Blood Flow Restriction Training

Blood flow restriction involves limiting circulation to a specific part of the body. This can be harmful or harmless, depending on the situation, and typically occurs when something blocks an artery or vein. Blood flow restriction training (BFRT), developed in the 1960s, intentionally restricts circulation using a blood pressure cuff or similar device to partially limit arterial flow and fully restrict venous flow. While the restriction is applied, the patient performs approximately twenty to thirty repetitions of an exercise at a low intensity. These low-intensity exercises are usually performed at about twenty percent of the maximum weight that muscle can lift. In comparison, traditional strength gains typically require lifting around seventy percent of a muscle’s maximum capacity.

How Does Blood Flow Restriction Training Work?

You may wonder how restricting circulation can help build muscle strength. BFRT is designed to promote increased protein synthesis and muscle growth. When a muscle is temporarily deprived of oxygen, levels of muscular growth hormone rise, leading to greater protein production at the cellular level. A similar process occurs during high-intensity exercise without blood flow restriction due to comparable oxygen deprivation and physical stress. This principle creates an optimal environment for muscle growth over time by stimulating growth hormone release and protein synthesis. BFRT increases muscular stress, promotes muscle breakdown with lower-intensity exercise, and allows the muscles to rebuild stronger following training.