What is blood flow restriction training? (BFR)

Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFRT), which is also commonly referred to as occlusion training or KAATSU (Japanese for “additional pressure”) training, is a specific form of exercise therapy used by physiotherapists, doctors and other health professionals in both rehabilitation and for general health improvement.

BFRT was invented in Japan by Dr Yoshiaki Sato in the 1960’s who called it KAATSU training. Since then there has been almost 50 years of academic research and development of BFRT, with over 400 peer reviewed articles showing its positive effects.

BFRT involves applying a medically approved pneumonic cuff, similar to the one used to take your blood pressure, to moderately but safely restrict the blood flow in and out of a limb and performing light exercise with that limb. This leads to blood and metabolites pooling in the limb, triggering a cascade of beneficial physiological effects.

The main aim of BFRT is to induce hypertrophy (hypertrophy = muscular growth), and it has shown to be very effective at achieving this [1]. Hypertrophy is important because a bigger muscle means a stronger muscle, and strength is vital for almost all parts of life, not just for injury rehabilitation or when recovering from injury.

This video should not serve as a replacement for professional health or medical advice.
Always consult a health professional before starting a new exercise or fitness programme.
Please stop and consult a physiotherapist if these exercises cause you pain.