Marshawn Lynch’s popularity makes ‘Silence of Lambs’ mask trendy training aid

Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has drawn plenty of attention this season for all sorts of reasons, including a bizarre mask he’s sported in pregame warmups that make him look like Hannibal Lecter from “Silence of the Lambs.”

Thanks to Beast Mode and a number of others touting the benefits of the mask, it’s become one of the hot exercise aids for the new year.

The Training Mask is designed to limit oxygen intake, and help athletes strengthen their lung capacity and build up their diaphragm as if they were training at higher altitude.

You can simulate different altitudes depending on how hard you want to make your workout by swapping out plastic disks in the mask. A disk with three holes is akin to training at 3,000 feet, while a disk with one hole simulates the altitude at 9,000 feet.

“You’re going to take less breaths per minute, but you’re going to take breaths that count for more,” said Michael Gennusa, the chief operating officer of Training Mask, which makes and sells the product, in an interview with CBS.

Users swear by it, claiming the mask significantly improves their cardiovascular strength, especially elite athletes like Lynch.

Some experts question whether the mask can actually make much of a difference for the average person or weekend warrior.

Does lower oxygen really equal a better workout?

“You’re only spending a few minutes at altitude and that’s not enough to induce any major productive changes,” Dr. Benjamin Levine, a specialist in exercise physiology at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas told CBS.

The masks cost $79 for a black model and $89 for a white one on the company’s website and at sporting goods stores. Users can also buy sleeves with different looks, like the various designs sported by Lynch throughout the season, for $24.99.

Not surprisingly, Lynch hasn’t said anything about the masks in his infrequent interviews. But given the way he’s played again this season, you have to figure he’s helped propel the popularity further. You just have to wonder if he can fit Skittles through the little holes.