The Mexicutioner: Joey Beltran prepares for UFC on Fuel TV 4 (Photo Gallery)

Wish he went down in weight a long time ago because he's looking great now.



Hope he finds success at this weight class.

only time i worn a gas mask is to smoke pot outta it and thats pretty intsense



Also Beltran is lookin like a stud hope he get the W

Try looking at the gas mask for 10 seconds without laughing !

You wouldnt be laughing if you ever had to wear one, they suck!

Padwork with the mask doubles as training for when the zombie apocalypse occurs. We'll see who's laughing then.

Even Joe Rogan thinks those masks are not beneficial. He believes your body(muscles) needs the oxygen while training physically and cancels the gains you get from cardio.

I think it would be better for your body to climatise to an environment of high altitude where you live (like jackson camp) then to train intensively in low altitude with a gas mask. But according to research the gas mask training is suppose to also increase concentration of red blood cell, make red blood cells more efficient at unloading oxygen to tissues.



Some guys naturally have higher VO2 level so they probably go ok without the mask. As David said, its uncomfortable as hell and joe probably realises the stress factor of depleting your body and brain of so much oxygen.

It definetly doesn't look comfortable, your right !

I don't know any of the research behind the mask but I live on the flat prairies and am training for an ultramarathon in the Rocky Mountains. I asked a local lung specialist if the mask would work to simulate training at altitude and he said no, just train harder. Rats.

Check this article out if your interested Bruce



http://fightercorner.com/gas-mask-training-for-mma



In Dr. Frank Wyatt’s excerpt of his article “To breathe or not to breathe?” with regards to a gas mask type device for MMA, he states:



“The purpose of this breathing device is to restrict the intake of air (i.e., inspired ventilation) and thus lead to reduced oxygen intake. With reduced oxygen intake one works harder for any given workload. This is the same premise one faces when exposed to high altitudes. The pressure of oxygen at higher altitudes is reduced, leading to a reduced intake of oxygen.”





We’ve all seen it before, or at least heard about it. MMA fighters running around with a gas mask or some other contraption while going about their routine, may it be doing their weightlifting sessions, or actual fight training such as hitting the pads and such. Really though, what is it for? It looks cool and everything but what is MMA gas mask training all about anyway?



Altitude Training



Altitude training has been used by athletes not only in MMA, but almost every other competitive sport in the world. . It is no surprise that Greg Jackson’s gym is strategically located in Albaquerque, New Mexico which is 5,312 feet above sea level. Oscar De La Hoya for example, has both a house AND a gym located in Big Bear, California which is located 6,752 feet above sea level, and he’s definitely not the only one that trains there. Even Shane Mosley will be preparing for his fight against Manny Pacquiao at Big Bear, and Pacman will coincidentally also be training for him in Baguio City, Philippines, home to Eduardo Folayang and the Lakay Wushu MMA team, which is about 5,100 feet above sea level.



What’s the deal with altitude training and how is it relevant to gas mask training for MMA?



Simply put, the concentration level of oxygen in these high altitude areas are lower than areas where fights actually happen. For example, the Fight Capital of the World, Las Vegas, is only 2,000 feet above sea level. While training at altitude, athletes are subject to a state of hypoxia, an oxygen deprived state so when they finally do come back to relatively normal states, their VO2 max level is higher, giving them a competitive edge against their opponents.



This is why altitude training is more often than not, a deemed “requirement” for MMA fighters who compete at the highest level. Put 2 identically skilled fighters who have done the same amount of work, put one in Big Bear and one to stay in Vegas. Who do you think has the advantage in terms of cardio and endurance? Sadly, most of us fighters don’t have the time and money to be able to move our whole training camp to Big Bear or Albaquerque. Which brings us to the next part of the article, gas mask training!

Gas Mask Training for MMA



For old time’s sake, here’s a photo of Wanderlei Silva with his own variation of high altitude training simulation. He’s got his nose covered up with tape and a snorkel to breathe in. What a gangster.





How is altitude training relevant to wearing a gas mask while you hit the pads or do your roadwork? It’s directly correlated. You see, there are all these products in the market such as the Elevation Training Mask (produced by Sean Sherk) and the O2 Trainer (produced by Bas Rutten) mimic the hypoxia that altitude training offers.



By limiting the amount of oxygen intake, rather than by directly being in altitude, MMA training gas masks make use of valves and filters to do so. This in turn then has the same effect on the athlete in terms of the benefits of being in altitude.



Ultimate Fighter alumni, Kyle Noke, who just won his in Sydney, Australia for UFC 127 trains under Greg Jackson in Albaquerque, New Mexico was even wearing his Elevation Training Mask for up until he stepped into the Octagon. For many people, this would be the first time they would see something like this. When asked to explain the contraption by Ariel Helwani, he says:



“It [the gas mask] is a conditioning thing, a high elevation thing. We come from Albaquerque, one of the highest cities you can train in. We’re just trying to keep that high altitude training going.”



In Dr. Frank Wyatt’s excerpt of his article “To breathe or not to breathe?” with regards to a gas mask type device for MMA, he states:



“The purpose of this breathing device is to restrict the intake of air (i.e., inspired ventilation) and thus lead to reduced oxygen intake. With reduced oxygen intake one works harder for any given workload. This is the same premise one faces when exposed to high altitudes. The pressure of oxygen at higher altitudes is reduced, leading to a reduced intake of oxygen.”



According to research done by the Rice University of Houston, altitude training has the following long term effects:



increased concentration of red blood cells

decreased maximum cardiac output with a decreased maximum heart rate, doing the same amount of work

a chemical change within red blood cells that makes them more efficient at unloading oxygen to the tissues



Below is one of the very first professionally done videos for gas mask training. I remember the first time seeing it and having my jaw drop due to the intensity of their training.



Not only does gas mask training improve red blood cell physiology and increase oxygen intake capacity, but it also works to strengthen the body’s breathing apparatus. Again, to quote Dr. Wyatt in his study:



I worked my ventilation muscles (i.e., diaphragm, intercostals) considerably. This is a real positive in training as research has shown that ventilation muscle fatigue during endurance events leads to decreased performance.



Coincidentally, gas mask training also produces another phenomena in the body and it has something to do with carbon dioxide, or CO2. When breathing in that enclosed space within the mask, you will also tend to re-breath CO2. This phenomena is called hypercapnea. Hypercapnea results to the muscle tissues in the body to enter an oxygen deprived state, increasing fatigue.

Check out this article if you're interested - sounds like you're giving an option - posting a link would suffice - follow the link with the entire article is being annoying - sorry to say buddy but I just thought I would let you know for future reference.

Rockem...



I meant to post a short segment. I copied and pasted it wrong and it picked up the whole article. You only see the mistake after you post it because the text box is small.

Its a good article if you are into sports science. Thanks for calling me out on this one. You are making good use of the first amendment.

I ran out of oxygen reading this long post :)

Good post enjoy.

Cheers Evan...

What happened to Joey Beltran? I want the old Joey Beltran back!!!!

Wow Joey dosnt even look like the same guy at 205, cant wait to see what he looks like at weigh-ins

i see him going to 185 after he loses to Te Huna at 205

Joey with a new look looking great. Glad the guys back in the UFC.

Joey is a true fighter for the fans!



It's crazy, could be mistaken for a different person at this weight.



Hope he does good, big test with Te Huna,

Also interesting fact, both guys last wins were TKOs over Aaron Rosa