Effects and benefits
- Stimulates growth
- Keeps the area warm
- Aids regeneration
- Fitted with a tightly closing buckle
Who is Blood Flow Restriction-BFR recommended for?
- Athletes who wish to train certain muscles under hypoxic conditions
- Increase muscle growth and increase the amount of muscle built
- Want to achieve more results with less weight
How do our muscles work?
Our muscles are made up of fibres, and the basis of their function is made up of so-called motor units. These units consist of several fibres and a nerve cell (motor neuron) that innervates the fibres. The motor units vary in size, from small to large (with few or many fibres). Small ones are typically dominated by oxidative or endurance fibres, while larger ones are made up of type two fibres, which are capable of high force and high growth.
When we exercise, the fibres are activated according to the so-called size rule. This states that the smallest fibres are always activated first - and if they can exert enough force to do the job, the movement is accomplished. If the force is not enough, then larger and larger motor units are activated until finally the given weight is moved, the movement is completed.
The essence of restricted blood flow training
If you want to increase muscle and strength, you should target type two fibres. But they only activate at sufficiently high loads (65% intensity and above). There's nothing wrong with that, everyone likes to train, everyone likes to lift as much weight as possible, and the basis for progress is clearly the right load. However, in the last decade, more and more research has been published on a particular method, blood flow restriction training. This method involves restricting the circulation to the limbs (arms and legs), either by means of rubber bands or a 'sleeve'. Restrict, not block! The instruction is usually that if you take a scale of 10, where 10 is no circulation, then you should have a maximum of 7 or 6.) The result of restricted blood flow is that you can achieve strength and muscle gains at much lower intensities (50% and below), comparable to normal, medium/high intensity exercise.
