able to virtually scale a mile of altitude within the HAPC, as though traveling from Wyoming to Arizona to Pennsylvania, gives a competitive training edge to student-athletes.
 
"We live at moderate altitude," affirms Ross. "We don't have to travel anywhere else to train at sea level, and that gives us an advantage over our competitors."