THRIVE UNDER PRESSURE
A-list stars and garage-gym bros are chasing new muscle without the heavy weights. But can blood-flow restriction squeeze more out of your reps?
Blood-flow restriction is a trending protocol promising XL arms without the heavy weights. But does it work?
Work through enough reps of any exercise with a challenging weight and you’ll experience the mythic pump, a swelling of blood and metabolites within the muscle that, over time, gives you superhero muscle. But what if you could skip the agony of lifting heavy weights and still build serious muscle?
That’s the promise of blood-flow restriction training (BFR), in which you tighten a few Velcro cuffs (£85 occlusioncuff.com) around your upper thighs or arms, do reps with feather-light weights, and let your body do the rest.
The idea is enticing, and BFR’s mechanism is based on sound physiology. Lifting weights forces your muscles to contract so tightly that they briefly trap blood, causing the sought-after pump. That natural blood-flow restriction also causes the build-up of lactic acid, triggering the release of musclebuilding proteins and hormones, such as HGH and insulin-like growth factor.
BFR mimics the effect of heavy weights, causing the body to release the same proteins and hormones. When it’s done properly, with a device that monitors the pressure in your arteries, it can increase muscular strength and growth, according to 2019 research published in Frontiers in Physiology.
The key word here is “properly”. Message boards claim that you can use DIY bands and skip precise tracking, but experts disagree. At worst, you’ll tighten the bands too much, risking nerve and vascular damage. And at best, it’s a waste of time, says Dr Adam Anz of the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Florida. To achieve the effects of BFR, you need to compress your surface veins completely, he says, trapping that blood in your muscles. That’s difficult to do without equipment and constant monitoring.
And there’s a major drawback: you’re only building mirror muscle, never letting your tendons and ligaments develop the resilience they need, says Tyler Opitz, also of the Andrews Institute, which is studying the cellular response to BFR. “You want your connective tissues to be able to handle a load,” he says, “whether it’s a heavy squat or a heavy suitcase.” By only lifting light, you’re not building realworld, functional strength.
BFR shows promise in a different realm: injury rehabilitation. NFL teams such as the New Orleans Saints are using BFR as rehab for injured players. It’s in these circles that BFR has its strongest future. Like it or not, your body responds best to heavy weights and reps that push your limits. Build muscle with proven methods. You won’t just look strong, you’ll be strong.
“By only lifting light, you’re not building realworld strength”
Once a week, ditch heavy weights. Pick three strength exercises. Start with a set of 30 reps per motion, then do three sets of 15 reps each. Rest 30-60sec between sets.