What is BFR Training and Benefits? 2021
BFR or Blood Flow Restriction training has become increasingly popular in training rooms in the world. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s perfectly understood. In fact, given the many names (occlusion training, hypoxic training, KAATSU), styles (bands, cuffs, ace bandages), and goals associated with this type of training, the confusion seems to grow. This restriction training allows a person to perform the exercise sessions with less weight while their muscles get the results that would typically occur after a more arduous training session. After researching BFR for years and studying it firsthand in the lab, researchers believe it has a lot to offer to a wide range of people who want to gain muscle, increase their training frequency, and try something new in their programming.
Researchers have been digging into the details of BFR for decades. And there are also many fascinating new types of research happening all the time. During a proper BFR, blood can enter the muscle via arterial flow; the veins get cramped, so that blood gets partially prevented from leaving the working muscles. ‘B Strong’ designed a narrow elastic band, peculiarly with the ability to gauge the pressure that the bands apply on the muscles. This system allows the individuals to perform BFR training in a safer way and the complete utilization of the technique.
The Benefits of Blood Flow Restriction:
What is blood flow restriction and how does it work?
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training involves using a band, similar to a pressure cuff, or a blood pressure cuff, even knee wraps to wrap over the muscle origin. So, the blood flow gets partially restricted in the working muscle while working out. Limiting the blood supply during the workout allows for a swelling effect on the muscles, which is the first mechanism of muscle growth. Also, you can work out at a regular intensity with less resistance & stress on the working muscles and gain more muscle growth. The restriction of flow also builds up metabolites, like lactic acids, which results in direct stimulation of muscle growth. And the working muscles force the nervous system to engage with the fast-twitching muscle fibers that comprise a great capacity for growth because of the direct fatigue caused by BFR.
Blood Flow Restriction training also works by obstructing the circulation and decreasing the oxygen in the working muscle. In such a case, the oxygen availability will be less in the environment which can provide to the muscles. And this will also result in the removal of the waste products. These techniques enhance endurance and assist in injury rehabilitation. Blood Flow Restriction techniques are under research since the early 2000s, so it’s not a new trend.
Usually, the band is placed upon the targeted muscle’s origin to restrict the flow from that muscle group, like if you are targeting your arms, then the band is placed below the shoulder to limit the (venous) blood returning from your arms to your heart while allowing arterial blood to continue to circulate into the muscles. And if the target muscle is your legs or any lower body muscle, then the band is placed below your hip on your thigh to perform the BFR technique.
Typically, if you are heavy weightlifting without BFR, then you will have to stress your workout sessions by using the resistance of 60–70% of your one-rep max so that your muscles grow bigger and stronger. Whereas if you are using one of the BFR techniques in your training, then that resistance percentage falls gradually on the specific muscle group that is to be trained and results in similar or more muscle growth and strength. Such caliber resistance training will cause muscles to become hypoxic, leading to the production of metabolites that serve as cellular signals to the muscles to grow bigger and stronger.
Basically, by using BFR you can perform high resistance training with less weight, and also achieve a faster metabolic response (the production of metabolites) without going through extreme wear and tear on your muscles from regular training.
Bodybuilders have been including these BFR techniques in their training schedules for a long period. From the research results available out there, one of the important benefits of BFR is increasing strength and muscle mass using relatively light weights. A typical BFR protocol involves lifting between 20 percent to 40 percent of your one-rep maximum (1RM), with one set of 30 repetitions followed by three sets of 15 repetitions each, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between. The muscle gains from this typical protocol are like the gains you would experience while performing a high-intensity workout.
Who gets Benefits?
The Blood Flow Restriction training techniques are helpful on a large scale of individuals ranging from adolescents to the elderly and from healthy to the injured. The hormonal response achieved by performing Blood Flow Restriction training can help increase muscle strength and size. Research has also shown that it is also beneficial in improving neurological, vascular, and bone health without exposing the body to heavy loads.
BFR also benefits serious athletes in increasing the number of sets after they maxed out their typical workout, providing them an extra boost in their training. Nowadays, the push is not depending completely on passive recovery days. Using BFR as an “active recovery day” allows these athletes to continue achieving gains on non-training days, where they may not be actively working out.
Another group of individuals that benefit from BFR is those that are rehabbing an injury. May it be an ACL injury, or a tendinitis tear, or a post-operative knee, this training results in enhanced metabolic training effects without putting that much physical stress on a healing muscle or joint. And BFR has been used in pre-surgery preps to help reduce muscular loss after surgery, which is a very common condition in orthopedic post-surgical patients.
Elderly-aged individuals also use BFR training to get stronger, to maintain independence after an illness, or to fight generalized weakness. These training techniques allow the patients to maximize muscle strength and growth by doing only low weight and low-affected workout sessions. This doesn’t require a lot of space or resistance equipment, which is a significant factor in the fitness world.
