- Aug 15, 2018
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I've sort of rediscovered this as a student of mine did a presentation for our clinic on the benefits of BFR (blood flow restriction) training for patients with knees post surgically and with general pathology. Bodybuilding was always ahead but they couldn't explain why it worked (bro science). So I dug into a bit and found a significant amount of research as to how it works.
In a nutshell, but occluding venous flow but not arterial, you create a huge metabolic stress on the tissue. The two spots would be upper arm and quad (therapuetically it is also done just above the knee, but NEVER along the calf to ensure prevention of deep vein thrombosis). The ideal pressure is to be 20% less pressure from maximum arterial restriction (So you'd have to have a specific guage measuring until your pulse drops, then cut back 20%). You then train at around 40-60% of the max to preserve safety and structual integrity. Compression should be alleviated after every set or two to allow normal blood flow, but literature suggests that a maximum of 5 minutes of compression can be done before you start causing destruction to the tissue.
Well spank my ass and call me charlie, this gave me the craziest pumps i've ever had even after the first exercise. I just used my knee wraps as it's a wide strap and it's unsafe to use a 1" tourniquet style (minimum 2"). I've done legs twice, and today was arms for the first time. From shoulder to wrist I could feel enormous blood flow and the vascularity was unlike i've ever seen. Using lighter weights is an absolute necessity and it gives off the benefits of using maximum weight. I can see this as a game changer for my off season training with combination of normal training with this.
Has anyone else ever used this method before? It's creeping into the light a bit now with the medical community but haven't see much in bodybuilding, despite overwhelming evidence of it increasing mass.
In a nutshell, but occluding venous flow but not arterial, you create a huge metabolic stress on the tissue. The two spots would be upper arm and quad (therapuetically it is also done just above the knee, but NEVER along the calf to ensure prevention of deep vein thrombosis). The ideal pressure is to be 20% less pressure from maximum arterial restriction (So you'd have to have a specific guage measuring until your pulse drops, then cut back 20%). You then train at around 40-60% of the max to preserve safety and structual integrity. Compression should be alleviated after every set or two to allow normal blood flow, but literature suggests that a maximum of 5 minutes of compression can be done before you start causing destruction to the tissue.
Well spank my ass and call me charlie, this gave me the craziest pumps i've ever had even after the first exercise. I just used my knee wraps as it's a wide strap and it's unsafe to use a 1" tourniquet style (minimum 2"). I've done legs twice, and today was arms for the first time. From shoulder to wrist I could feel enormous blood flow and the vascularity was unlike i've ever seen. Using lighter weights is an absolute necessity and it gives off the benefits of using maximum weight. I can see this as a game changer for my off season training with combination of normal training with this.
Has anyone else ever used this method before? It's creeping into the light a bit now with the medical community but haven't see much in bodybuilding, despite overwhelming evidence of it increasing mass.
