They will spend 15 days in the resort of Fiesch for an intensive block of training, working to a stimulus of living at high altitude whilst training at low altitude.
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What does this mean? It means the squad will live, eat and sleep up the mountain in Fiescheralp (2250m) and train down in the resort of Fiesch (1050m)
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Academic research shows that the optimal altitude for positive adaptations for sea-level performance (where the RWC will take place) is living between 2000 and 2500m.
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It is a training stimulus used extensively in elite sport.
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This level of altitude will be replicated later in the month when the squad travel to Qatar. In addition to the heat training the players will go through they will also be sleeping at altitude once again as they spend the nights in hypoxic chambers that can replicate up to 4500m above sea level.
