BFR & The Aerobic Athlete
I know what you’re thinking… “But wait, not everyone wants to get jacked and strong. Some of us have other goals, like distance running, rowing, and cycling!” Point well-taken…
Along with its potential benefits for resistance training, BFR has shown some promising results for aerobic training, as well. Most commonly studied are walking and cycling, however there is research to support its use with jogging, sprinting, and even rowing with collegiate and professional athletes with high levels of VO2max (> 60 ml/kg/min). Gaining and maintaining muscle mass during training can be extremely beneficial for an aerobic athlete. While the improvements in muscle hypertrophy and strength tend to be small and occur in deconditioned and untrained individuals, there may be some potential for well-trained individuals to improve hypertrophy with higher intensities and higher frequencies of BFR endurance training. We also see increases in aerobic capacity (VO2max) and even anaerobic power in both untrained and well-trained individuals when BFR is used with aerobic training. Finally, there is evidence to support improvements in functional clinical outcomes in the elderly, which are predictors of fall risk, functional mobility, and overall quality of life.
Here’s the best part…those potential benefits can be achieved at lower intensities and durations than endurance training without BFR! With traditional aerobic training, we typically need to train at more than 50% heart rate reserve (HRR) multiple times per week for greater than 10 min, however with BFR we see positive adaptations at intensities as low as 30% HRR! Similar to load in resistance training with BFR, there seems to be no benefit to high intensity cardio with BFR (at least with the cuffs on during exercise…), so be sure to keep the intensity low to moderate with a restriction time of 5-30 min per exercise bout. It is recommended to start with a minimum of 50% LOP in the legs and a minimum of 40% LOP in the arms.
Similar to strength and physique athletes, endurance athletes can also use BFR to deload or train around injury without sacrificing a training effect. As is the case with BFR and resistance training, BFR and aerobic training allows an endurance athlete to achieve a minimum effective dosage at intensities lower than what would typically be required.
How should BFR be integrated into an already existing endurance athlete’s training? Let’s use a cyclist as an example. As with any novel training stimulus, dosage should start low and gradually increase with time and adaptation as the repeated bout effect takes place. There are two ways to program aerobic training for the triathlete/cyclist. The first would be to add it onto the last minutes of a regular training program. Heart rate reserve values can be higher to accommodate for increased specificity while LOP can be lower (due to higher exercise intensities). This can serve two purposes. The first – to accommodate to the unique stresses of BFR exercise and the second – for providing a “BFR base” for other programming in the future.
Source: https://thebarbellphysio.com/blood-flow-restriction-training-for-athletes/
****Remember, the decision to use BFR, or any treatment for that matter, should be based on the pillars of evidence-based practice.
Are you ready to meet the growing demand as a Confident BFR Provider?
Be sure to check out our engaging 4-hour On Demand On-Line BFR Training course at www.BFRtraining.com
Our course is for both Rehab and Fitness professionals and will provide everything you will need to overcome the three hurdles for successful BFR Training and help guide you to become a Confident Successful BFR Provider.
Use the click this LINK for $75 off the original price! Or use coupon code BFR75 at checkout.
