SV Ried is the first Austrian football club to have the ErgoHi² training system implemented by JFJ SPORTS. Two rooms were installed in which a normobaric altitude of up to 3500 m can be simulated. While in one room basic endurance, high-speed strength, intervals and rehabilitation units can be completed on 3 high-quality leg and arm ergometers, the other serves as a sleeping room.
‘Normo-Bar’ means constant pressure, i.e. that the pressure does not change. The oxygen content is reduced through the addition of nitrogen, so athletes can be set at different heights adapted to their tolerance and train precisely within their performance range using modern digital training control.
Hypoxia – Through the reduced oxygen the body learns to handle it more efficiently
The entire circulation and metabolism learns to absorb oxygen better in the red blood cells and to distribute it to the cells of the body through an increased breathing volume. This not only significantly increases performance under normal conditions, but also slows down muscle fatigue due to the improved oxygen supply. This has the effect that is so important for athletes that injuries can be avoided, which usually happen in a fatigued state.
But it is not only the muscle that benefits immensely from the improved oxygen supply, but also the mental performance. A biathlete at the shooting range or a striker in front of the goal, shots that are concentrated under a low pulse miss their target under a high pulse. The same applies to the passing accuracy of footballers, which is dependent on concentration and decreases under a lack of oxygen supply.
We did not reinvent altitude training, but we perfected it with ErgoHi²
This training option has been used for years in football and especially in endurance sports (e.g. cross-country skiing). However, no one likes to reveal the secret of their success. Not just anyone can train at altitude; it requires competent expertise and, above all, experience, as training here takes place in a very sensitive area. That’s why we have someone in our team, our sports scientist Christof Weiß, who has been preparing athletes for the Olympics, world championships and other major events for decades. One of his great successes was preparing the Nordic combined athlete Bernhard Gruber for the 2015 World Championships, who was able to ignite the turbo in the last round, leaving the world’s best behind him and marching to gold.
Physical adaptation and performance improvement takes time
For JFJ as an Innviertel-based company with football fans in its ranks, SV Ried was the number one contact for a cooperation. Over the next few months, we will accompany the black and green Vikings with our know-how, make them more physically fit and resistant and thus help the entire club to reach new heights. Let’s go high!
