Occlusion aka Blood Flow Restriction Training

[TheOtherOne55]

This just shows the true lack of knowledge on occlusion training if people here and chiming in and saying "its a fad" lol.
No one has ever argued that occlusion REPLACES regular hard and heavy training. But researchers have found another way to stimulate hard strength training and some decent hypertrophy using lower loads....it is primarily used for people trying to heal from injuries. If anything, we've just found another tool in our toolbox when we want that extra pound of LBM.

The debate is mostly on if you are doing it correctly or not. ALL the studies used advanced cuffs that monitor blood pressure for safety...no one has that in their gym bag. So we're kind of making half-assed versions of it HOPING we're doing it right. Is it something that might be fun to throw in once in awhile? Yeah, for sure. Should you based your entire training around it? No, you idiot.

 

[Type-IIx]

This just shows the true lack of knowledge on occlusion training if people here and chiming in and saying "its a fad" lol.
No one has ever argued that occlusion REPLACES regular hard and heavy training. But researchers have found another way to stimulate hard strength training and some decent hypertrophy using lower loads....it is primarily used for people trying to heal from injuries. If anything, we've just found another tool in our toolbox when we want that extra pound of LBM.

The debate is mostly on if you are doing it correctly or not. ALL the studies used advanced cuffs that monitor blood pressure for safety...no one has that in their gym bag. So we're kind of making half-assed versions of it HOPING we're doing it right. Is it something that might be fun to throw in once in awhile? Yeah, for sure. Should you based your entire training around it? No, you idiot.

I like it for low-load and local endurance applications, healing from injury. OP however came in hot with the Olympians comment suggesting it's "superior" to moderate-heavy strength training.

 

[jake deman]

I like it for low-load and local endurance applications, healing from injury. OP however came in hot with the Olympians comment suggesting it's "superior" to moderate-heavy strength training.

That in no way was my suggestion. You quote of "superior" did not come from me.

 

[Dugbet]

This just shows the true lack of knowledge on occlusion training if people here and chiming in and saying "its a fad" lol.
No one has ever argued that occlusion REPLACES regular hard and heavy training. But researchers have found another way to stimulate hard strength training and some decent hypertrophy using lower loads....it is primarily used for people trying to heal from injuries. If anything, we've just found another tool in our toolbox when we want that extra pound of LBM.

The debate is mostly on if you are doing it correctly or not. ALL the studies used advanced cuffs that monitor blood pressure for safety...no one has that in their gym bag. So we're kind of making half-assed versions of it HOPING we're doing it right. Is it something that might be fun to throw in once in awhile? Yeah, for sure. Should you based your entire training around it? No, you idiot.

It is a tool that is limited to small muscles, you cannot use it for chest, back or quadriceps (I have not seen anyone yet apply a tourniquet to pump blood into this area).

 

[totalrecomp]

This just shows the true lack of knowledge on occlusion training if people here and chiming in and saying "its a fad" lol.
No one has ever argued that occlusion REPLACES regular hard and heavy training. But researchers have found another way to stimulate hard strength training and some decent hypertrophy using lower loads....it is primarily used for people trying to heal from injuries. If anything, we've just found another tool in our toolbox when we want that extra pound of LBM.

The debate is mostly on if you are doing it correctly or not. ALL the studies used advanced cuffs that monitor blood pressure for safety...no one has that in their gym bag. So we're kind of making half-assed versions of it HOPING we're doing it right. Is it something that might be fun to throw in once in awhile? Yeah, for sure. Should you based your entire training around it? No, you idiot.

Take your level-headed reasonably measured response elsewhere bro, it's 2021 and everything is black and white and you either think something is the greatest thing ever or it's complete garbage! Pick a side and extra credit if you shout it from the rooftops into a vacuum on social media!

If one were to have trained for 20 years and still has poor arms as compared to the rest of the physique why the hell would you not try something new? 70 years ago guys were probably having this exact same conversation regarding those new-fangled cable machines........anything that was not a DB or BB was a waste of time and for lazy guys and yada yada yada.........

No one is suggesting that a newbie right out the chute should strap in and occlude......but at 38 with shitty joints and arms that just resist, resist, resist, I am intrigued by the concept.

The biggest concern IMO is restricting blood flow in individuals who already run thick on H/H and have an increased risk of clotting issues. I have some mild varicose veins in my calfs and the idea of restricting flow and intentionally pooling blood down there sounds like a terrible idea. Heck, I get nervous running tamoxifen for this exact reason, that and I am a chicken shit when it comes to PED's lol.

WHO HERE HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN BFRT A RUN AND WHAT WERE YOUR RESULTS?

 

[cmryan]

It is a tool that is limited to small muscles, you cannot use it for chest, back or quadriceps (I have not seen anyone yet apply a tourniquet to pump blood into this area).

Chest and back are indeed difficult if not impossible to apply bfr techniques, but quads are easily done. The studies actually apply the cuffs at the top of the thigh for all leg occlusion.

 

[cmryan]

Take your level-headed reasonably measured response elsewhere bro, it's 2021 and everything is black and white and you either think something is the greatest thing ever or it's complete garbage! Pick a side and extra credit if you shout it from the rooftops into a vacuum on social media!

If one were to have trained for 20 years and still has poor arms as compared to the rest of the physique why the hell would you not try something new? 70 years ago guys were probably having this exact same conversation regarding those new-fangled cable machines........anything that was not a DB or BB was a waste of time and for lazy guys and yada yada yada.........

No one is suggesting that a newbie right out the chute should strap in and occlude......but at 38 with shitty joints and arms that just resist, resist, resist, I am intrigued by the concept.

The biggest concern IMO is restricting blood flow in individuals who already run thick on H/H and have an increased risk of clotting issues. I have some mild varicose veins in my calfs and the idea of restricting flow and intentionally pooling blood down there sounds like a terrible idea. Heck, I get nervous running tamoxifen for this exact reason, that and I am a chicken shit when it comes to PED's lol.

WHO HERE HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN BFRT A RUN AND WHAT WERE YOUR RESULTS?

I did while in PT after a shoulder surgery. It was essentially the only damn thing that was effective after the surgeon nearly severed my musculocutaneous nerve, which reduced my bicep to practically nothing and still causes me problems to this day.

In physical therapy settings, I think it’s invaluable. For healthy training people, I think it’s helpful as an adjunct to a more traditional higher load progressive resistance scheme. It can provide additional volume with little wear on joints. At 38, this is something I very much appreciate.

As to the implements, I think the manual straps can get you relatively decent effect considering the price difference to the fully automated units. But I think it really helps to know what it feels like. Also, the ORS Delphi unit changes pressure as you perform sets and reps. So obviously significantly better but also $5K per unit.

 

[Dugbet]

Chest and back are indeed difficult if not impossible to apply bfr techniques, but quads are easily done. The studies actually apply the cuffs at the top of the thigh for all leg occlusion.

The problem with using it on the legs is that they are big muscles and you are affecting a lot of blood, I do not know to what extent the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

I believe that the use of this tool is to recover injuries and not much to cause new hypertrophy.

 

[TedDansen]

Take your level-headed reasonably measured response elsewhere bro, it's 2021 and everything is black and white and you either think something is the greatest thing ever or it's complete garbage! Pick a side and extra credit if you shout it from the rooftops into a vacuum on social media!

If one were to have trained for 20 years and still has poor arms as compared to the rest of the physique why the hell would you not try something new? 70 years ago guys were probably having this exact same conversation regarding those new-fangled cable machines........anything that was not a DB or BB was a waste of time and for lazy guys and yada yada yada.........

No one is suggesting that a newbie right out the chute should strap in and occlude......but at 38 with shitty joints and arms that just resist, resist, resist, I am intrigued by the concept.

The biggest concern IMO is restricting blood flow in individuals who already run thick on H/H and have an increased risk of clotting issues. I have some mild varicose veins in my calfs and the idea of restricting flow and intentionally pooling blood down there sounds like a terrible idea. Heck, I get nervous running tamoxifen for this exact reason, that and I am a chicken shit when it comes to PED's lol.

WHO HERE HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN BFRT A RUN AND WHAT WERE YOUR RESULTS?

I've used it on bis and quads. On bis, the pump is insane. The first time I tried it I took measurements before and after. Arms were bigger after, which should be expected with any kind of training, but notably they were about 1/2" bigger 24 hours later. Which is insane. A couple days later they were back to normal. Whether or not this leads to long-term muscle growth, it's really hard to say, given all the other factors involved. It's something I incorporate at the height of a bulk, my theory being it will help with fascia stretching. I don't use it year round, as it's kind of a pain in the ass to set up and I just don't put a lot of stock into training for a pump except for that specific case.

For quads, my knee is just so messed up I can't go heavy. So I incorporate BFR at times to try to eek out a little progress. Whether or not it's working, again it's hard to say. My legs are not impressive, and I don't train when my knee hurts so I inevitably end up going back to square one.

 

[Tank4411]

My training partner was telling me how good it felt. I tried it and absolutely hated it. For me, it’s worthless.