Enhanced altitude simulation comes to Auckland

Thursday 3 August 2006

Enhanced altitude simulation comes to Auckland

An innovative programme delivering health, lifestyle and sporting benefits was launched in Auckland today (Thursday 3 August) by entrepreneurial company io.

From its high-tech centre on Mount Eden Road, io delivers its unique altitude simulation programme, which will soon be available through a network of centres around the world. Current programme users include several All Blacks, the Auckland Blues, mountain biker Scarlett Hagen and free dive champion Ant Williams.

Building on an investment in a former altitude simulation company, Chief Executive Michael Lodge and Chief Operating Officer Edward Lodge have enhanced and honed nearly every aspect of altitude simulation over the past 12 months.

At the io premises, state-of-the art technology, purpose-written software and sophisticated high altitude air delivery has taken altitude simulation from the realm of elite athletes and made it available to everyday people seeking lifestyle, health and sporting benefits.

Michael Lodge says his team has developed what he believes to be the most sophisticated and accessible way to deliver the benefits of altitude simulation, previously only available to elite athletes, to the general public.

io altitude simulation boosts energy levels and wellbeing, provides relief from a range of medical conditions and results in a stronger and fitter body. Other results include measurable improvements in sporting endurance, speed and injury recovery, greater breathing control, improved aerobic and anaerobic conditioning and maintenance of fitness during injury periods.

“We made a very clear decision to develop a programme that is appealing to people from all walks of life and is flexible enough to fit into anyone’s schedule,” said Lodge.

“Clients simply fix on their own breathing mask, a high-tech pulse and body oxygen monitoring clip and sit back and relax. With hands free during the one hour session, clients can work, surf the net, watch DVDs, listen to music, catch up on reading the papers or work in peace.

“Research shows that anyone can benefit from improved energy levels, sporting abilities, health and wellbeing by undertaking io altitude simulation.”

Ant Williams, Sport Psychologist and New Zealand’s number one ranked free diver, was one of the first to adopt io’s altitude simulation programme.

“Without changing my training programme I added altitude simulation with io and what I found was amazing. I increased my ‘breath hold’ duration from 7 minutes to 7½ minutes in just one month. I guess it enabled my lungs and muscles to be more efficient in their use of oxygen. I now use io to help me prepare for all major free diving competitions and record attempts.”

Professor Will Hopkins of Auckland University of Technology - an expert in altitude simulation – is also encouraged by io’s altitude simulation programme.

“The intermittent altitude simulation achieved by io's technology provides an approach to the benefits of live-high, train-low altitude training that is more convenient than traveling up and down a mountain, or sleeping in tents that simulate altitude."

Existing customers of Body O2, the former company offering altitude simulation in Auckland, will experience an improved, more sophisticated product when they visit the io centre. The io programme delivers the power of oxygen as a natural, drug free, health, sport and lifestyle enhancer.

“Without revealing too many secrets, the io programme is more sophisticated in the way the high altitude air is delivered and we can safely take people around 2,000 metres higher in simulated altitude. These features enhance the programme’s efficiency and deliver improved end results,” said Lodge.

io altitude simulation is available only from io centres and is 100% safe and proven with no adverse side effects. The company has a UK io centre in Manchester, England and opened an io centre in Queenstown earlier this year. An intensive development plan will see io centres open soon around the world, including Wellington, Australia, Dubai, San Francisco and New York.

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Notes to editors:

About the io altitude simulation programme

io altitude simulation works by forcing the body to react as if at altitude. The thinner air found naturally at altitude means it takes greatly increased effort just to breathe, let alone do anything else. That increased effort has documented beneficial effects.

By delivering high altitude air in a carefully controlled way, the io programme makes the body produce more red blood cells, which means the body is more efficient at transporting and utilising oxygen. The result is a boost to energy levels and wellbeing, relief from a range of medical conditions and a stronger and fitter body.

Both published independent research and feedback from over 1,000 altitude simulation participants demonstrates that by harnessing the power of oxygen in this unique way, the io programme delivers a broad range of tangible benefits.

The passive and drug-free io programme delivers ‘thinner’ air, via a mask, inducing beneficial stress in the body and causing it to react by producing more red blood cells. This reaction is caused by the body having to adjust to alternately breathing 5 minutes normal (sea level) air and 5 minutes high altitude (hypoxic) air for an hour a day, over a set number of days.

io clients visit an io centre for one hour a day for 15 days, followed by one hour a day for a 5 day booster session every 6-8 weeks. The io programme takes a total of 50 hours over one year.

io clients may notice beneficial changes from as early as day five. Full benefits are normally apparent within five to fifteen days after completing either the initial or booster programme.

The programme costs between $22 per hour to $30 per hour, depending on the package chosen.

To read more about harnessing the power of oxygen and hear about those who have, visit www.io-nz.com

ENDS

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