Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction: An Updated Evidence-Based Approach for Enhanced Muscular Development

Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction: An Updated Evidence-Based Approach for Enhanced Muscular Development

Brendan R. Scott • Jeremy P. Loenneke • Katie M. Slattery • Ben J. Dascombe

Abstract


A growing body of evidence supports the use of
moderate blood flow restriction (BFR) combined with lowload
resistance exercise to enhance hypertrophic and
strength responses in skeletal muscle. Research also suggests
that BFR during low-workload aerobic exercise can
result in small but significant morphological and strength
gains, and BFR alone may attenuate atrophy during periods
of unloading. While BFR appears to be beneficial for both
clinical and athletic cohorts, there is currently no common
consensus amongst scientists and practitioners regarding
the best practice for implementing BFR methods. If BFR is
not employed appropriately, there is a risk of injury to the
participant. It is also important to understand how variations
in the cuff application can affect the physiological
responses and subsequent adaptation to BFR training. The
optimal way to manipulate acute exercise variables, such as
exercise type, load, volume, inter-set rest periods and
training frequency, must also be considered prior to
designing a BFR training programme. The purpose of this
review is to provide an evidence-based approach to
implementing BFR exercise. These guidelines could be
useful for practitioners using BFR training in either clinical
or athletic settings, or for researchers in the design of future
studies investigating BFR exercise.

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