![]() Training this way affects the fast-twitch, anaerobic muscle fibers (generally used for explosive activities, such as jumping and sprinting), Gardner says. It’s this lack of oxygen that forces the muscles to work harder, increasing protein synthesis in the muscle cells, which is important to both muscle repair and growth. “This temporarily creates a low oxygen environment for the muscle,” Dr. What Does the Science Say About Blood Flow Restriction Training?ĭuring BFR training the tight band or strap on the involved limb restricts the blood flow in (which carries oxygen) and out (which carries lactic acid and other waste from muscle activity) below the level of the compression. He patented his version of the training technique in the 1990s under the brand Kaatsu (now a company that makes its own BRF devices and offers training programs). Yoshiaki Sato, MD, PhD, is widely credited with developing BRF for muscle training and injury recovery in the 1960s in Japan. “This allows the involved muscles to reap the benefits of much higher intensity training, while protecting the injured limb from higher stresses.”Īnd while it may be getting more attention thanks to this year’s Olympic Games, the technique itself is not brand-new. ![]() Gardner, MD, an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Yale Medicine and the head team orthopedic surgeon at Yale University Athletics in New Haven, Connecticut. It's thought to trigger the body to build more muscle mass than it otherwise would at that training intensity.ĭuring BRF training, periods of blood flow restriction are paired with periods of rest during which blood flow is restored to the area, explains Elizabeth C. RELATED: The Olympic Games Begin! But Under the Cloud of COVID-19īFR training is a technique in which pressurized bands (which look similar to blood pressure cuffs) are worn around the arms or legs to slow blood flow to specific muscles during training. The American swimmer Michael Andrew and the American marathon runner Galen Rupp have both been spotted with tourniquet-like bands on their limbs used for BFR, The New York Times reported July 21. In 2012 in London, we learned about kinesio tape.Īt the Tokyo Olympics, the new trend is blood flow restriction (BFR) training. In 2016 in Rio, we learned about cupping. Top athletes have repeatedly introduced the world to new training and recovery strategies - with the Olympics being one of the biggest platforms on which to do so.
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