How BFR and KAATSU Training is your New Answer to Muscle Growth

   

BFR (blood flow restriction) training, otherwise known as occlusion or KAATSU training, is renown for its muscle growing effects. Using this technique during exercise and muscle workouts creates ‘metabolic stress’ in muscles which promotes muscle growing power through the changed physiology the inflated cuff creates. This makes it a hugely successful and efficient way to tone and strengthen, which is why many professional athletes are implementing it into their workouts.

   Recently BFR training has become particularly popular in America as professional athletes and sportspersons incorporate it into their everyday training. The BFR technique originates from Japan, alternatively called KAATSU training, as a way of growing muscles and recovering from injuries. The technique was developed by Doctor Yoshiaki Sato in 1966 and eventually patented in 1994 after he extensively researched the most efficient technique to harshness the effect of using BFR or KAATSU training on muscle growth.

  BFR training has been highly successful for a number of professional athletes looking to improve their strength or recover from injuries during their sport. Famous sportsmen Bode Miller, a World down-hill ski champion, suffered from a skiing accident that left him requiring a herniated disk operation. Miller fully recovered and aids his recovery to the KAATSU treatment he undertook, allowing him to return to the world championships just months later.

   In addition, New York City FC goal keeper Josh Saunders is another example of a famous BFR and KAATSU user. In 2013, suffering post-surgery from a torn ACL repair and a bone graft and reconstruction, Saunders rehabilitated through advice from a sport science advisor and KAATSU global organisation. He continuously uses BFR and KATSUU training throughout his workouts, but took most advantage of the muscle growing techniques it provides whilst he was recovering after his intense operations. Within 4 months of his operations and beginning KAATSU training Saunders was back on the field, aided by the BFR methods of muscle growth.

   In addition, many strands of BFR or KAATSU training have emerged. Steven Munatones, a former Olympic swim coach, began his own business surrounding BFR and KAATSU training techniques because of the success and incredible results. It has also been reported that BFR training is popular within high performers in the Navy SEALs in order to achieve optimum fitness as quickly as possible.

   The science behind BFR training has been successfully proven to work by partially restricting blood flow into the muscle and limiting blood flow out of the muscle. Through this blood is trapped in the muscle for longer periods of time which leads to built up pressure and cellular swelling, and as a result this shocks the muscles into new growth. Furthermore, your muscles inability to get rid of excess waste materials creates metabolic stress or acidosis. This is one of the main components that leads to muscle growth.

   Studies have proven that using weights in your BFR training as low as 20% of your maximum ability will increase muscle size and have the same effect as traditional exercise using weights as much as 70% of your maximum ability. This outlines the incredible effect and efficiency of exercising using BFR techniques than without, due to its fast and effective result.

   The equipment used to carry out BFR training for the best results includes a BFR or compression cuff. This is used to wrap around the muscle you will be working to create the pressure once it’s inflated. Athletes most commonly use the compression band at a 4-5/10 intensity for the upper arm or 6-7/10 intensity for the legs. These are the only accessible muscles that can be strengthened through BFR training as you can only focus on one muscle group on your arms or legs using the equipment.

  In addition, you need a BFR pump. This allows you to inflate the cuffs surrounding your muscle to the appropriate pressure to limit the blood flow out of your muscles and to incur the increased muscle growing effects. It’s advised that upper limb pressures, i.e. arms, should be exposed to cuff pressures between 100-220mmHg and lower limbs, i.e. legs, can be exposed to pressures between 150-250mmHg. This will result in the best outcome without hindering your workout or risking any problems.

  BFR training is on the expansion as it becomes more popular and is predicted to be used my most sportspersons in the future. Many athletes and sport professionals using the new technology credit their improvements and recovery to BFR training and methods due to such resounding and speedy results. The sport science behind the technique is so simple and effective, and yet it can change the rate of your muscular achievements immediately making your workout far more efficient; it’s a success all-round.

For extra information on BFR training equipment here's video for any unanswered questions: