Think Passive BFR Is Boring? Think Again! (part 1)

If you’ve followed the BFR Pros for any amount of time, you are likely familiar with the Pillars of blood flow restriction training. If not, here’s a quick recap:

Pillar 1 (passive blood flow restriction training) may seem dull compared to its active counterparts, but if you look a bit closer, it is anything but!  A great way to progress passive BFR is to add in isometrics.  Let’s take a look at the often-misunderstood Pillar…good ol’ Pillar 1. 

First, we must understand that Pillar one is fleeting.  We want to spend as little time in Pillar 1 as possible, then get the heck out of there.  There are two main goals of Pillar 1: muscle preservation and acclimation to BFR to prepare for Pillars 2-4.  Ischemic pre/post conditioning is also included in Pillar 1, but that’s a whole other article!  Pillar 1 works through cell swelling, which is the process by which muscle cells experience a rapid influx of fluid due to the build up of metabolites associated with BFR training.  A typical cell swelling protocol is as follows:

One way to take Pillar 1 to the next level is implementing isometrics.  The goal of adding isometrics is not to build muscle, but rather to reduce muscle breakdown and help with acclimation to metabolite discomfort.  While not set in stone, a good place to start is with a 2-3 second hold at 30-50% maximum contraction.  When talking about isometrics, one variable that cannot be overlooked is muscle length.  Positioning the target muscle in a lengthened position, as in the bottom portion of a leg extension, will increase mechanical tension and therefore increase the hypertrophic response.  Keep in mind that performing isometrics in a lengthened position will be more taxing on the patient; so be sure to be mindful of progressions and regressions.  

So there ya have it!  Don’t judge a book by its cover and don’t judge a Pillar by its name.  Keep an eye out for Part 2 of this two-part series!

****Remember, the decision to use BFR, or any treatment for that matter, should be based on the pillars of evidence-based practice.

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