you can get a tent if you have the $$ - http://www.hypoxictent.com/

seems like a good start

Training can increase both your red blood cells and plasma volume. THis is good because increased plasma volume increases the volume of blood pumped by the heart. But because there is an increase in both RBCs and plasma volume the hematocrit doesn't go up and it might actually slightly decrease. But you're still getting fitter so no worries. A hematocrit to high can increase the viscosity of the blood and next thing you know you have a blown out aorta xx
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Well, dan, a high Hct won't blow out your aorta...your left ventricle doesn't generate more force just because your Hct is higher...but, too high a Hct can cause "sludging" of the cells in capillary beds...not a good thing...it can actually be dangerous.

Some of the people with the highest Hcts are those with lung disease. Your body's long-term response to hypoxia is to increase the % of red blood cells in the blood so more oxygen can be carried per unit volume of blood. Long-time smokers often have Hcts over 50 when they present with heart problems.

Webswim...yes, Hct is a value that can change with training, but, Hct, in itself, probably isn't a goal an athlete should really aim to hit. Increased plasma volume (which dilutes a given volume of red blood cells) is important as well...increased plasma volume (within the Starling's law limits) is one of the things that helps increase cardiac output economy. The "dopers" aim for increased blood volume and increased Hct with Epogen...but, if they loose too much plasma volume from sweating...THEN they can have capillary sludging occuring...a potentially dangerous situation.

Train hard, maybe consider a low-oxygen tent to sleep in, if you're willing to take that step...or sleep at higher altitudes. Your Hct will probably rise some.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

Thanks for all the info guys. I wanted to know purely out of curiosity.

There's an awful lot for me to do before I get to the oxygen tent stage... like regular training for a start ;-)

YES! Yaqui

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

Iron, B12 and hypoxia about all you need to promote increased RBC. Although it's not the best training for IM length events significant hypoxia can be induced by anaerobic and lactate threshold training. It's not much fun but it's cheap.

Using mobile monitoring they have done some testing in bike races and the riders were so hypoxic at the finish line that they would have caused a panic if they presented with the same levels in an ER.