It dates back to few centuries, but is being extensively exploited only recently! Feels good and promising. Yes !! It is a bit crude in its presentable form and certainly has a few demerits. Let's Swoosh Through!
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training - in simple terms:
This is a training method which involves partially restricting the arterial inflow and fully restricting the venous outflow in working musculature during exercise. A method that combines low intensity training and blood occlusion techniques. The pressure is often produced with a pneumatic/tourniquet cuff compressing the musculature around the area of interest. The idea is to stop the blood flow and thus cut oxygen and allow pooling of blood exploit its effects. Ofcourse, that is a one-liner which would make absolutely no sense until you read the blog completely!!
“ It was known as “Kaatsu training” in Japanese language, meaning “training with added pressure.” Kaatsu training is now performed all over the world and is more commonly referred to as BFR training."
The benefits of BFR training is highly on par with both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. The recent utilities have however predominantly been used in the scenes of body building. Many trainers have claimed that hypertrophy results are much more defined and easier with the BFR technique. This claim has also been proved with science and experiments. By traditional resistance/ weight-lifting training, researches have found that, a person must lift at least 65% of their 1RM(1 rep max) to create appreciable hypertrophy gains. Interestingly, in the year 2000, a study by Takarada have concluded that if one was to train under the strict guidelines of BFR training principles, loads as low as 20%- 30% of 1RM can create identical hypertrophy stimulus as depicted in traditional exercise with 65% of 1RM loads.
This technique works seamless not only for muscle gains but also for muscular strength. Not quite higher than the HIIT strength gains but can be used in alternating schedules to have a benefit over the effects of progressive overloading. Another amazing works of our BFR training is that they help in recovery. Controlling blood flow, pooling blood and releasing the gush has some advance mechanisms that promotes injury recovery and facilitate the athlete's return to play criteria!
Physiology behind BFR in muscle building:
So how is this whole process of muscle building happening? What are the attributions that this technique, "Blood Flow Restriction Training" proposes to hold in?
Well, muscular gain can be simplified in a logical formula;
Muscle gain = Muscle Protein synthesis - Muscle protein breakdown
Even from a commoner's perspective, it is very logical that if the protein synthesis is more than the protein breakdown, muscular hypertrophy occurs. With BFR training, the muscular damages as a result of training load and training volumes is significantly reduced. With traditional exercises patterns, heavy loads stretches the sarcomeres and as a result damage the muscle matrix. This causes elevated levels of enzymes such as creatine kinase, lipid peroxides, myoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase and prolonged periods of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). However, with current technique in discussion the levels of these enzymes are statistically very low. This can be contributed to mechanism of response to the training and also to the very fact that this method requires a very small percentage of the 1RM for the results. This means that BFR training reduces the magnitude of MUSCLE PROTEIN BREAKDOWN.
As the BFR training works by the idea of limited blood supply with increasing demand, the small (Type I) fibres eventually stop working. This is when the larger fibres (Type II) comes into rescue. With the Type II fibres are in work, the amount of lactic acid release in quite higher. It is well-established that lactic acid levels are a predisposal to growth hormone release. This in turn would increase collagen synthesis. So it not only improves the muscle growth but also aids in recovery in this way. BFR training has also shown a great possitive effect on myostatin and IGF-1 levels.
"With aerobic exercise and training, the BFR technique has shown to increase the performance by improving the Vo2max scores. It has also been claimed that the aerobic adaptations are more compatible with BFR as it depicts an acute up-regulation of protein signalling."
Insightful Demerits:
These include possible muscle damage as a result of improper cuffing process and the crude nature of the technique by itself. The later part is quite perceivable. Though the athlete has to train less loads, not many would love to be strapped upon and tortured. I meant the pressure cuffs and the reps against the pressure!! Nevertheless, the satisfying feeling of the blood gushing after you remove the pressure cuff is all worth for I guess!! Muscle damage can occur with this technique but are not on high values. It can activate stretch-activated calcium channels and increase the intercellular calcium levels. These can impair the integrity of the sarcomeres and thus reducing the muscular power output. At some extreme and rare cases, BFR training can induce exertion rhabdomyolysis. The pressure levels should be designed with utmost care and precise calculations. If done otherwise, it can lead to ischemic-reperfusion injuries.
"Other considerable factors to focus would include, release of reactive oxygen species, can cause thromboembolism as a result of chronic use etc. Its is also quite essential to monitor the individual adaptations and responses to cardiovascular, peripheral and central responses to BFR training."
Potential in Sports:
Though the longterm effects are unclear and not widely appreciated/analysed, Blood Flow Restriction technique comes quite in handy with the following perspectives:
Can be used in body-building because it produces results in a much quicker time frame and also reduces the workload with respect to the percentage of 1RM. This might help in reducing the incidence of over load induced muscular damage and tears.
Can be highly efficient in sports that involve the Type II muscle fibre recruitment; thus can be used for power events such as weightlifting, boxing, American football etc.
Quite potential in aerobic events and sports as it is known to increase Vo2 Max.However I do not understand the study design or even the very idea of BFR and increase in Vo2 max.
Since this method persistently trains the Type II muscle fibres, it can also be used for sprint training regimes.
Posses a distinctive utility in recovery and injury healing aspects.
Blood Flow Restriction exercises can be used in various formats and regimes. But, it is very important to keep in mind that though efficient, it needs to be done with serious and appropriate application knowledge."
A lot of studies affirm that BFR training depicts adapted benefits in runners (Vo2 max). However, according to me I would question the area of cuffing and its relationship to the cardiac efficacies ! Because, to me with my level of understanding, I feel vO2 max is highly related to cardiac function rather than musculature. Obviously we cannot cuff the heart. It sounds crazy to me ! I do not have any understanding with the studies which claims "cuffing legs while running improves Vo2 max". Please do put in your idea or opinions in the forum page about the effects of BFR in improvising Vo2 max. I would conclude it by saying the following :
"Not every day nor every instance is a terrain to train on !!