Top 10 Benefits of Blood Flow Restriction Training
A Guest Post by Kristian Brun
Learn the little known yet amazing benefits you’ll get by practicing blood flow restriction training.
What is blood flow restriction training?
Blood flow restriction (BFR) is a training method that uses a unique tourniquet tool to place around one of your limbs during an exercise to decrease the blood flow. This method is 100% safe and can be applied by anyone. This article will cover the top 10 benefits of blood flow restriction training and what you can expect to experience within only weeks of starting.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
Improves your cardio capacity and cardiovascular endurance
When you restrict the blood flow flowing out into your muscles, you are also restricting the amount of oxygen flow. This means your muscles must work much harder with less energy. According to multiple studies working out with BFR vs. not using BFR led to significantly better results in participants' VO2 max, cardio capacity, and cardiovascular endurance.
Increases your muscle gains and strength
Ready to get the big guns pumping? According to a study. Resistance training at an intensity of 60–80% of an individual’s one-repetition maximum strength (1-RM) is recommended to achieve improvements in muscular strength and hypertrophy (building bigger muscles). They also discovered that, If you want to build bigger and stronger muscles but can only do low loads because of either weakness or due to an injury, then blood flow restriction combined with low loads can help you significantly!
Improves your bone density
Say goodbye to having weak bones. The same reason why BFR helps you build muscle strength and size also applies to your bones. By being able to create more resistance with low loads. fx. in during a squat… With BFR, you are likely to notice your bones also becoming more robust. Could you take it as a win-win?
Decreases soreness
Remember how sore you felt after your first resistance training workout. We all know the feeling after leg day when walking upstairs feels like a nightmare. Luckily with BFR, you don’t have to worry about this (that much). According to a study, participants on BFR reported much less soreness than those who did regular resistance training even though they all performed the same exercises.
Anyone can do BFR
Did you think you were about to miss out? Nope! Suppose you don’t have any injuries preventing you from lifting heavy weights. In that case, you can still benefit tremendously by using a tourniquet band in your workouts as BFR forces your muscles to work harder. Also… You can be young, old, millennial, female, male. It doesn’t matter. We genuinely mean it when we say anyone can benefit from doing BFR.
It works with most exercise.
Running, cycling, weightlifting, etc. The opportunities are truly endless.
How are you going to use BFR?
Reduces levels of high blood pressure
When was the last time you had your blood pressure taken? And was it too high? If it was, then you may be excited to hear that BFR also lowers your blood pressure.
Seriously what’s not to love about this method?
Allows you to build muscle even if you have an injury
As we’ve stated before, anyone can do BFR, even if you have an injury. Depending on your injury, you may want to consult your physiotherapist on which exercises you can and cannot do. That being said. BFR will allow you to improve your strength, muscle gains, and VO2 max without putting heavy resistance on your joints.
BFR helps you prepare for sports competition more quickly and effectively
If you are an athlete, then I’m sure you are going to love this! During BFR. The cuff that you put around your limbs will restrict the blood flow (which carries oxygen) coming in and out below the level of compression. This means due to the lack of oxygen; you are forcing your muscles to work harder. This way of training will affect the fast-twitch, anaerobic muscle fibers. (The ones usually active when you do explosive movements such as sprinting and jumping.) As a result, you may become stronger and faster.
Boosts your HGH Levels (Human Growth Hormone)
The heck is that? If you are not already familiar with human growth hormone, then here’s a quick briefer. Human growth hormone helps build, maintain, and repair healthy tissue in the brain and many other organs. Some of the benefits of having many human growth hormones are that it speeds up healing after an injury and repairs muscle tissue after a workout. HGH also helps to build lean muscle mass, boost your metabolism, and burn fat. Human growth hormone is even said to improve the quality and appearance of your skin. Seriously, what’s not to like?
Conclusion:
As you can see, there are loads of reasons and benefits to start applying blood flow restriction in your training.
To sum them up. Here they are:
1. Improved cardio capacity
2. Increased muscle strength and size
3. Improved bone density
4. Reduces soreness
5. Anyone can do it
6. It works with most exercise
7. Lowers blood pressure
8. Can build muscle with an injury
9. Helps prepare for sports competitions
10. Boosts Human growth hormone
Feel free to save this post to your browser so that you always have them.
Which of these benefits did you find most incredible?
References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5609669/
2. https://www.osc-ortho.com/blog/what-is-sports-medicine/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3915940/
4.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6683630/#:~:text=Blood%20flow%20restriction%20(BFR)%20training,effects%20of%20this%20training%20regimen
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7134358/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7727422/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6299290/
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 right HERE
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!
