While BFR training has been recommended for loads between 20-50% 1RM, not much is known about perceptual exertion, blood pressure response post-BFR, and volume workload responses to lighter loads (< 20% 1 RM). This study examined perceived effort and blood pressure responses in different load and occlusion pressure protocols.

The article explains that Mark Wahlberg has had several “wacky intricacies” in his training regimen over the years, including 2:30am wake ups, 90-minute showers, and cryotherapy chamber treatments to name but a few. So is BFR the real deal or is it simply another one of Wahlberg’s fitness “hacks?”

“The clinical implications are that low-load BFR exercise may be used to reduce pain and provide a window of opportunity for clinicians to optimally load otherwise painful tissues and joints.”

Here is how BFR training was used in a professional natural bodybuilder’s training routine to maintain a training effect throughout the COVID-19 gym closures in conjunction with a well-thought out training program.

Like normal exercise, blood flow restriction training can be performed in a variety of ways – either isolated (i.e. bicep curls) or multi-joint (i.e. rows). However, unique to BFR training is the differences in fatigue that can influence performance of the exercise or even long-term hypertrophic outcomes.

This patient was a 44 y/o female physique competitor with 8 years of training experience and a history of chronic over training.

The randomized controlled trial by Hughes et al. (2019) compared the effectiveness of BFR resistance training (BFR-RT) and standard-care traditional heavy-load (HL-RT) at improving skeletal muscle hypertrophy and strength, physical function, pain and effusion in 28 ACLR patients following surgery.

The purpose of this short paper is to highlight these three proposed mechanisms and provide evidence-based rationales as to why the benefits observed with BFR are not likely directly related to these factors.

This study supports the idea that blood flow restriction at low-load protocols could be used to increase the physical properties of the Achilles tendon similar to traditional high-load protocols.

This study shows that BFR training can help improve muscle size, strength and physical function to a similar degree as HI training with superior decreases in pain and potentially better long-term adherence. 

Blood Flow Restriction & the force velocity curve

Blood Flow Restriction and muscle activation patterns.

BFR & Fatigue