The TrainingMask Fitness Intensity Index is the perfect program specially created for making the most out of your Training Mask, regardless of your experience, goals or fitness level.

If you are a beginner and you just got your hands on your Training Mask, this post will go right down you alley. With this training regimen you are going to take things slow and steady and build it up from a low impact exercise to a moderate intensity activity and ultimately to a high intensity training.

The ultimate goal is to progressively increase the respiratory endurance as you make your way through the program and develop your tolerance to higher and higher levels of breathing resistance. This will build up your lungs and it will make you take deeper and fuller breaths and it will “teach” your body to use oxygen more efficiently.

Low impact exercise

This regimen is best suited for easy activities such as stretching, yoga, recumbent cycling, breathing exercise, walking or balance activities. Because the impact of these exercises is relatively low, your goal should be to reach a 12x Air Resistance factor.

Perform your first sessions on Easy air resistance level working your way through workouts at the More Difficult settings and ending you progression by training at the Challenging resistance settings.

So, start off by setting your Training Mask on 3x Air Resistance and start doing your workout. At first you will probably need to take the Training Mask off several times in order to complete the set or activity. Once you start to develop your breathing technique and respiratory function, you will be able to comfortably complete the entire set or activity with you Training Mask on.

When you reach that level you are ready to increase the Air Resistance to 6x and start doing your workout program again. The increased Air Resistance settings will make the activities more difficult to perform. Take off the Training Mask whenever required throughout the program in order to complete the activity.

When you are able to comfortably complete the entire activity with your Training Mask on you should set it to 9x Air Resistance and end your progression by using 12x Air Resistance.

Moderate intensity activity

Use these settings on your Training Masks when you are performing activities such as backpacking, outdoor cycling, light jogging, indoor/outdoor rowing, elliptical training or cross country skiing.

Your goal should be to reach a 9x Air Resistance setting.

Start your workout with the Training Mask at the Easy resistance setting and work your way up each session until you are completing workouts in the More Difficult resistance range.

Start doing your training by setting your Training Mask on 3x Air Resistance. When you are able to comfortably complete the entire set or activity with your Training Mask on you are ready to crank it up to 6x Air Resistance.

This new setting will force your respiratory system to adapt to a new level of resistance. Take off the Training Mask whenever required throughout the program in order to complete the activity. Once year breathing technique and power gets adapted with the 6x Air Resistance and you can complete the activity without taking the Training Mask off, you can start using the 9x Air Resistance settings.

High intensity training

Last but not least, you can make your HIIT even more intense than before. Whether its sprint drills, running stadium stairs, functional training, cross training, hill runs or plyometric you can still dial into your respiratory training.

Since all these activities are fairly intense, you will use the Training Mask in the Easy resistance setting with a goal of reaching 6x Air Resistance.

Your focus should be on completing more reps, more sets or rounds per workout proficiently before increasing beyond the Easy range during high intensity exercise. So start off with a mild 3x Air Resistance and try to build up to 6x Air Resistance. Take your time and put all your focus on developing your air resistance tolerance level to the point where you are able to comfortably complete your activity without taking the Training Mask off.

This might be quite a challenge when you are doing HIIT training.

Bottom line

This “build-up” method is very much like using progressive overloading (using heavier and heavier weights) to build more strength and size for your skeletal muscles. It’s the same exact principle, but applied to your respiratory system and muscles.

The Training Mask is a great tool only if you put it to work in a smart, scientific and approachable way. It can be incorporated in any workout plan and any sport, regardless if you are just a beginner who is trying to stay fit or a competitive pro athlete.

It is scientifically proven that putting your muscles to increased amounts of stress will make them develop. It is a game of adaptation. It is all about stimulus and result. This is called resistance training.

When we put our muscles through a higher and higher amount of stress (heavier weights) they adapt to that stimulus and as a result they grow bigger and stronger. Or, if you are using a higher repetition range, your muscle will develop more and more endurance.

Training Mask works in the same exact way. It allows you to set different air resistance levels which will progressively develop your respiratory capacity and your overall conditioning.

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