Blood clots. Many people are concerned about the potential for blood clots in occlusion training. In several studies and surveys, less than 0.06% of people (healthy and older adults with heart disease) had no change regarding blood clots. If you’re prone to blood clots, be careful and talk to your doctor. ‌ Martin-Hernández J, Marín PJ, Menéndez H, et al. Muscular adaptations after two different volumes of blood flow-restricted training. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013;23:e114-e120.

Hughes L, Paton B, Rosenblatt B, et al.Bloodflowrestrictiontraining in clinical musculoskeletal rehabilitation: a systematic review andmeta-analysis. B J Sports Med. 2017;51(13):1003-1011. BFR helps you achieve a muscle pump similar to what you’d feel when doing hypertrophy training, but it usually feels more intense. Cuffs and tourniquets. Your blood flow is restricted by using a cuff or tourniquet. The type of cuff used will affect your level of occlusion training. Aspects such as the cuff’s width, pressure, and material are all considered when you start occlusion training. Types of Occlusion Training Wernbom, M., Paulsen, G., Nilsen, T. S., Hisdal, J., & Raastad, T. (2012). Contractile function and sarcolemmal permeability after acute low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 112(6), 2051-2063.It has been proposed that restricting blood flow causes damage to veins and ultimately impairs long-term blood flow. However, research shows that, while blood flow is restricted during exercise, over time (four weeks) there is an actual increase in the ability to vasodilate and increase blood flow, compared to traditional resistance training alone.[19] I found this study to be the most fascinating of all. Elite basketball players walked on a 5% incline at 4-6 km/hour, for five sets of three minutes each, with a one-minute rest between sets, six days per week for two weeks. By the end, they’d improved their VO2 Max and knee extension strength, compared with the control group. Oxygen is a critical ingredient in the respiratory process that’s involved in breathing. As you breathe in oxygen, your lungs absorb and turn it into energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The purpose of an occlusion training band is to limit blood flow through the veins. To accomplish this task properly, you need a band that is long enough to encircle the arm or leg and can fasten securely. Length

This means that your body can better handle aerobic fitness activities that require a lot of oxygen intake like running, swimming, and other types of cardio. Who should improve their VO₂ max? Reed JL, et al. (2019). Submaximal exercise testing in cardiovascular rehabilitation settings (BEST study). Ahtiainen, J. P., Pakarinen, A., Kraemer, W. J., & Häkkinen, K. (2003). Acute hormonal and neuromuscular responses and recovery to forced vs maximum repetitions multiple resistance exercises. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 24(6), 410-418.

Key considerations

For example, research published in Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging found that restricting blood flow to the arms and performing the bench press actually resulted in a 16 percent increase in muscle activation of the pecs.[8] Research has also found that individuals who train their legs with BFR and follow it with an arm workout actually get more growth in the arms than when training them separately.[9]

The same goes for leg training except that you will be positioning the BFR bands high up on the thigh area right beneath your glutes. Again, experiment with the tightness levels and adjust accordingly. What is the Best Occlusion Training Band Size? If you’re vying for the Olympics, where every fraction of a second and ounce of muscle mass makes a difference, finding an experienced KAATSU practitioner would probably be worth the investment. If you are looking for maximum benefits, rigid cuffs are significantly superior to elastic in their ability to trap metabolites during BFR exercise and are usually better with pressure application. BFR Cuff Size

Who is the Occlusion Cuff for?

In this article, I’ll talk about the history of BFR training, review some of the research on the benefits of BFR training, discuss some of its risks, and provide some sample BFR chest workouts. Occlusion Bands for Stronger Glutes are used by many athletes and fitness enthusiasts to strengthen their glutes while engaging in different exercises. The bands do not limit movement but they do provide compression so that the muscle is more easily activated during exercises such as lunges, squats, leg lifts, etc. What are some of the Benefits of using an Occlusion Band for Strength and Accuracy in Training? During competition season to avoid impacting athletic performance, while still building muscle and strength You may have to do some tinkering to find your 7, but you should never wrap as tight as possible, which would be a 10. This is especially true in training phases where you are handling very little weights. Competitive athletes with high training density can benefit from occlusion training. Especially during the season by reducing jointstress through reduced loads.