What Is It?

A cuff or band is wrapped around a limb as part of blood flow restriction training (BFR training), sometimes referred to as occlusion training, to partially restrict blood flow to the muscles during activity. In order to increase muscle activation and promote muscular growth and strength, BFR training aims to generate a hypoxic (low-oxygen) environment in the muscles. BFR training has been demonstrated to be very helpful for people who are unable to lift substantial weights due to injury, surgery, or other constraints. It is normally practiced with low to moderate weights and high repetitions.

The benefits of blood flow restriction (BFR) training include:

• Greater muscle growth and strength gains: BFR training has been shown to stimulate muscle hypertrophy (growth) and increase muscle strength, even when using lower weights.

• Reduced muscle damage: Because BFR training involves using lower weights, it can lead to less muscle damage and soreness than traditional high-load strength training.

• Improved endurance: BFR training can help to improve endurance by increasing the number of capillaries in the muscles, which improves oxygen delivery and waste removal.

• Faster recovery: Because BFR training involves less muscle damage, it can lead to faster recovery times between workouts.

• Rehabilitation: BFR training can be an effective rehabilitation tool for individuals who are recovering from injuries or surgeries, as it allows for strengthening exercises with less stress on the affected muscles or joints.

• Time-efficient: BFR training can be a time-efficient way to achieve strength and muscle growth gains, as it allows for lower weight training while still achieving similar results to high-load training.