Blood
Flow Restriction Training was first pioneered in Japan 50 years ago and was called
“Kaatsu”. Ka means
"additional" and atsu means "pressure." In America the method
is called "blood flow restriction training," (BFRT) and involves
performing strength training exercises while restricting blood flow to the
extremities.
One
of the many benefits BFRT is that you can use just 30 to 50 percent of the
weight you'd normally use while still obtaining the maximum benefits of heavy resistance
training.
Cuffs
or bands are used that are just tight enough to allow arterial blood flow but
not venous flow. The cuffs are placed on the upper arm between the shoulder and
top of the bicep and at the top of the thighs right under the gluteal
muscles. BFRT causes lactic acid and
other waste products to build up triggering a local and systemic response that
provides you with all the benefits of lifting heavy weights without the
associated risks and stresses on joints and tissues.
For
this reason, it's a great strategy for those with injuries, older people who cannot
safely tolerate loads, and those who are recuperating from an injury or anyone
who wants all the benefits of heavy resistance training without the risks!
How
does BFRT Work?
The
concept idea behind blood flow restriction training is to restrict blood flow
using a band around the upper portion of the arm or leg being worked. This creates
a metabolic disturbance that has local and systemic effects:
1.
A safe decrease in oxygen along with an increase in the acidity of the muscle
tissue stimulates protein synthesis through an adaptive response to the stressor.
2.
The central nervous system also senses the challenge and compensates by
increasing sympathetic tone, heart rate, ventilation and sweating. This generates a tremendous cardiovascular response
and benefits along with accentuated hormonal response.
3.
Although using light weights by reducing oxygen levels muscles are forced to
use anaerobic pathways and Type 1 Endurance Muscle Fibers are quickly fatigued
so muscles turn on the fast-twitch Type
2 fibers which is what is required to make significant gains in strength and
muscle size.
The
low oxygen conditions generated through BFRT causes the release of Vascular
Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Hypoxia-Inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF1A). These factors generate a systemic affect
throughout the entire body causing a robust increase in micro-circulation and
blood vessel growth and repair. Through
this mechanism BFRT has been shown to increase muscle stem cells by 300% after
8 days of training.
BFRT
also results in a very significant boost in Growth Hormone on par with the
response to very heavy weightlifting.
BFRT also lowers myostatin which puts the breaks on muscle growth, and it produces
these many powerful benefits while inflicting much less muscle damage.
Unexpectedly
muscle growth occurs throughout the body because of the systemic effects. The
systemic increase in Growth Hormone also drives overall muscle growth.
BFRT
Training Protocol
A
typical training session uses three sets of 20 – 30 repetitions per set for 3 –
4 sets using half or less of the resistance you'd normally use. Rest between
sets is short with typical rest time being 20 - 30 seconds.
Could
BFRT Cause Injury such as Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Properly
executed BFRT uses special inflatable cuffs that do not allow arterial blood
flow to be cut off, so this IS NOT the same as putting a tourniquet on and is
quite safe. In fact, it is heavily used
for cardiac and stroke patients in Japan.
The systemic effects of circulatory growth factors often result in improved
circulation and lower blood pressure. It
is important to use cuff’s designed specifically for this process.
High
Quality BFRT Equipment
There
are several great companies providing specially designed BFRT cuffs that fit
any arm or leg and provide the ability to apply a precise amount of pressure
through a simple, small hand-pump attachment.
These high-quality systems do not allow you to apply to much pressure which
could shut down arterial blood flow. High
quality systems include:
https://bstrong.training/ - an outstanding
system at a much lower cost than the original Kaatsu system below
https://www.kaatsu-global.com/index.cfm?Action=Store.Details&pid=11
– original BFRT System
Contraindications
for BFRT
- Women who have had a mastectomy with or without radiation
and/or an axillary node dissection should not use blood flow restriction
training.
- People in hemodialysis who have arterial venous
fistulas. Avoid doing blood flow restriction on the affected limb
- Pregnant women should not use BFRT
- Cuffs should never placed on injured sites.
For more information on Blood Flow Restriction Training
check out this video with one of the leaders in this type of Training Dr. Jim
Stray-Gunderson: https://youtu.be/KXh2THPc984
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