If one of your goals is to gain lean sexy muscle, I encourage you to pay close attention to the growing body of emerging research involving Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training.
At first glance Blood Flow Restriction Training looks very unorthodox and may conjure up thoughts of, “Gross… Why the hell would I want to do that?”
That’s exactly what I was thinking when I discovered BFR training while following Phase 12 of IFBB Pro Ben Pakulski’s Hypertrophy Max program.
I actually felt a little squeemish just thinking about it and felt concerned that I may pass out in the gym if I were to experiment with it…
…So, I brushed it off… which is a mistake I do not want you to make.
Then, a few weeks later I read a research review paper on Pub Med about Blood Flow Restriction Training from Brad Schoenfeld and his colleagues Zachary K. Pope and Jeffrey M. Willardson.
You can access the research review here…
A Brief Review: Exercise and Blood Flow Restriction
I was shocked at how much research on BFR was already out there, yet I hadn’t heard about it until recently.
Around the same time I noticed that Brad also published a very comprehensive article on T-Nation about the benefits of Blood Flow Restriction Training and how to best put it into practice.
BFR Is Gaining Popularity
It was great to see so many Physique Artists excited to experiment with Blood Flow Restriction Training after Brad’s article was published. Many people were posting pics of their BFR training sessions on Facebook.
The discussion has really picked up around BFR, which is great, because we get to learn from each other as we apply the knowledge gained from research into our own real world experiences.
I was then pointed to a very in-depth article Layne Norton wrote in 2012 about Blood Flow Restriction Training.
As I dove into their work (Layne, Brad, and Ben) I noticed that each of them gave high praise for Dr. Jacob Wilson and the research he’s been conducting at the University of Tampa. Dr. Wilson is definitely on the cutting edge of body sculpting research and someone you should pay close attention to.
At this point I was armed with enough advice to overcome my fears and go for it!
Resistance Training With Blood Flow Restriction
Here’s a video demonstrating some of the exercises you can perform with Blood Flow Restriction Training…
I’m using a 2 inch elastic bandage (what you would use to wrap a sprained ankle), to occlude the blood flow. I noticed Brad, Ben, and Layne use elastic knee wraps.
Brad mentioned that 2 inch width would be best, but all I could find locally were 3 inch knee wraps, which is why I went with the elastic bandages.
The researchers used blood pressure cuffs in their experiments, which is not really practical for use in the gym setting… and rather expensive in comparison to knee wraps.
I had to play around with how tight to wrap the elastic bandage. On a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is so tight that you want to pull it off before you even lift the weight… it’s recommended that you aim for 7-8, which is still pretty damn tight.
Most recommendations I’m seeing involve a light weight selection approximately 20-30% of your 1 rep max.
You’ll perform 4 sets with 30 seconds rest between sets.
You will keep the limb wrapped throughout the duration of the 4 sets, then take it off. At this point you’ll feel a massive rush of blood flow to the rest of your body.
Set 1: 30 reps
Set 2: 15-20
Set 3: 15-20
Set 4: 15-20
How To Include Blood Flow Restriction Training Into Your Workout
BFR is not something you should base your entire workout around. It’s simply a tool to incorporate into your overall training.
I’ve been saving BFR for the last biceps, triceps, hamstring, and quadriceps exercise in my workouts.
For calves I’ve been using it on my first and last exercise since this is an area I’m really focusing on growing.
Cardio With Blood Flow Restriction
An 8 week study has shown subjects who restricted blood flow while performing just three 15-minute cardio sessions per week on a stationary bike at 40% VO2 max increased their quadriceps muscle mass and strength in addition to improving their cardiovascular endurance.
I’m going to follow this same protocol to see how my body responds to it.
It’s Not For Everyone
I’m recommending BFR only to experienced lifters… with a goal of gaining muscle… who are looking to add an additional tool in their overall training program.
Benefits Of BFR
Brad Schoenfeld and Layne Norton cover the benefits of Blood Flow Restriction Training in great detail in their articles I listed above. I recommend you give them a read.
One of the big benefits is muscle hypertrophy with a light load. You experience the benefits of hitting those fast twitch muscle fibers (as if you were lifting heavier)… even though you are using a very light weight.
If your joints and tendons are a bit sore from all your heavy lifting… BFR is a great tool that will give your joints and tendons a break… while still allowing you to grow.
Benefits Of An Open-Minded Approach
I’m sharing my experience with you in hopes that you will see the benefits of taking an open-minded approach with your fitness and health.
I was very hesitant about BFR and fairly convinced it wasn’t for me. Yet, I continued to ‘hear out’ what my peers had to share on the topic.
I then dug into the research and continued to pick the brains of my peers.
I then overcame my fears and gave it a shot.
Now it’s time to see how this unique training method impacts my physique and health. At that point I will be armed with scientific knowledge in addition to real world experience… which is a powerful 1-2 punch.
As crazy as blood flow restriction training looks, I highly recommend you give this a try if you are an experienced lifter looking to gain some lean muscle.
I’ll be reporting back on my progress as I continue to experiment with Blood Flow Restriction Training… and I look forward to learning from your experiences with BFR as well.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comment box below.
Sculpt a Masterpiece,
Scott Tousignant
About The Author
Scott Tousignant is a Certified Fitness Consultant and Elite Natural Bodybuilder with the UFE.
Scott specializes in helping regular guys get ripped abs insanely fast. With his careful attention to the finer details, you'll carve out a rock hard and jacked physique in no time flat!
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