He Climbed Mount Everest Without Oxygen, And Says Hypoxic Training Helped Him Do It

An increasing number of athletes are adding a new component to their workouts: hypoxic training, which simulates the oxygen deprivation of altitude without leaving sea level.

New York-based Hypoxico pioneered the technology, which includes sealed rooms where oxygen levels can simulate all altitudes, as well as altitude-simulating masks and sleeping tents. The training is popular among climbers who want a jump-start on acclimating to higher altitudes before their travels, as well as elite and nonelite athletes who want to increase their endurance and stamina.

Here & Now's Robin Young and Karyn Miller-Medzon paid a visit to Hypoxico in Manhattan, where they met with development director Stan Pillman (@Hypoxico), logistics director Brian Bilius and climber David Roeske (@roeske), the third person ever to reach the summit two Himalayan peaks — Everest and Cho Oyu — without oxygen, on a single trip.