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Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) : Benefits & Uses For Athletes

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training involves using a tourniquet or cuff to enhance muscle adaptations during low-load resistance and aerobic training. Research indicates BFR can improve hypertrophy, strength, and recovery post-injury, particularly for athletes who are injury-susceptible or unable to perform high-load training. Future research is needed to explore specific protocols and the effects on different populations, including female athletes.

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6 views1 page

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) : Benefits & Uses For Athletes

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training involves using a tourniquet or cuff to enhance muscle adaptations during low-load resistance and aerobic training. Research indicates BFR can improve hypertrophy, strength, and recovery post-injury, particularly for athletes who are injury-susceptible or unable to perform high-load training. Future research is needed to explore specific protocols and the effects on different populations, including female athletes.

Uploaded by

101performancetraining
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)

Benefits & Uses for Athletes

Mechanical Vascular
Compression
Participant performs exercise with a
tourniquet or blood pressure cuff
around the proximal end of the
upper or lower limb

Causes
Molecular Mechanisms Blood pooling
Cell Swelling
Unclear within literature Metabolic Accumulation
Mechanical tension likely to Hypoxic Environment
play a role
Recruitment of higher muscle
fibers as fatigue increases
HIgh RPE

Research with Resistance Training


BFR combined with RT:
Improvements in hypertrophy
Improvements in muscular strength (but
difficult to compare to high load
traditional resistance training which is
likely superior for strength gains)

Other Research
Aerorbic Training:
Improvements in strength/muscle size
Possible improvements in Vo2max and
sports performance

Post-injury:
Improved pain scores compared to high
load resistance training.
Improved strength compared to low load
training

Recommendations
Use BFR during low-load RT injury
rehabilitation
How can athletes use BFR? Certainty = High
Use BFR to maximize training
Resistance Training (RT)
adaptations in athletes (e.g., older
Maximize adaptations from low-
Masters athletes, injury-susceptible
load RT, including in training
athletes) who should avoid high-loads
periodization (in unloading periods)
Certainty = Medium
Aerobic/Endurance Training (AT)
Use BFR to enhance the magnitude of
Increase strength and hypertrophy
adaptations in response to AT
in response to AT
Certainty = Low
Improve VO2max, lactate
clearance, and economy of motion
following AT (maybe) Future Research
Injury Recovery How does low-load RT with BFR affect
Low-load RT with BFR reduces pain tendon adaptations?
and improves functionality after How do female athletes respond to BFR?
What are some sport-specific uses of BFR
ACL surgery
training?
Improves strength while facilitating
What is the best protocol for BFR use with
recovery wth low-load RT
AT and RT?

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