This past week, professor Aurelio Corral of the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), carried out the last practice of the subject Sports Physiology through simulations in conditions of high altitude cycling with students of the Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences.
“It is a practice where we simulate the conditions that an athlete will encounter at altitude and perform a physiological assessment to be able to adapt the training stimulus appropriately,” explained Professor Corral. The methodology involves the use of a hypoxia machine, provided by the Macrociclo company, which allows the athletes to be subjected to the partial pressure of oxygen up to 8,000 meters above sea level, thus, emulating the conditions of some of the highest mountains in the world.
During the practice, the altitude is increased every 2,000 meters while different physiological values are recorded, such as heart rate, partial oxygen saturation, blood lactate levels, and subjective exertion perception, all at the same exercise intensity level.
The main objective of this practice, according to Professor Corral, is “to create curiosity and capture the students’ attention so that they can make appropriate decisions when working with athletes in altitude conditions, as these differ significantly from conditions at sea level.”
The professor pointed out that this methodology is applied to high-performance athletes, such as cyclists who participate in events with the magnitude of the Tour de France. “We have brought this unique first-hand experience to the students for their academic training within the CAFYD degree program,” he added.
Professor Corral is convinced that these types of practices are fundamental for students’ learning and experiencing them firsthand will make them unforgettable. “It is an experience that makes a difference and prepares our students to face challenges in the field of sports physiology,” he stated.
Aurelio Corral, between UNEATLANTICO and elite cycling
In parallel to his work as a teacher at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Aurelio Corral works with professional athletes, playing a key role in improving their performance and biomechanical evaluation. Corral is a specialist in data analysis, load control, and advanced cycling training, with an approach to time trial performance from a materials and biomechanics perspective. This has led him to work with some of the top cycling teams on the world stage: he was part of the UAE Emirates Team performance team as a biomechanics coach, working on equipment data analysis, biomechanics, training and time trial performance, and is currently a technical manager at the Astana Qazaqstan Team, focusing on development, time trial performance, materials, biomechanics, aerodynamics, and training. Available here is an interview about his integration to the technical staff of the Astana team, and here, he shared with us his experience in the Vuelta Ciclista a España 2020 in which he took part as UAE’s trainer.