Where hyperbaric oxygen fits in a training week

Plan your recovery time

Most people who train seriously plan their training sessions but not their recovery. In a busy week, there's often no time left for it. Booking a set hour for recovery each week makes sure it happens.

What a session involves

You sit in the chamber and breathe through a soft mask. The air in the mask has more oxygen in it than the air in the room. The pressure rises slowly over the first few minutes. Your ears may feel a little full, as they do when a plane lands. Swallowing clears them. A session lasts forty-five to sixty minutes.

Why the pressure matters

At normal pressure, almost all the oxygen you breathe is carried by your red blood cells. They are already nearly full, so breathing harder doesn't add much. Under pressure, oxygen also dissolves into the plasma. This means your blood carries more oxygen, further into tissue. Your body uses oxygen to repair itself.

When to book it

It doesn't add to your training load. You can book it after a hard session, between two sessions, or on a rest day. People who train most mornings often book it for the evening of their hardest session.

How many sessions

One session on its own won't do much. Over a course of sessions, the body can also grow new capillaries (the smallest blood vessels). Most people try it for a few weeks before deciding if it suits them.

Four of our clients talk about the clinic on camera. You can watch them on our what people say page.