Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training
How Blood Flow Restriction Training Works
BFR Cuffs work by restricting a certain percentage of blood flow into your limb (and all blood flow leaving your limb) during your training.
Blood carries oxygen. Less blood flow to the working muscle = less oxygen to the working muscle. This is where the “magic” happens. Sounds counterintuitive, right? Don’t we want to increase blood flow into the muscle?
It turns out, when oxygen supply to the muscle is limited, this kicks off a cascade of responses in the body that replicate many of the benefits of high intensity training.
Metabolite Accumulation + Hypoxic Environment = Increased Muscle Activation, Fatigue, and Anabolic Signals all of which promote Increases in Muscle Strength and Muscle Hypertrophy
So what does that mean?
- The hypoxic or oxygen-deficient environment makes the muscle do MORE with LESS.
- Reduced blood flow increases the energy demand/deficit.
- Fatigue is induced at a faster rate, which produces metabolites.
- Type 2 (fast twitch) recruitment increases, maximized with fatigue.
- Increases in strength and hypertrophy are the RESULT.
This is one reason why blood flow restriction training has, time and time again, proven through research to be extremelyeffective at building strength, muscle, and endurance at a lower intensity and in shorter sessions. To learn more, CLICK HERE
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Benefits of BFR Training
- Increase muscle strength
- Increase muscle size ie hypertrophy
- Increase muscle endurance
- Increase muscle recovery
BFR Training Workouts:
For people looking to enhance muscle strength and increase muscle hypertrophy, your program should focus on using loads at 20-40% of your 1 repetition maximum and lifting in rep ranges of 15 or more.
One of the key benefits of BFR training is its safety. You can use lighter loads to maximize strength and hypertrophy, all while reducing stress on healing or weakened joints and tissue. These lighter loads also enhance your recovery time and reduce post-exercise muscle soreness, ensuring a secure and effective workout.
If you don’t know your 1 repetition maximum, then you should start with a weight that is around 50% of what you normally work out with. A typical workout would be 1 set of 30 reps followed by 3 sets of 15 reps, all with a 30-second break between sets. Training frequency should be no more than 3 times per week with recovery days in between.
Safety of BFR Training
Our SAGA cuffs provide 50% occlusion to your arm and 80% occlusion to your legs, which are shown to be the optimal percentages for safe BFR training while still promoting muscle gains. CLICK HERE
Our SAGA cuffs automatically inflate and apply pressure to your limbs based on YOUR blood pressure.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Research Supporting BFR Training: CLICK HERE
SAGA Training Guide: SAGA BFR Training Guide
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