BFR Radio: Recent Episodes
Chris Gaviglio
BFR Radio is a podcast relating to everything about Blood Flow Restriction, occlusion cuff, ischemic and KAATSU training. For more info visit www.sportsrehab.com.au
For the past few episodes, we have focused heavily on how Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) aids in clinical rehabilitation and injury recovery. Today, we are shifting our focus to elite athletic performance and look at a study examining the hormonal impacts of adding a practical BFR finisher to the rigorous resistance training programs of collegiate American football players.
The core problem strength and conditioning coaches face is maximizing the anabolic environment for their athletes without inducing excessive catabolic stress. This episode unpacks how a brief, 10-to-12-minute BFR finisher at 20% of a 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM) can significantly elevate salivary testosterone over a seven-week period when paired with a high-volume traditional training program. We explore the physiological roles of testosterone and cortisol at the tissue level, the importance of the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio, and why the time of day you train (and test) matters enormously.
References
- Luebbers, P., Kriley, L., Eserhaut, D., Andre, M., Butler, M., & Fry, A. (2025). Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol Responses to Seven Weeks of Practical Blood Flow Restriction Training in Collegiate American Football Players. Frontiers in Physiology.
- Beaven, C. M., et al. (2008). Significant strength gains observed in rugby players following training protocols optimized for individual salivary testosterone responses.
Discussion Points
The Role of Hormones in Hypertrophy: How testosterone binds to androgen receptors to trigger structural remodeling, and why cortisol, a glucocorticoid, acts as a catabolic counterbalance.
Study Methodology: The 7-week trial involving 58 collegiate football players, split into groups comparing traditional high-intensity training with and without a practical BFR finisher.
The BFR Protocol: A practical, field-ready protocol using 4 sets (30-20-20-20 reps) of back squats and bench presses at 20% 1RM with 45 seconds of rest.
Key Findings on Testosterone: Only the group combining high-volume traditional training with the BFR finisher saw significant increases in salivary testosterone from week 1 to week 7.
Cortisol and Adaptation: A blunted post-exercise cortisol response across all groups after 7 weeks, indicating positive physiological adaptation and improved training tolerance.
Diurnal Variations: The crucial difference between morning and afternoon hormonal profiles, and why afternoon training showed a clearer increase in the anabolic-favorable T:C ratio.
Key Topics Covered
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Elite Athletic Performance and BFR
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Endocrine Responses to Resistance Training
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Salivary Hormone Measurement (Free Testosterone vs. Total Testosterone)
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Programming BFR Finishers in Team Sports
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Managing Catabolic Stress and Recovery
Thanks for listening, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
Hi everyone,
Building on our last episode we continue looking at how BFR can help people with low back pain.
Chronic nonspecific low back pain is a massive hurdle for athletes who must maintain high training loads to compete. Traditionally, achieving meaningful strength adaptations requires loads of at least 70% 1RM. However, for an athlete with compromised lumbar stability and inhibited core musculature (like the transversus abdominis and multifidus), this heavy loading can exacerbate muscle imbalances, increase joint stress, and perpetuate a vicious cycle of pain, inhibition, and weakness.
In this episode, we unpacked another article that asks a pivotal question:
How does low-load Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training compare to heavy-load resistance training for male collegiate athletes actively suffering from chronic back pain?
The study compared low-load BFR strength against traditional (non-BFR) strenght training.
The program was a 4-week intervention, and highlighted signification reductions in pain (VAS) and functional disability (ODI) in favour of the BFR group.
The study also explored the nuanced changes in isokinetic core strength, revealing a fascinating trade-off: heavy lifting drives slow-velocity strength, while BFR drives high-velocity, explosive strength.
Then I finish the episode by providing my own take on how to practically apply BFR into an athlete's routine without sacrificing sports performance.
Article: "The effect of blood flow restriction training on core muscle strength and pain in male collegiate athletes with chronic non-specific low back pain." Frontiers in Public Health, January 2025.
Discussion Points
- The physiological mechanism behind BFR's pain-reducing effects: creating a hypoxic environment, metabolite accumulation, and dampening pain-sensing input.
- Comparing pain (VAS) and functional disability (ODI) outcomes: why BFR achieved large effect sizes (1.44) and outperformed heavy loading.
- Isometric core endurance (McGill battery): recognizing that trunk extensor endurance improvements are load-agnostic.
- Isokinetic dynamometry results: BFR's unique ability to increase fast-velocity (120 degrees/sec) extensor strength due to preferential fast-twitch fiber recruitment.
Practical application: How to integrate core-specific stabilization, axial-deloaded heavy exercises (like belt squats and leg presses), and upper body BFR into a comprehensive athletic rehab program.
Key Topics Covered
- Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain in Athletes
- Neuromuscular and Metabolic Adaptations to BFR
- Fast-Twitch Muscle Fiber Recruitment
- Pain Modulation via Hypoxic Stress
- Practical BFR Programming for the Weight Room
FIND US:
Website: www.TheBFR.co
Socials: @thebfr.co
Purchase BFR Cuffs: www.TheBFR.co
Thanks for listening, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
In this episode of BFR Radio, we tackle one of the most challenging populations in clinical practice: individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain. Traditional core stabilization programs are highly effective for reducing pain and improving function, but they often fall short in driving genuine hypertrophy and high-threshold motor unit recruitment due to the necessary low mechanical loads. We break down a recent study demonstrating how adding Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) to the lower limbs during low-load core exercises can trigger massive systemic adaptations. You will learn how BFR drives significant increases in muscle activity and thickness for the Transversus Abdominis, Multifidus, and Gluteus Maximus, and how this translates into drastically reduced disability scores in just four weeks.
Reference: "Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Training with Core Stabilization Exercise on Muscle Activity and Muscle Thickness in Subjects with Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain", (2026), Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 39 (1), 97-107.
Discussion Points
- The Limitation of Traditional Core Rehab: Why low-load stabilization works for motor control but leaves genuine hypertrophy and resilience on the table.
- The Systemic Effect of BFR: How restricting blood flow in the legs creates a hormonal and metabolic environment that promotes muscle growth in the core and trunk.
- Neuromuscular Adaptations: The preferential recruitment of high-threshold motor units in the trunk and hip muscles during BFR.
- Clinical Outcomes: A breakdown of the massive EMG and ultrasound imaging differences between BFR plus core stability versus core stability alone.
- Programming Protocols: Step-by-step breakdown of a 4-week progressive BFR core stabilization program, including 10-second isometric holds.
Key Topics Covered
- Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain
- Transversus Abdominis, Multifidus, and Gluteus Maximus Function
- Force Closure and Spinal Stability
- Systemic Adaptations of Blood Flow Restriction
- Muscle Thickness and EMG Activation
Thanks for listening, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
In this episode of BFR Radio, we shift our focus from the lower body to the shoulder and explore how blood flow restriction (BFR) can be applied across different phases of shoulder rehabilitation and training.
The shoulder presents a unique challenge following injury or surgery. It is highly mobile, heavily reliant on neuromuscular control, and often cannot tolerate traditional high-load resistance training early in rehabilitation. Prolonged unloading, however, leads to rapid strength loss, impaired motor control, and delayed return to performance.
To explore how BFR fits into this problem, this episode reviews two complementary research papers.
The first paper examines the use of BFR following shoulder stabilisation surgery. Rather than comparing BFR to non-BFR, this study asks a more fundamental question: is BFR feasible, safe, and clinically meaningful in a post-operative shoulder population?
Reference: McGinniss, J. H., Mason, J. S., Morris, J. B., Pitt, W., Miller, E. M., & Crowell, M. S. (2022). The effect of blood flow restriction therapy on shoulder function following shoulder stabilization surgery: A case series. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 17(6), 1144.
The second paper compares BFR versus non-BFR shoulder training in healthy individuals and introduces the concept of proximal benefit—the idea that applying BFR to the upper arm can meaningfully influence strength, endurance, and muscle adaptations at the shoulder.
Reference: Lambert, B., Hedt, C., Daum, J., Taft, C., Chaliki, K., Epner, E., & McCulloch, P. (2021). Blood flow restriction training for the shoulder: a case for proximal benefit. The American journal of sports medicine, 49(10), 2716-2728.
Across both studies, we discuss:
- Shoulder strength and performance outcomes
- Muscle mass, strength, and strength-endurance adaptations
- The role of exercise selection and task specificity
- Why endurance adaptations may transfer even when cuffs are removed
- How passive BFR may help attenuate muscle loss in the early post-operative phase
The episode concludes by reframing BFR as a continuum-based training variable, rather than a niche rehabilitation tool—one that can be strategically applied across the full loading spectrum depending on the athlete’s needs and constraints.
Key Topics Covered
- BFR following shoulder stabilisation surgery
- Rotator cuff strength and performance testing
- Patient-reported outcomes and clinical relevance
- Proximal benefit and low-load shoulder training
- Passive BFR in early post-operative care
- Practical decision-making for clinicians and coaches
Thanks for listening, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
Happy New Year.
I hope that you all had a nice time over the Christmas and New Year period.
To kick 2026 off, we continue the series on using BFR to optimise recovery from injuries.
In this episode of BFR Radio, we take a deep dive into the role of BFR training in eccentric hamstring rehabilitation and performance.
Hamstring injuries are a persistent challenge in sport, particularly due to the high eccentric demands placed on the hamstrings during sprinting and high-speed running. Traditional eccentric training methods are effective, but they often come with limitations related to load tolerance, fatigue, and program congestion.
This episode reviews two recent research papers examining how BFR can be integrated into eccentric hamstring training using:
- low-load eccentric leg curls, and
- the Nordic Hamstring Exercise.
Rather than asking whether BFR is “better,” this episode focuses on how and when BFR can be used strategically — either to manage mechanical load or to reduce total training volume while preserving strength adaptations.
Key Topics Covered
- Why eccentric hamstring strength is central to injury prevention and rehabilitation
- Low-load BFR eccentrics vs traditional high-load eccentrics
- Mechanistic insight into muscle swelling and internal tension
- Nordic Hamstring Exercise with and without BFR
- How similar strength outcomes can be achieved with ~30–35% less total training volume
- A practical framework for deciding when to use BFR with Nordics
- Implications for rehab programming, fatigue management, and return-to-performance planning
Key Takeaway
Blood flow restriction is not a replacement for eccentric hamstring training. Instead, it is a programming lever — allowing coaches and clinicians to manipulate load and volume more precisely within complex rehabilitation and performance environments.
Articles reviewed:
- Jones, M. J., Dominguez, J. F., Macatugal, C., Coleman, K., Reed, B., & Schroeder, E. T. (2023). Low load with BFR vs. high load without BFR eccentric hamstring training have similar outcomes on muscle adaptation. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 37(1), 55-61.
- Pişkin, N. E., Yavuz, G., Aktuğ, Z. B., Aldhahi, M. I., Al-Mhanna, S. B., & Gülü, M. (2024). The effect of combining blood flow restriction with the nordic hamstring exercise on hamstring strength: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(7), 2035.
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📩 For questions or professional enquiries, visit thebfr.co
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
In this episode of BFR Radio, we complete the three-part ACL rehabilitation series by exploring how Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) can be applied during Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the Melbourne ACL Rehabilitation Guide.
Phase 3 and Phase 4 mark a critical transition point in ACL rehabilitation. Athletes are no longer simply rebuilding strength — they are required to express strength under speed, fatigue, and sport-specific complexity. The challenge becomes managing training load while restoring confidence, robustness, and performance readiness.
This episode examines how BFR can evolve from an early-stage rehabilitation tool into a performance and load-management strategy, supporting:
- Single-leg balance and neuromuscular control
- Local muscular endurance and fatigue tolerance
- Elastic calf–Achilles capacity
- Running reintroduction without increasing joint load
- Moderate-to-heavy strength training adaptations
- Sport-specific conditioning using small-sided games
Six key intervention studies are reviewed to illustrate how BFR can be integrated strategically across late-stage rehabilitation and return-to-sport preparation.
If you're working with athletes coming back from ACL reconstruction, my suggestion is to think less about when BFR stops and more about how its role changes across the rehab to performance continuum.
I hope you enjoyed this 3-part series.
As always, thanks for listening, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
📚 Studies Discussed (APA References)1. Jung, W. S., et al., (2022). Effects of rehabilitation exercise with blood flow restriction after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Applied Sciences, 12(23), 12058. 2. Sousa J, et al., (2016) Effects of strength training with blood flow restriction on torque, muscle activation and local muscular endurance in healthy subjects. Biol Sport; 34(1):83-90. 3. Centner C, et al., (1985). Low-load blood flow restriction training induces similar morphological and mechanical Achilles tendon adaptations compared with high-load resistance training. J Appl Physiol; 127(6):1660-1667. 4. Chen YT et al., (2022). Running Training Combined With Blood Flow Restriction Increases Cardiopulmonary Function and Muscle Strength in Endurance Athletes. J Strength Cond Res. 36(5):1228-1237. 5. Cook CJ, et al (2014). Improving strength and power in trained athletes with 3 weeks of occlusion training. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 9(1):166-72. 6. Liu, H., et al. (2025). Blood flow restriction during small-sided games enhances physiological adaptations and performance improvements in well-trained basketball players: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-15.
This episode examines how low-load Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training can enhance outcomes during Phase 2 of ACL reconstruction rehabilitation. Building on Part 1—which covered pre-operative and acute post-operative strategies—this instalment focuses on integrating BFR into early strengthening when high mechanical loads are still contraindicated.
Key findings from several clinical trials demonstrate that BFR can:
• Improve early quadriceps strength recovery compared with traditional low-load rehabilitation.
• Produce hypertrophy comparable to heavy-load training but with much lower joint stress.
• Reduce pain, swelling, and functional deficits during the early post-operative period.
• Assist with restoring long-term limb symmetry, even months after surgery, through modalities such as BFR walking.
Together, these studies highlight BFR as a valuable adjunct in ACL rehabilitation, particularly when protecting the graft and surrounding joint structures while still driving meaningful physiological adaptation.
📚 References
Hughes, T., Paton, B., Rosenblatt, B., Gissane, C., Patterson, S. D., & Contreras, B. (2019). Comparing the effectiveness of blood flow restriction and traditional heavy load resistance training in the post-surgery rehabilitation of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients: A UK National Health Service randomised controlled trial*. Sports Medicine, 49, 1787–1805.
Ohta, H., Kurosawa, H., Ikeda, H., Iwase, Y., Satou, K., & Nakamura, S. (2003). Low-load resistance muscular training with moderate restriction of blood flow after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica, 74(1), 62–68.
Lu, Y., Mallow, M., Li, J., & Goh, E. L. (2020). Perioperative blood flow restriction rehabilitation in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction: A systematic review. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 8(3), 1–11.
Cutisque, L. P., Buckley, J. G., & Rodacki, A. L. F. (2025). Walking with blood flow restriction on lower limb muscles post-ACL reconstruction: A within-subject trial. PLOS ONE, 20(10), e0333200.
If you found this episode valuable, please share it with someone working in ACL rehabilitation or recovering from surgery.
You can connect with me via www.theBFR.co or on Instagram @thebfr.co
If you’re enjoying the podcast, a rating or review on iTunes helps the show reach more listeners.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
In this episode of BFR Radio, we begin a new series exploring how blood flow restriction (BFR) training can support rehabilitation following major injuries and surgery.
For the first episode in this series we are focusing on the acute phase of ACL reconstruction — the period before and immediately after surgery when exercise is limited.
You’ll hear how pre-operative BFR strengthening can help protect quadriceps endurance heading into surgery, how passive BFR can reduce post-operative muscle loss by more than half, and how combining BFR with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) offers a promising strategy to maintain muscle size during immobilisation.
Key studies discussed:
- Zargi et al. – Pre-operative BFR exercise before ACL reconstruction
- Takarada et al. – Passive BFR in the first 2 weeks after ACLR
- Franz et al. – Passive BFR following knee replacement
- Slysz et al. – Passive BFR with NMES during unloading
Whether you’re a clinician, coach, or athlete, this episode provides practical insights into using BFR at the earliest stages of ACL rehabilitation to set the foundation for long-term recovery.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
References (APA 7th edition)
- Franz, A., Heiß, L., Schlotmann, M., Ji, S., Strauss, A. C., Randau, T., & Fröschen, F. S. (2025). Passive blood-flow-restriction exercise’s impact on muscle atrophy post-total knee replacement: A randomized trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(15), 5218.
- Slysz, J. T., Boston, M., King, R., Pignanelli, C., Power, G. A., & Burr, J. F. (2021). Blood flow restriction combined with electrical stimulation attenuates thigh muscle disuse atrophy. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 53(5), 1033-1040.
- Takarada, Y., Takazawa, H., & Ishii, N. (2000). Applications of vascular occlusion diminish disuse atrophy of knee extensor muscles. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32(12), 2035-2039.
- Žargi, T., Drobnič, M., Stražar, K., & Kacin, A. (2018). Short–term preconditioning with blood flow restricted exercise preserves quadriceps muscle endurance in patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Frontiers in physiology, 9, 1150.
Welcome back to BFR Radio, and to the next episode in our aerobic BFR training series.
In this episode, we explore a fascinating 4-week study that combines repeated sprint training with BFR cuffs in university-level basketball players.
Article: Elgammal, M., Hassan, I., Eltanahi, N., & Ibrahim, H. (2020). The effects of repeated sprint training with blood flow restriction on strength, anaerobic and aerobic performance in basketball. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 8(6), 462-468.
Here’s what we cover:
- 📋 The study protocol: 15m shuttles, 3x/week, progressive BFR pressure
- 🏋️♂️ Strength gains: +22.7kg in squat 1RM (BFR group)
- 💨 Anaerobic improvements
- 🫁 Aerobic gains: VO₂max up 7.9 mL/kg/min
- 🧠 How this protocol can be used in real-world team sport settings
- ⚙️ Cuff pressure strategy and how to adapt it with different BFR brands
This is a highly applicable episode for S&C coaches, sport scientists, and practitioners working in field and court-based sports.
We also discuss practical considerations around pressure, cuff types, and short-block periodisation.
🎧 Tune in now and remember to check out our previous episodes on sprint training, cycling BFR, and more.🌐 www.thebfr.co
📩 Contact: @thebfr.co on socials
In this episode of BFR Radio, we explores a novel and practical approach to blood flow restriction (BFR) training—applying BFR after sprint intervals, during the recovery period.
Drawing on recent research in trained cyclists, we examine how this method can significantly increase VO₂max (by 4.5%) without compromising sprint performance or technique.
This episode goes beyond the data—highlighting why improving aerobic capacity matters, particularly for athletes in sprint-based or high-intensity intermittent sports. Enhancing oxygen delivery and mitochondrial density not only supports aerobic efficiency but also plays a key role in buffering capacity, lactate clearance, and recovery between high-output efforts.
Key Points Discussed:
- Study overview: Sprint interval training with post-exercise BFR
- Increases in VO₂max without detriment to sprint performance
- Muscle biopsy findings: HIF-1α and its role in angiogenesis
- Why aerobic development is critical—even for sprinters
- Potential applications in track and field (200–400m), rugby sevens, and other high-intensity running sports
- Practical programming: Suggested BFR recovery protocol after sprint efforts
- Short- vs long-term adaptation: What to monitor beyond VO₂max
This approach is particularly valuable when BFR during the work phase is not feasible or tolerable. By applying BFR during passive recovery, coaches and athletes may unlock meaningful adaptations without interfering with intensity or movement quality.
Thanks for listening, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
📍Learn more or purchase cuffs: www.thebfr.co📩 Connect or share your experience using this method: @thebfr.co
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In the latest episode of BFR Radio, I continue the journey of BFR aerobic exercise and look into the benefits of BFR cycling combined with high-intensity interval training for cyclists.
In episode 3, I covered a BFR cycling training study that compared low-intensity BFR cycling with more traditional high-intensity interval training. The results for including low-intensity BFR cycling were surprising in producing both aerobic and strength gains.
In this episode, I am reviewing a comprehensive 2022 study, examining how BFR cycling not only improves VO2 max and endurance but also significantly enhances muscle size and strength.
Article: Tangchaisuriya, P., Chuensiri, N., Tanaka, H., & Suksom, D. (2021). Physiological Adaptations to High-Intensity Interval Training Combined with Blood Flow Restriction in Masters Road Cyclists. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 54(5), 830-840.
I’ll go into the specific training protocols used, the physiological responses measured, and the remarkable performance outcomes observed. I also share practical tips for integrating BFR sessions into your training regimen to maximise both strength and aerobic capacity. This episode highlights the value of BFR cycling as a powerful tool for enhancing athletic performance, particularly for aging athletes, and also athletes who want to maximise their training.
Enjoy
Chris
00:00 Introduction to BFR Radio
00:31 Recap of Previous Episode
00:51 Study Overview: Low Intensity Cycling with BFR
02:57 Study Results: Aerobic and Strength Gains
03:39 New Study on Masters Road Cyclists
04:45 Training Protocols and Methods
08:11 Detailed Results and Findings
14:18 Practical Applications and Recommendations
16:40 Conclusion and Contact Information
In this episode of BFR Radio, we explore a fascinating training study that challenges conventional thinking around aerobic development. Can low-speed walking combined with blood flow restriction (BFR) significantly improve endurance capacity — even in already trained athletes?
We dive into the research by Park et al., where trained male basketball players performed just two weeks of low-intensity BFR walking. The results? Remarkable improvements in VO₂max, cardiovascular efficiency, and ventilatory capacity — all without high training loads.
Whether you're a coach, rehab specialist, or athlete, this episode offers a compelling case for using BFR walking as a low-impact, time-efficient, and performance-enhancing conditioning tool.
🔍 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:* 📚 Background and context from early BFR-walking studies (Abe et al., 2006) * 🏋️♂️ Full breakdown of the Park et al. protocol, including pressures, session structure, and frequency * 📈 The surprising physiological adaptations observed in just 14 days * 💡 Practical applications: from rehab to in-season support and off-season recovery * 🧠 How to integrate BFR walking into a real-world weekly training program
💡 Key Takeaways:* VO₂max increased by 11.6% in just two weeks * Stroke volume ↑ 21.4%, heart rate ↓ ~13% * Excellent option for injured, in-season, or travelling athletes * Can be programmed in short, low-stress sessions (e.g., 15–20 mins)
🧰 Resources & Links:* Visit: www.thebfr.co to learn more or purchase your own BFR cuffs * Follow us on Instagram: @thebfr.co * Contact Chris via the website or DM for programming support * Listen to our previous BFR + aerobic training episodes in the podcast archive
In this Questions in Cars episode of BFR Radio, I answer a rugby player’s question about using Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training to manage Achilles tendinopathy and arthritis in the big toe.
With pre-season in full swing, high running loads are a challenge for tendon health, making rehab strategies crucial. We break down how BFR can be used as both a pain management and strength tool, how it compares to traditional high-load isometric and eccentric training, and how to incorporate morning activation sessions for optimal recovery.
Tune in to learn how to integrate BFR into your routine for long-term tendon resilience.
Timestamps:
00:36 Listener's Question: Rugby Player's Tendinopathy
01:35 Traditional Methods for Tendinopathy
02:53 Benefits of BFR for Tendinopathy and Arthritis
03:45 Morning Activation Routine with BFR
05:54 Daily BFR Protocols for Pain Management
07:14 Strength Training with BFR
11:14 Pre-Running BFR Routine
12:37 Hormonal and Recovery Benefits of BFR
15:25 Long-Term BFR Strategies
Links & Resources:
- BFR cuffs & online training programs: www.thebfr.co
- Instagram: @thebfr.co
- Twitter: @thebfr_co
Welcome to BFR Radio, and Happy New Year! 🎉 This episode marks our first episode of 2025, and we’re diving into a fascinating and underexplored topic—Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training and its potential role in supporting bone health.
One of our listeners recently reached out about a 15-year-old client with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI)—a rare genetic condition that leads to brittle bones. Given the limitations of traditional strength training for individuals with OI, the question was:
💡 Can BFR provide a safe and effective alternative to stimulate bone adaptation without excessive mechanical load?
While no direct research exists on BFR and OI, we explore scientific insights from BFR studies on osteoporosis, bone formation markers, and vascular function—all of which may provide clues to its potential benefits for fragile bones.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:🔬 Understanding Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI)
✔️ What is OI? Causes, types, and symptoms
✔️ Why traditional strength training poses risks for individuals with OI
💡 How Bone Adapts to Stress & the Role of BFR
✔️ Mechanical loading & bone remodeling
✔️ The role of collagen production, IGF-1, and VEGF in bone health
✔️ The importance of bone resorption and formation markers
🔥 BFR & Bone Health: What the Science Says
✔️ Research on BFR & bone mineral density (BMD)
✔️ How BFR impacts bone remodeling markers like BALP, P1NP, and CTX
✔️ Evidence from osteoporosis research and its possible relevance for OI
📌 Practical Applications for Using BFR with Fragile Bones
✔️ Key safety considerations for using BFR in clinical populations
✔️ Starting guidelines for BFR training with fragile bones
✔️ Monitoring progress & adjusting training variables
Key Takeaways:✅ BFR does not directly replace mechanical loading, but research suggests it can increase bone formation markers and collagen production—which may benefit those with fragile bones.
✅ While no direct studies exist on BFR & OI, findings from osteoporosis and low bone mass studies suggest potential bone-strengthening benefits of BFR.
✅ Starting BFR conservatively—with low pressures, progressive exposure, and careful monitoring—may be key to safely integrating BFR into a bone health program.
Resources & Links:📌 Learn More About BFR & Get Your Own Cuffs: www.thebfr.co
📌 Follow Us on Socials for More BFR Insights: @thebfr.co
💬 Got Questions or a Topic You Want Covered?
Reach out via our website or DM us on Instagram!
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🚀 Until next time, keep the pump! 💪
In this episode of BFR Radio, Kelly Penfold, an experienced ACA Elite Strength and Conditioning Coach, discusses her journey and application of blood flow restriction (BFR) training.
Kelly shares her extensive background, working with the Queensland Firebirds netball team and individual elite sport athletes among others.
She explains how BFR has been a game-changer in prepping and rehabbing athletes, including cyclists and triathletes, and how it helped her personally in her sporting endeavors. Kelly also highlights the importance of personalizing BFR protocols for different athletes to maximize their performance and recovery. 00:36 Meet Kelly Penfold: Strength and Conditioning Coach01:33 Kelly's Journey in Strength and Conditioning04:33 Discovering Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)06:30 Kelly's Personal Experience with BFR09:31 BFR in Athletic Training and Rehabilitation19:53 Success Stories with BFR30:12 BFR in Netball: Case Studies32:15 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts
In this episode of BFR Radio, we dive into the challenges of managing tendon pain, focusing on Osgood-Schlatter disease and patellar tendonitis.
Inspired by a recent conversation with a parent whose child faces knee issues in volleyball, Chris explores evidence-based treatments that go beyond traditional approaches. Whether you're dealing with adolescent athletes or adults with tendon pain, learn how to incorporate isometric exercises, red light therapy, patella tendon straps, and blood flow restriction (BFR) training into recovery.
From progressive strengthening to nutritional supplements and BFR's low-load benefits, this episode offers valuable insights into promoting long-term tendon health. This is a practical, "how-to" episode with lots of great takeaways.
Tune in to discover ways to help athletes return to sport pain-free and stronger than ever.
If you're enjoying the podcast, please give it a rating on iTunes.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
In this episode of BFR Radio, it is a solid discussion on the use of BFR for tendon injuries.
After the previous episode reviewing an excellent article on the many ways to incorporate BFR into an ACL post-surgery rehab program, this episode’s topic centres around the use of BFR in the rehabilitation of a distal biceps brachii tendon rupture, showcasing a weightlifter's case study.
Before we get into the podcast, I’ll also give you an update with an athlete that I coach on a recent hamstring (tendon) injury that he unfortunately sustained. Although this injury hasn’t been great, the rehab process has been fascinating and I give an update of some of the progress we’ve made in a quick time period.
Back to the main focus of the podcast, this episode is a case study of a weightlifter who used BFR to assist in an accelerated rehab program post-surgery. The discussion on the use of BFR for Key topics include the anatomy of the bicep, the typical causes and an overview of the 15-week accelerated BFR rehab program. As always, I try to provide addition insight and offer a few additional ways to incorporate BFR to enhance this rehab process.
If you’re interested in me putting together an episode around Cedric’s hamstring rehab or even a live Q&A let me know.
00:00 Introduction and Previous Episode Recap
00:57 Cedric Dubler's Olympic Journey and Hamstring Injury
03:44 Today's Topic: BFR and Bicep Ruptures
04:36 Understanding Distal Biceps Brachii Tendon Ruptures
07:03 Post-Surgery Rehabilitation and BFR Training
07:35 Case Study: Rehabilitation Program
15:05 Mechanisms and Benefits of BFR Training
17:44 Additional Rehabilitation Strategies
If you're looking at purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs visit www.thebfr.co
Enhancing ACL Rehab with BFR Training: Insights and Applications
In this episode of BFR Radio, the focus is on utilising Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training in the early stage of ACL rehabilitation. Dr. Gaviglio reviews a recent article from the ASPETAR Sports Medicine Journal,
THE USE OF BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION IN EARLY STAGE REHABILITATION FOLLOWING ACL INJURY
This article highlights the multitude of ways that you can incorporate BFR for rehabilitation strategies post-surgery, and discusses how BFR training can mitigate muscle atrophy, aid in muscle hypertrophy, and improve recovery due to its low-load nature and ability to selectively activate muscle fibers.
The episode also discusses the safety and effectiveness of BFR in clinical settings, its potential in preserving bone mass, reducing pain, and improving function post ACL reconstruction. We also outline practical guidelines for implementing BFR in the rehabilitation process and highlights the potential of BFR as a performance enhancement tool beyond ACL rehab.
00:00 Welcome to BFR Radio: Unveiling the Power of Blood Flow Restriction Training
01:09 Diving Deep into BFR's Role in ACL Rehabilitation
02:21 Understanding ACL Injuries and the Shift in Rehabilitation Approaches
06:07 The Science Behind BFR: Enhancing Muscle Recovery and Strength
11:34 Practical Application of BFR in ACL Rehab: From Theory to Practice
24:32 The Future of BFR in Sports Rehabilitation and Beyond
27:16 Closing Thoughts and How to Get Started with BFR
In this episode of BFR Radio, we delve into the use of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training as an effective method for accelerating hamstring recovery in athletes. Chris details a real-world case where BFR training helped a decathlete recover from a grade-two hamstring tear in time to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. He explains the science behind BFR, highlighting the role of immune cells, cytokines, especially interleukin 6, and myoblast cells in muscle repair. He also shares a practical guide on using BFR cuffs to increase stress on the body and stimulate these molecules and signaling pathways. In addition, he provides actionable advice on maintaining fitness levels and targeting specific strength areas at different stages of recovery.
00:00 Introduction to BFR Radio and the Host
00:35 Introduction to the 'Questions in Cars' Segment
00:54 Case Study: Incorporating BFR in Hamstring Injury Rehabilitation
02:44 Understanding the Mechanisms of BFR
06:06 Practical Application of BFR in Injury Rehabilitation
06:51 Specific BFR Exercises for Hamstring Injury
09:28 Advanced BFR Techniques for Hamstring Rehabilitation
12:51 Maintaining Fitness and Strength During Rehabilitation
15:13 End Stage Rehabilitation and Preventing Future Injuries
Title: Blood Flow Restriction Training and Cognitive Function: Exploring the Benefits
Introduction:
Welcome to BFR Radio, a podcast dedicated to all things blood flow restriction training. In this episode, we delve into the fascinating topic of how BFR training can help improve cognitive function. We'll explore recent studies, their findings, and the potential benefits of incorporating BFR into your exercise routine. So let's jump right in!
The Importance of Exercise and Cognitive Function:
Exercise is known to have numerous benefits for both the body and the mind. When it comes to cognitive function, research has shown that regular exercise can enhance memory, attention, and overall brain health. However, not all exercise is created equal. Different types of exercise and various intensities can have varying effects on cognitive function.
Previous Episode Highlights:
In our previous episodes, we discussed the importance of exercise in general and its impact on cognitive function. We touched on key terms and markers associated with improved brain function. We also explored how BFR resistance training, in combination with traditional resistance training, can potentially enhance cognitive function by activating hormonal and molecular pathways in the body.
A Study on BFR Walking and Cognitive Function:
In this episode, we review a study that specifically investigated the effects of BFR walking on cognitive function. The researchers aimed to understand how low-intensity exercise, combined with blood flow restriction, could potentially improve brain function.
Understanding the Mechanism Behind BFR:
The study explores the role of lactate in brain function. Aerobic exercise, especially with BFR, increases blood lactate levels, which could potentially improve cerebral lactate metabolism and support executive brain function. Furthermore, the combination of BFR exercise also increases arousal levels, which is linked to improved executive function.
Implications for Exercise Programs:
Traditionally, high-intensity and longer duration exercises have been associated with significant improvements in cognitive function. However, BFR walking, even at low intensity, has been shown to have similar effects on executive function as other aerobic and resistance exercises that are more intense and longer in duration. This makes BFR walking an appealing option, particularly for older individuals and those with chronic illnesses who may struggle with high-intensity exercises.
Conclusion:
The study reviewed in this episode provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of blood flow restriction training on cognitive function. By incorporating BFR cuffs into low-intensity walking, individuals can experience improvements in inhibitory control and reaction time, which are important components of executive function. These findings highlight the applicability of BFR in enhancing cognitive function and make it a promising area for further research.
If you have any burning questions about blood flow restriction training, feel free to send them our way, and we'll provide thorough answers in our "Questions in Cars" segment. Visit our website, www.thebfr.co, for more information and to purchase your own BFR cuffs.
Remember, exercise is not just beneficial for physical health but also for keeping your brain sharp. So keep the pump and prioritize your cognitive function through BFR training!
Chris
In this BFR Radio episode, I reflect on the recent Australian Strength and Conditioning Conference (ASCA) where TheBFR.co had an exhibition stand. I had lots of great discussions on BFR training and I can definitely tell the awareness is definitely increasing.
This episode is my reflections on the conference (BFR related of course) and I go through the common questions I got asked. In particular I talk about how to calculate the pressure for BFR training, how BFR works with respect to mechanical stress and metabolic stress, and the benefits of using BFR in practical training scenarios - including improve bone reformation and decreasing joint and tendon pain.
I also talk abut the shift in thinking about BFR, progressing from a rehab focus to considering its potential benefits for athletic performance improvement.
For this episode I am actually recording in my car on the drive to work. I have a few of these episodes lined up as I answer questions I get from time to time. Let me know if you like this format. And if you do have a question, let me know and I'll answer it for you.
Enjoy this episode.
Chris
00:00 Introduction
02:53 Reflections on the ASCA Conference
07:53 Understanding BFR and its Application
17:14 BFR for Athletic Performance Enhancement
22:16 BFR for Pain Reduction and Joint Health
32:08 BFR in Pre and Post Operative Care
34:07 Conclusion and Contact Information
Enhancing Cognitive Function with Blood Flow Restriction Training: Unveiling the Neurological Benefits
Welcome to the second episode in this series where we look at the positive effects of BFR training and its remarkable impact on cognitive functions. In this installment, we continue our exploration of the intricate relationship between BFR resistance exercise and its potential to significantly enhance brain health and performance.
To do this, we will review the paper:
Strengthening the brain—is resistance training with blood flow restriction an effective strategy for cognitive improvement?.
Törpel, A., Herold, F., Hamacher, D., Müller, N. G., & Schega, L. (2018). Journal of clinical medicine, 7(10), 337.
This is a hypothesis paper looking at how the known key growth factors and hormones associated with BFR can positively influence cognitive performance, and overall brain well-being. I’ll guide you the whole way through this article explaining everything to help you understand.
We will also provide practical insights and recommendations on designing an effective BFR resistance training program, discussing variables like cuff width, pressure calculations, and optimal exercise selections to ensure safety, comfort, and maximum efficacy.
Whether you are a fitness enthusiast, a health professional, or simply curious about innovative ways to enhance cognitive function, this episode is packed with valuable information, backed by scientific research, to guide you through the fascinating world of BFR training.
So, buckle up as we embark on this exciting journey, bridging the gap between physical exercise and cognitive enhancement, and discover how you can leverage the power of BFR training to boost brain health and function.
Don't forget to check back for our answer to the "What Would You Do?" segment.
Enjoy the episode, and remember to keep the pump!
Chris
Hi and welcome to this episode of BFR Radio.
To kickstart this and the next few episodes, we are going to venture beyond the well-trodden paths of muscle strength and hypertrophy to explore the lesser-known benefits of Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) on cognitive function. In the upcoming episodes, we look at the research that unveils the promising role of BFR in enhancing cognitive abilities, a topic of immense significance, especially for the aging population grappling with cognitive issues.
In our kickstart episode, we dissect the seminal paper "Exercise and Cognitive Function" by Paul Loprinzi, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. This review lays the foundational knowledge for our series and looks at how exercise meets cognition.
To understand the mechanisms as to how BFR training can help with cognitive function, there are a few key markers that illustrate how this works. Some of these markers include proteins like BDNF that play a pivotal role in fostering neuron growth and enhancing cognitive abilities and SNPs and their influence on cognitive function.
Although this primarily covers foundational knowledge, the last study we cover is a BFR training study and highlights at the enhanced effectiveness of resistance training with BFR on cognitive performance.
Another concept, I’m keen to explore is a segment called, “What would you do.” For select episodes I’ll pose a scenario-based question. Let me know what you think of this one.
Scenario: You're a college student who has a big exam coming up. You've been studying for weeks, but you're feeling a bit nervous about how well you'll do on the exam. You've heard that exercise can help improve cognitive function, but you're not sure what type of exercise or how long you should exercise for.
What would you do?
As promised, here is the answer: First of all, it's important to remember that exercise can have a positive impact on cognitive function. Studies have shown that even a short bout of exercise, like a 20-minute brisk walk, can improve executive function. So, if you're feeling nervous about your exam, taking a break to go for a walk or do some other type of exercise could be a good idea. In terms of what type of exercise to do, it's important to choose something that you enjoy and that gets your heart rate up. Running, cycling, or playing a sport are all good options. And if you're short on time, even a quick 10-minute workout can be beneficial. So, to answer the question, if you're feeling nervous about an upcoming exam, taking a break to do some exercise could be a good idea. Choose an activity that you enjoy and that gets your heart rate up, and even a short bout of exercise can help improve your cognitive function.
Hope you enjoy this episode.
Chris
Article Resource: McMorris, T., Tomporowski, P., & Audiffren, M. (Eds.). (2009). Exercise and cognitive function. John Wiley & Sons.
Welcome to episode 56.
I hope you enjoyed our last episode with Sean Jorgenson where he outlines how he uses BFR. It was full of practical ways to incorporate BFR into your own routine - no matter how busy you are.
This week, I have put together some of the questions that you have asked me. I find these have good application to everyone and I am sure you'll get lots of great handy hints with this one.
In this episode we are covering the following questions:
First question, "So, I had an ACL reco last week and am wanting to use my BFR cuffs to help with rehab. When would you say it is a few to start using it post-op?"
The next question, follows on the same theme from the previous.
"How would you structure BFR in a week? For example ACL early post operation, how much would you do in a week?"
This question is also very similar to another general BFR question, around how often can I use BFR in a week. Within this answer I expand and discuss how this concept can be used for BFR use in general and also I talk about a great warm-up protocol that you can incorporate to enhance your BFR sessions.
The last point, is not a question but rather is an easy-to-understand explanation of the mechanisms to how BFR can initiate the healing process with soft-tissue muscle injuries. I have seen some unbelievably quick healing times when incorporating BFR with muscle injuries and strains. With this, I try my best to explain how it works.
As always, if you have questions please ask. Only too happy to answer them.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Welcome to this jam packed episode of BFR Radio.
This was a fun episode to record. In this episode I interview Sean Jorgensen who is a good friend of mine. He is a loving father, and loves to keep fit and active. The addition of BFR into his exercise routine has been a bit of a revolution for multiple reasons.
As the title of the episode suggests, the main two benefits is that the addition of BFR has helped his back pain and also he has got bigger biceps. There are so many practical takeaways from this podcast episode that I just can't list it here.
Sean gives fantastic practical advice and highlights some cool ways to incorporate exercise (and BFR) into your own busy lifestyle.
Also, we recorded this episode at his place with the hope of enjoying some smoked meats. Next time.
Enjoy the episode and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
It's competition time for a lot of athletes. Unfortunately, athletes get muscle tears and injuries. I've had a lot success using BFR to accelerate return from injuries in much quicker than normal expected timelines.
The mechanisms and concepts involved in this process is quite complex. So in this BFR Radio "shorts" I've broken it down and tried to explain it in a more relatable way, so you too can understand what is going on.
I've spoken a lot about this concept and had unbelievable success with getting athletes (and non-athletes) back on the track in record time.
This podcast is from the paper,
The role of inflammation and immune cells in blood flow restriction training adaptation: a review. (2018). Rossi, F. E., De Freitas, M. C., Zanchi, N. E., Lira, F. S., & Cholewa, J. M. Frontiers in physiology, 9, 1376.
If you enjoy this short version of the podcast let me know and I'll add them.
Stay tuned for our next podcast which will be an interview where we look at how BFR has been helping bad backs and building bigger biceps.
Chris
Welcome to the first episode for 2023,
Today's episode continues the theme of adding BFR to high-load lifting. With most of BFR strength training focuses on low-load lifting (20-30% RM), where does this leave the addition of BFR strength training for strength/power athletes. Typically (non-BFR) loads of >60% of 1RM are required to improve strength and power. So today's article continues the concept of high-load BFR strength training. The last episode focused on the benefits of the Bench Press and today's episode moves onto the Squat.
The article I review is called
”"Acute effects of different blood flow restriction protocols on bar velocity during the squat exercise," and the primary author is Michael Wilks.
I've done a lot of lifting using BFR with high loads with my own training and also with the athletes that I work with.
I'm excited for next podcast already - it's an interview and it's jam packed with lots of great practical ways to implement BFR; and you don't have to be an athlete.
If you are looking to get into blood flow restriction training please visit our website which is www.thebfr.co where there's lots of information, free resources and you can also purchase your own set of BFR cuffs.
You can also catch us on:* Instagram - @thebfr.co * Twitter - @thebfr_co * YouTube - The BFR. co
If you do want to get into blood flow restriction, you can purchase your cuffs there as well. Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Welcome to today's episode,
With most of BFR strength training focuses on low-load lifting (20-30% RM), where does this leave the addition of BFR strength training for strength/power athletes. Typically (non-BFR) loads of >60% of 1RM are required to improve strength and power. So today's article looks at the concept of high-load BFR strength training.
”Short Term Blood Flow Restriction, Increases Power Output, and Bar Velocity during the Bench Press”, and this was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, and the primary author is Michael Wilks.
The podcast not only reviews the article, but I've also done a small study of my own. I add some of my own findings and thoughts on how you can use this in a training program.
This will be the last podcast for the year. Thanks for all of your support throughout the year. I appreciate you all.
If you are looking to get into blood flow restriction training please visit our website which is www.thebfr.co where there's lots of information, free resources and you can also purchase your own set of BFR cuffs.
You can also catch us on:
- Instagram - @thebfr.co
- Twitter - @thebfr_co
- YouTube - The BFR. co
If you do want to get into blood flow restriction, you can purchase your cuffs there as well. Thanks for listening. See you in the New Year and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Hi there,
Thanks for your patience in between episodes. If you've been following me on Instagram, you'll the scene that I've been overseas traveling in the UK and also in the us. And in particular, I. Coach track and field athlete and de athlete, Cedric Dubler who? Firstly, we went to the us and we competed at world champs where he finished eighth.
One of his best finishes as a senior in the decathlon. And then 10 days later we went and competed. The Commonwealth games in the UK. And he finished third there, which was an incredible effort considering it was only 10 days in between. So firstly, just to do one decathlon is pretty tough and to do two is pretty amazing.
Today's article review is perfect for to highlight how BFR can assist with anyone who has had quite an "extreme" injury and struggled to get back to some level of normal function. In particular such injuries typically result in significant loss of muscular strength and size. This articles reports on 7 different cases and highlights what kind of improvements can be achieved in a short period of time.
The article is:
Blood flow restriction rehabilitation for extremity weakness: a case series.
J Spec Oper Med, 15(1), 50-56. Hylden, C., Burns, T., Stinner, D., & Owens, J. (2015).
I hope you enjoy this episode.
If you are looking to get into blood flow restriction training please visit our website which is www.thebfr.co where there's lots of information, free resources and you can also purchase your own set of BFR cuffs.
You can also catch us on:
- Instagram - @thebfr.co
- Twitter - @thebfr_co
- YouTube - The BFR. co
If you do want to get into blood flow restriction, you can purchase your cuffs there as well. Thanks for listening. See you in a couple of weeks and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Welcome to Episode 50 of BFR Radio. And what a way to celebrate this milestone with Winter Olympian, Jacqui Narracott who won Silver at the recent Beijing Olympics for Skeleton.
I've been Jacqui's strength coach for over 7 years and it's been an honour to see her awesome achievements - especially in the last year. This is a great episode and we discuss quite a lot. In particular we focus on the period of time after her first Olympics and leading into her second and most recent Winter Olympics in Beijing. Aside from just BFR -related training we go through quite a bit. In particular:
- Reliving Beijing - enjoying the moment & having fun.
- Her team and how it worked with everyone living all around the world.
- How 2 months out from the Olympics, she injured herself and it nearly derailed her campaign.
- Dealing with COVID - lots of training, travel and competitions stories here.
This is a real behind the scenes podcast. So if you're a fan of Jacqui and want to hear some never before heard stories in the lead up to the Olympics this is a podcast not to miss. And yes, there are some new ways we used BFR as well so something for everyone.
I hope you enjoy this one.
Welcome back to BFR Radio.
Thanks for your patience in between episodes – I’ve just realized its been a couple of months since the last episode. In short, I’ve devoted pretty much most of my spare time and energy to the launch of my new website and rebranding. In case, you’re unaware, I’ve rebranded to TheBFR.co. My goal with TheBFR.co (or The BFR company) is to have a one-stop shop for all things BFR. So I still have my BFR cuffs – they are still branded as the sports rehab tourniquet but slowly over time (or once I renew my stock), they will be rebrand with my new logo. So make sure you check out my website - click here.
There are a few new exciting additions to the website including online BFR training and rehab programs and an online BFR course for those who want to learn more about how to apply BFR to their athletes/clients.
The last few episodes focused on hormones & BFR. The first 2 episodes looked at Growth Hormone & Insulin – Growth Factor 1 (or IGF-1). Not only do these hormones have a performance benefit, but they also are critical for proper development and function of many major organ systems. Today’s episode will focus on one a the more well-known hormones and that is Tesosterone
The majority of this information comes from a paper called:
Acute and Chronic Testosterone Response to Blood Flow Restricted Exercise and appeared in the journal of Hormone & Metabolic Research The primary author is Jeremy Loenneke who is one of the more prolific authors in the world of BFR. I will also add to the discussion with a few interesting papers including a case study that I have done with an elite athlete that I used to coach.
before I go, a couple of favours from me to you:
If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. And, if you’re enjoying the podcast please give it a rating on iTunes
Thanks for listening, see you in a couple of weeks and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Welcome back to BFR Radio and this short mini-series on hormones & BFR.
In particular one of the mechanisms as to how & why BFR works is the increase in acute anabolic hormones. Since we talk about, I thought I’d go into a little more detail about each hormone, why it is important and the types of BFR sessions that are associated with increases in these anabolic hormones.
The general flow of these episodes is to summarise the importance of these hormones, mechanisms behind how it gets activated and how BFR can be used to activate these useful hormones.
The last episode looked at Growth Hormone and today's episode we look at Insulin Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). Although the more known action of IGF-1 is to stimulate protein synthesis (muscle growth), it is both GH & IGF-1 that is proposed to act in concert to stimulate protein synthesis.
There are other important functions of IGF-1 signalling and in particular, they are both critical for proper development and function of many major organ systems. There is very strong evidence for neuroprotective effects of IGF-1 in different situations, including aging.
As I delved deeper into why IGF-1 is important to us, I started to realise that it was more about increasing muscle size but rather the positive effects as we age. In particular the role that it plays in cognitive function, learning and memory tasks.
So although we typically see BFR as a way to increase muscle mass and strength, for ageing populations incorporating BFR into physical activity has implications that go beyond this. I go through a couple of studies and in particular one involves a 91-year old gentleman with sarcopenia. Its a simple study, but the outcomes are pretty amazing.
I bring in quite a few papers for this episode and probably a few too many to mention.
The papers from the studies though are:
Endocrine responses to upper-and lower-limb resistance exercises with blood flow restriction. Madarame et al. (2010). Acta Physiologica Hungarica
Strength training with blood flow restriction–a novel therapeutic approach for older adults with sarcopenia? A case report. Lopes et al. (2019) Clinical interventions in aging
If this review of hormones and BFR training, has sparked your own interest in starting an exercise regime, get in touch with me through my website or socials (@chrisgaviglio). The sports rehab tourniquet brand of BFR cuffs can also be purchase from my website and you can find it at sportsrehab.com.au
And lastly, before I go, a couple of favours from me to you:
If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. And, if you’re enjoying the podcast please give it a rating on iTunes
Thanks for listening, see you in a couple of weeks and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Happy New Year everyone and welcome to BFR Radio’s first podcast for 2022.
Hope you all had a good festive season and recharged for 2022. I’m excited for this year and in particular I am working hard to put together my accreditation course on-line and also provide BFR on-line training programs (along with general strength & fitness programs). This means if you’ve been thinking about learning more about BFR in a structured manner or you want to improve your training, I can help provide this for you. Just contact me through my socials or the contact us page on my website (www.sportsrehab.com.au).
The next series of articles will focus on the hormonal benefits of BFR. A lot of the articles I review, look at training intervention studies (ie. You train with BFR cuffs and it usually results in a positive response). These studies are great to highlight the practical side of BFR and the benefits of adding it to your training.
Some of the positive responses that we see with BFR training are due to increases in anabolic hormones within the body and in particular increases in anabolic hormones is one of the main mechanisms of BFR. A lot of these anabolic hormones may be familiar to you – Growth hormone, Testosterone, IGF.
Therefore the concept behind the next few episodes is to look at some of these different anabolic hormones. In particular I am going to highlight the basics of each hormone and its benefits from a health viewpoint. From there I will bring in BFR. To prevent you all from getting bored, I will try to pick out the best bits. So if these episodes sparks your interest, please research more in detail
Growth hormone is our first hormone. To bring this episode together I’ve referred to numerous general articles and reviews on growth hormones and then moved onto more BFR specific studies.
The specific articles are too many to mention here but 2 of the main reviews on Growth Hormone are:
- Godfrey, R. J., Madgwick, Z., & Whyte, G. P. (2003). The exercise-induced growth hormone response in athletes. Sports medicine, 33(8), 599-613.
- Sonksen, P. H. (2001). Hormones and Sport-Insulin, growth hormone and sport. Journal of Endocrinology, 170(1), 13-26.
Before I go, a couple of favours from me to you:
If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. And Also, if you’re enjoying the podcast please give it a rating on iTunes
Thanks for listening, see you in a couple of weeks and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Hi everyone,
My last episode answered as few questions around using Blood Flow Restriction in younger age groups and youth athletes. I pieced together a few concepts and papers to give some positive evidence around using it in this age group. After the podcast a fellow S&C coach, Nathan Norris reached out about his use with the athletes that he trains.
Therefore I thought I'd get him on the podcast to tell his experiences. This is a really practically based podcast with lots of great examples and I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it.
A little bit about Nathan:
He has been a S&C Coach for 10+ years working with elite, professional, semi-professional and junior athletes. Currently the Lead S&C Coach at Burnley College, Lancashire, North West England. Leading a team of S&C Coaches to delivered the S&C Programme at the College. The programme includes working with 16-21 year old student athletes who compete regionally, nationally, and internationally. As well as running the S&C Programmes for Burnley Bobcats Swimming Club, Blackburn Harriers & Athletics Club, and Manchester Giants Basketball Juniors (U15 & U16 squads). Along with working with professional footballers (soccer) in the area.
If you want to get a hold of him:
Intagram: @welshnath_coach
Email: n.norris@burnley.ac.uk
This will be my last podcast for the year. I'm taking a short break of the Christmas period and looking forward to an exciting 2022. I have a few projects in the pipeline so stay tuned for that.
Thanks for your support this year and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Hi everyone and welcome back to BFR Radio. Thanks for joining in and hope that your training is going well.
Before I head into today’s article review, a quick reminder that if you’re looking for practical ideas on how to implement BFR into your own training check out my Instagram (@chrisgaviglio) or my Youtube channel which is SportsRehabAus. If you follow me on social media, I’ve also been trialling a few different things. The first one is 60second snippets of the best bits of the podcast as well as Instagram text image posts – which do you prefer? Also if you’re enjoying the podcast, please give it a rating on iTunes.
Its also been a while since my last episode and I thank you for your patience. I’ve had a few presentations recently and one was for the ASCA. This year was an online style conference and my presentation I spoke about how I periodise strength training utilising a myriad of different concepts. In particular it was a case study of one of the decathletes that I coached for the Tokyo Olympics. I’ve also had a work change as well so navigating that has taken some of my time. One of the positives is that I am spending more time putting together some other S&C and BFR concepts that I’ve been wanting to do for a while. In particular I am providing an online S&C service which means that if you’ve been thinking about improving your training, I can help provide this for you. Just contact me through my socials or the contact us on my website. I also have some big plans for BFR specifically so stay tuned for that.
The last few episodes was a short series of papers which reviewed different sports specific training with BFR and highlighted potential direct benefits to sports performance. For me it shows that BFR can be used for more than just strength training and stationary cardiovascular-based training.
To change it up, it’s time for a “Your questions answered” segment. Interestingly I got 3 independent emails on a very similar subject within the last month. In particular it is on the subject of using BFR with youth athletes. Hopefully not too controversial, but I thought I’d tackle this subject.
To give some context behind the questions the first question was from a physiotherapist who is involved in the training of elite Artistic gymnasts aged between 10-26. Common injuries include growth-related injuries such as osgoods and, tendinopathy injuries especially the Achilles Tendon as well as boney stress injuries (foot, shin, and back). And in previous podcasts I’d alluded to BFR being a great tool for tendon pain as well as recovering from bone stress injuries and such could BFR be used in this specific population.
The second question was from another physiotherapist who works with dancers and in particular young dancers and pretty much similar. They want to know the youngest age I’d use BFR training with? And are there any contraindications for use in those under 18years?
So how to best answer this question? Unfortunately there isn’t any position statement with respect to BFR and Youth. There is very little out there but I will piece this together to give you a balanced answer and perhaps rather my opinion. No use sense sitting on the fence right??
To answer this question, I am going to break this into 3 parts. Firstly I want to briefly discuss the idea of strength training in youth in general (that is without BFR). Secondly, I will highlight a few studies in younger age groups and then finish up with my own view and personal experiences.
I hope you enjoy this one. I feel I have given a balanced view with respect to this concept and before I go I want to emphasis a few points if you decide that BFR may be useful with the youth athletes that you train:
- Like all training interventions you need to be clear why you are using it.
- This type of training needs strict supervision, and at this age in particular.
- At a young age who are fit, healthy and performing general training, I would not prescribe it. I think there are so many other skills and physical activities that you need them to be exploring before worrying about BFR.
- However if they are have specific injuries or issues that need addressing it may be a useful intervention.
The paper’s that I briefly mention are:
Effects of practical blood flow restriction training on adolescent lower-body strength. (15-18year old girls) Luebbers, P. E., Witte, E. V., Oshel, J. Q., & Butler, M. S. (2019). The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 33(10), 2674-2683.
Effect of eight-week aerobic training with blood flow restriction on lipid profiles and body composition in obese adolescent boys. (13-16year old boys) MOHAMMADI, S., Rajabi, H., Motamedi, P., Khaledi, N., & Abdollahi, M. (2019).
Response of Myostatin to Resistance Exercise with and without Blood Flow Restriction in Immature Male Athletes. (10-14year old boy gymnasts) Shabkhiz, F., Choobineh, S., Ghafarioun Isfahani, A., & Yari, M. (2017). Sport Physiology & Management Investigations, 9(3), 9-19.
A pediatric case with an unstabilized neck treated with skeletal muscle electrical stimulation and KAATSU training®. (2yrs-4months boy ) Iwashita, H. (2015). International Journal of KAATSU Training Research, 11(1), 7-12.
The Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA) position stand on youth strength training link: Resistance Training for Youth - Position Stand
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s used BFR in these age groups. I think it could be a good extension to this podcast. Contact me through my website (sportsrehab.com.au) or DM me through my Instagram or Twitter @chrisgaviglio.
Before I go, A couple of favours from me to you. If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. And if you’re interested in purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website which is www.sportsrehab.com.au
I can also help you with your training so contact me via my website or DM me through my socials which is @chrisgaviglio.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Welcome back to this episode of BFR radio, hope you're doing well.
I hope you've been enjoying these articles. I've incorporated BFR into more of a specific sports training focus. For me, this is refreshing to talk about as literature typically just focuses on BFR resistance training or just stationary cardio exercise.
If we refer back to the start of this mini series, I was inspired by the Tokyo 2021 Olympic and Paralympic games, and really thought at the time that it was relevant. The first article that focused on football training, and I felt that it fitted well within the sport of football for my Northern hemisphere friends or soccer for my Southern hemisphere friends. Article two focused on running, and then article three looked at how passive BFR used prior to high intensity swimming efforts can positively influence performance.
Now today's article we're back on the land and hopping on our bikes. The article I'm reviewing is called:
Effects of low-intensity cycle training with restricted leg blood flow on thigh muscle volume and VO2max in young men. Abe, T., Fujita, S., Nakajima, T., Sakamaki, M., Ozaki, H., Ogasawara, R., ... & Ishii, N. (2010). Journal of sports science & medicine, 9(3), 452.
If you have used BFR and cycling for your own use and seen positive results, drop me a line and let me know. It'd be really great to hear your story. And a couple of favors from me to you. If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. Also if you're enjoying the podcast, please give it a rating on iTunes.
If you're interested in purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs, please visit my website, which is sportsrehab.com.au. I can also help you with your training, so contact me via my website or DME through my socials, which is @chrisgaviglio. Thanks for listening. See you next time and remember to keep the pump.
Hi everyone and welcome back to BFR radio. Thanks for joining in. Hope your training or your coaching's going well. Before I head into today's article review a quick reminder that if you're looking for practical ideas on how to implement BFR into your own training, check out my Instagram, which is @chrisgaviglio, or my YouTube channel, which is SportsRehabAus. I've also been added in 60 seconds snippets, and that's been particularly with my Twitter and my Instagram, I'd actually love to hear if you're enjoying the best bits of the podcast. Also, if you have any burning questions, come and join me for your questions answered. This is where you get to ask a question or two and I'll answer it and everyone gets to learn. So if you do have a question, please contact me and we can have a chat. If you're not keen to come onto the podcast, that's fine. I'll fashion the question into my own chat and I'll just put something together as well.
In today's episode we're going to get off the land and we're looking at the use of BFR to improve swimming performance. Something that I'm not good at, but the article anyway is called,
Remote preconditioning improves maximal performance in highly trained athletes. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 43(7), 1280-1286.
Jean-St-Michel, E., Manlhiot, C., Li, J., Tropak, M., Michelsen, M. M., Schmidt, M. R., ... & Redington, A. N. (2011).
This paper in particular focuses on the effect that ischemic preconditioning can have on the swimming performance. There are a few papers that I've actually reviewed on ischemic preconditioning and my podcast with Sam Hally looked at ischemic preconditioning. And he also spoke about a few great papers that he authored as part of his thesis. And the application of ischemic preconditioning is passive. And although the goal of this mini-series was to focus on BFR and sports specific training, this is still a really great paper to go through in respect to specific sports performance.
If you enjoy the podcast, please give it a rating on ITunes And if you're interested in purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs, please visit my website, which again is sportsrehab.com.au. And I can also help you with your training so contact me via my website or through my socials, which is @chrisgaviglio.
Once again. Thanks for listening. Appreciate your time remember to keep the pump.
Welcome back to this episode of BFR radio.
And this is episode number two in a short mini series on the use of BFR in relation to sports performance or sports performance outcomes. And if you remember, in the previous episode, I said that the Olympics inspired me on this short little mini series here.
At the time I was actually in Cairns with the Australian track and field team. Within that team, I work with three athletes, Riley Day who ran a massive PB in the women's 200m. And the two decathletes Cedric Dubler and also Ash Maloney. Now, Ash Maloney won a bronze medal, which is, best ever result for an Australian in an Olympics for the decathlon. And also Cedric Dubler who there was some really great images of him encouraging Ash on to ensure that Ash got home in the correct time or close enough to his other competitors to ensure that he secured that bronze medal.
But what is even more significant, which was amazing and I alluded to something potentially pretty special in the previous episode was that I'm not sure if anyone knew, but about two and a half to three weeks prior to the start of the competition, Cedric tore his hamstring, a grade two medial hamstring and there was actually a little bit of tendon involvement as well. Now, typically when we rehab a hamstring, it's four to six weeks and more so six weeks plus when we're talking about track and field athletes, because of the velocities that they've got a sprint at.
Now what he was able to do was actually got back to 95% of his maximum speed within 11 days. That's right. Within 11 days. And also within two weeks or so, he actually started the competition and he actually competed comparatively to his personal best.
How did we do it? Aside from good rest, having good physiotherapists, good nutrition, and just being able to focus on training and recovery, I absolutely used BFR to its fullest extent in relation to this rehab. There's been a lot of articles that I've reviewed around improvement in anabolic hormones, improvement in stem cell proliferation, improvement in muscle repair, decreasing in pain improvement in recovery. And I used it three to four times a day. Whether it was activating the correct musculature prior to strength or running sessions, whether it was to be used in between sessions to help with recovery, whether we used it with upper body, when he couldn't train his lower body in that really initial acute phase, I really maximized all the activation of the different pathways that potentially could have helped. And I really can't explain it how we did it any quicker. Some say that medial hamstrings potentially you can run quicker on them than, other hamstring injuries. But this guy competed at an elite level at Olympics in just over two weeks. So it was really amazing. And perhaps if you want to hear this a little bit more, I'll put this into a podcast so please do let me know. So that was really exciting for me. So well done to Cedric for believing in the process and perhaps believing in that a lot of work needs to be done and that it can be done within two weeks.
Back to the mini-series, today's episode is something that most of us can do and it's called, "The effect of muscle blood flow restriction during running training on measures of aerobic capacity and run time to exhaustion". The primary author is Carl Peyton and comes out of the Institute of technology, Napier in New Zealand.
Hope you enjoy this one.
Before I go, a couple of favors from me to you. If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it.
If you're enjoying the podcast, please give it a rating on iTunes.
And if you're interested in purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs, please visit my website, which is sportsrehab.com.au.
And I can also help you with your training. So contact me via my website or DME through my socials, which is @chrisgaviglio.
Thanks for listening, see you next episode, and remember to keep the pump.
Welcome back to this episode of BFR radio.
As I'm recording this episode, it actually coincides with the start of the 2020, or should I say 2021 Tokyo Olympic summer games. I'm actually currently sitting in my hotel room in Cairns far, north Queensland, helping out with the Australian track and field team in particular, I work with three athletes, one sprinter, female, 200 meter runner Riley Day and also 2 decathletes, Ashley Moloney and Cedric Dubler.
And there'll be competing very soon. So keeping an eye out for them. With respect to these athletes, I mainly do their strength programs, but I'm also the shot put and discus coach for the two decathletes, it's actually been a really exciting few weeks seeing the athletes finalize their preparation.
And as it's the Olympics, I thought it would be fitting that this mini series would look at how to use BFR in sporting movements or for the benefit or performance of sporting outcomes. I thought that was fitted well with the theme of the Olympics, and it might give a sports coach and idea for their own athletes on how they can incorporate it for the benefit of sporting perform.
Now, also remember that they are contra-indications for BFR use and this needs to be taken in the correct context. For example, if your athletes have a low training age, you need to firstly, ensure that they're covering the big rocks with respect to training and recovery, and you actually might have more benefit in getting the simple things correct before even contemplating doing blood flow restriction.
Onto the article and the one that I'm going to review today is called,
Occlusion training during specific futsal training improves aspects of physiological and physical performance. Journal of sports science & medicine, 19(2), 374.
Amani-Shalamzari, S., Sarikhani, A., Paton, C., Rajabi, H., Bayati, M., Nikolaidis, P. T., & Knechtle, B. (2020).
Although, futsal is not in the Olympics, soccer for my southern hemisphere friends, or football for my European friends is. Therefore I thought that the concept in the training of, and the movements performed are quite similar.
This is a great practical use of BFR in a sporting movement. Hope you enjoy it.
Before you head off and listen to the podcast, a couple of favours from me to you.
If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it.
And also, if you're enjoying the podcast, please give it a rating on iTunes.
If you're interested in purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs, I've got my own brand called the Sports Rehab Tourniquet And you can get this by visiting my website, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au.
I could also help you with your training so contact me via my website or DM me through my socials, which is @chrisgaviglio Instagram and also Twitter. For video training ideas also check out my YouTube channel SportsRehabAus.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Welcome back to BFR radio. Thanks for joining in. Today's episode is Your Questions Answered and I've really been enjoying this so if you, have a burning question about BFR and how you're going to use it in your own setting or scenario get ahold of me and we'll set up a call on the internet and I'll be able to actually tailor this to exactly what you need and hopefully demystify everything about BFR and put a real practical spin on it.
Before I get into today's episode, remember if you're looking for BFR cuffs, you can actually get it from my website, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au and I have tons of content on my Instagram, which is @chrisgaviglio and also on my YouTube channel, which is SportsRehabAus. Today's episode is a gentleman called Declan Dinnen and he plays for the Bond University Premier rugby team based on the Gold Coast.
Now, two things he's going on. One is his shoulder. He's had major surgery on his right shoulder and he's about three months post and he's having struggling a little bit with some range of movement.
And the second thing is that he has got a Haglund's deformity. In his ankle on both legs and he is shortly going to go into surgery. As you will find out in my conversation with Declan, he really struggles to move and to do anything that's dynamic.
Today's podcast is really practical and I cover a lot of information which I am sure you'll get a lot out of it. As I get to the end of the conversation, we then talk a little more so stayed tuned all of the way until the end.
Hope you enjoy this podcast. If you know of someone who will benefit from the episode please share it and if you enjoy it please give it a rating on iTunes.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Hi everyone. And welcome back to this episode of BFR radio. Hope your own training is going well. Thank you for all of your questions about blood flow restriction. And if you do have any burning questions of your own, please DM me through my social channels, which is @chrisgaviglio or my website contact us page, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au.
A reminder that I have an introduction to BFR presentation on the play education platform. That's P L AE. This is a fantastic initiative by PLAE. And the goal is actually to extend my one hour to my full BFR workshop on this online platform. So stay tuned for that. And I'll definitely let you know. There's also a lot of other fantastic presentations and courses on this platform so make sure you check it out. Click here: https://plaeacademy.com
Today's episode is going to be the last episode in relation to this upper body short mini series in BFR. And recently I've been focusing on how BFR can be used effectively in different upper body scenarios.
In particular, we looked at the muscular benefits with low load BFR bench, press and practical bicep curls. The third episode highlighted the benefits of using BFR for wrist fractures and the fourth, and the penultimate episode showed that we can improve grip, strength and size using something very simple as hand squeezing type exercises.
Hence, I thought it was a really great segue to today's episode, which is more of a practical sporting example, and really the title says it all:
Effect of exercise program with blood flow restriction on upper limb vasculature and performance in wrestlers. Ghoraba, M., Ghazy, M., & El Tomey, M. (2017).
IJSSA, 2, 298-327.
In the study I mentioned a technique called a Gut Wrench. Here is the link to a good video explaining it if you're interested:
Click here to see Gut Wrench technique video
I really like this study with respect to the practical applications of BFR to a sport. There's actually a few other sports specific studies starting to appear in literature, which really highlights the positive application of BFR.
In closing, if there's a topic of interest you'd like me to cover in this short mini series please let me know, as I'm really interested in knowing what interests you. Thanks again for listening.
Hope you've enjoyed it.
If you do know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it.
And if you haven't got a set of your own BFR cuffs, please visit my website, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au, where you can purchase the Sports Rehab Tourniquet.
I can also help you with your training. So please contact me via my website. or, DM me through my socials, which is @chrisgaviglio.
Lastly, if you're enjoying the podcast, please give it a rating on iTunes. Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Welcome back to this episode of BFR Radio, hope you're doing well. Remember if you have any questions about BFR, please DM me through my social channels, which is @chrisgaviglio on Instagram or Twitter, or alternatively through my website, contact us, or actually it's just me page, which is sportsrehab.com.au. I've been actually receiving a few messages, so thanks for reaching out and I'll definitely be incorporating them into the podcast over the coming episodes. If you're looking for some good BFR learning opportunities, I've teamed up with PLAE who are known for really top quality sports flooring. They have an education arm as well and I've produced an introduction to BFR presentation. This is an hour long presentation, which has some learning opportunities or learning questions along the way. So you can actually test your understanding of BFR and actual goal is to put my full BFR workshop on this online learning platform. So stay tuned for that.
Click here for the PLAE website and access my course: https://plaeacademy.com
There are lots of other great courses that are available to you from some of the top S&C coaches, all around the world so make sure you check them out.
And also talking about just general BFR information, I also appear on another podcast with a fellow health specialist. Her name is Zora, and she actually goes by the Instagram handle @hackmyage. And overall she interviews lots of fantastic guests looking at ways to, I guess, Biohack their own health. This can range from anything, from exercise to nutrition, to breathing, cold water immersion, and so forth.
Click here to check out her website & other great information: Podcast with Zora
So moving on to today's article we're going to look at hand grip strength. And in particular, it's called:
Effects of handgrip training with venous restriction on brachial artery vasodilation Credeur, D. P., Hollis, B. C., & Welsch, M. A. (2010).
Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 42(7), 1296.
And this serves as a really good segue for my next episode, where it'll actually be the last in the mini series on BFR upper body. And it's actually going to look at how you can use BFR in upper body training to help athletes where improved grip or grappling ability is really important.
And if you do know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. I really do appreciate all your interactions. And if you haven't got your own set of BFR cuffs, please visit my website, which is sportsrehab.com.au.
And I can also help you with your own training so once again, contact me through my website or my socials.
If you enjoy the podcast, I'd appreciate if you give it a rating, on iTunes.
Thanks for listening, see at the next episode. And remember to keep the pump.
Thanks again for joining me on this month's episode and the last three episodes we've delved into the upper body BFR mini series. In particular, we looked at article reviews with respect to muscular benefits of BFR Bench Press, and bicep curls.
And the last episode we looked at how it could be used to improve recovery from a hand fracture or more so improving pain and function with the addition of BFR to a normal rehab program for a hand fracture.
And for today's episode, like they say, variety's the spice of life. So we're going to take a small break from the mini-series and we're actually going to go into your questions answered. And although this wasn't a specific, your questions answered, I do get a lot of questions from people out there, like yourself who have actually got their own question.
And afterwards I sat down and I wrote some notes and I thought I'd actually formulate it into this episode you've got here. The question I have today is from an athletics Sprint's coach, and he has an athlete who has a foot fracture of the navicular bone. Now this can be quite a serious injury if not looked after properly.
His question was around how we could use BFR within his rehab and return to run program. With respect to this injury, I'm going to be talking about the affected limb and that's going to be the foot that has the fracture.
This is a really practical episode with lots of different uses for BFR in this scenario. I hope you enjoy it.
If you know of someone who has a similar kind of injury and you would benefit from listening to this episode, please share it.
If you are actually going through the same injury and you want some guidance on how you could be using in your own training, I could actually help you with that as well. So please contact me via my website or DM me through my socials on Twitter or Instagram, which is @chrisgaviglio.
Also there's loads of information on my website, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au. And I also have a YouTube channel, which has SportsRehabAus. Thanks for listening. I'll see you next week, when we're going to get back into the upper body mini series. Good luck with your training and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Welcome back to this episode of BFR radio,hope you're doing well and enjoying this upper body series.
Just a friendly reminder about my sports rehab tourniquet BFR cuffs is that I've got new valves. I've actually had them for a few months now and everyone's loving them and looked the concept's pretty simple.
There's two valves which connect together and they help inflate the cuff. It's a little bit nicer. The connections are a lot firmer. Everyone that is using the new valves on the cuffs are loving it. So if you have the older style connection, which was a simple tube into an twist valve, you can actually upgrade your cuffs. All you have to do is head to my website, which is sports rehab.com. I've got a little video with it as well at which it's really simple and quick to change them over and I guarantee you'll love the new upgrade.
Onto this episode, this is the third article review in the upper body series. Today we move away from the muscular benefits of BFR and look at the benefits with respect to bone fractures. Episode seven of BFR Radio actually reviewed an article that looked at the role of BFR and the rationale for improving bone reformation. In animal studies the use of BFR has been shown to improve fracture, healing time and there's actually a few human case studies as well. So see, episode 10, if you're a little bit more interested in this concept. Getting straight into the article, it's called:
Blood flow restriction therapy after closed treatment of distal radius fractures. Cancio, J. M., Sgromolo, N. M., & Rhee, P. C. (2019). Journal of wrist surgery, 8(4), 288.s,"
If you know of someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it. Alternatively, if you're going through this same rehab and interesting in purchasing your own set of BFR cuffs, please visit my website, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au
And also once again, do you enjoy the 60 seconds snippets? If so, make sure you let me know, give it a comment, give it a thumbs up. Thanks for listening. And remember to keep the pump.
Welcome back to welcome back to this episode of BFR radio. Before I head into today's article review a quick reminder that if you're looking for practical ideas on how to implement BFR into your own training, check out my Instagram, which is @chrisgaviglio or my YouTube channel, which is SportsRehabAus.
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you would have seen that I've been adding in 60 seconds snippets, which are short 60 seconds snippets of the previous podcasts that I've done. I would actually love to hear if you're enjoying these best bits of the podcast. It's always good to know that my work's being well-received. If you have any questions, please ask and I'll get to them as soon as I can.
Onto today's episode, which is the second article review in the upper body series and what wouldn't be an upper body BFR article review without looking at some bicep curls.
On a more serious note there's some really great uses for BFR aside from just the bicep curls. But this article again, looks at the difference between high load non BFR and low load BFR periodization models. And why I keep talking about this is because I really think that understanding how the difference between a low load and a high load periodisation model with or without BFR on certain exercises can result in similar outcomes, I think has really positive outcomes for you as a practitioner.
Today's article is called:
Practical blood flow restriction training increases muscle hypertrophy during a periodized resistance training programme. Lowery, R. P., Joy, J. M., Loenneke, J. P., de Souza, E. O., Machado, M., Dudeck, J. E., & Wilson, J. M. (2014).
Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 34(4), 317-321.
This is a really simple article, but I think it's quite nice to show that something as simple as this can be quite effective and the next article review we'll move away from the muscular benefits and we'll look at how BFR could be used to improve recovery of hand fractures. And I have spoken about the role that BFR plays in improved formation which I think is a fascinating concept with respect to how we're training our clients or our athletes who may have fractures.
If you want any more information about BFR or you want to order a set of your own BFR costs, please head to my website, which is https://www.sportsrehab.com.au
And if you want to contact me, you can do so via the contact us, or the contact me on my website or just DM me through my socials on Instagram or Twitter, which is @chrisgaviglio. Finally, if you enjoy the podcast, please give it a rating in iTunes and also share it with someone who may benefit from this information.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Hi everyone and welcome back to this episode of BFR radio.
Not sure if you've noticed, but I've been trying a few different things of late. Firstly, I'm trying to increase the frequency of podcasts released to fortnightly, which was from once a month. And there's also a new segment, which is called your questions answered. A lot of people are asking some great questions. So my mantra around this is that if you have a question, I'm sure that there's lots of other people out there as well with that same question or something similar. Therefore, if you have a question and you're happy to come online, please contact me and we can have a chat.
You'll also notice that recently in the last couple of weeks, that on my socials, which is @chrisgaviglio, I've been releasing 60 seconds snippets of the previous podcast. These are the best bits of the podcast and hopefully a great reminder of what was covered. If you love it, let me know and I'll continue doing that for you.
With the article reviews I've also tried to group them together to give the use of BFR better context. The first article series that I did recently was around the use of BFR in surgery and in particular, looking at knee surgery, if you missed them, check them out.
And this brings me onto the next series of BFR articles, and this will focus on the upper body. In one of my earlier BFR radio podcast episodes I reviewed an article on high-frequency Bench Press. Today's article, which kicks off this series, again, looks at the bench press, but rather this looks at combining protocols of both high load and low load BFR Bench Press training within the same week. This article is called:
Combined effects of low-intensity blood flow restriction training and high-intensity resistance training on muscle strength and size. Yasuda, T., Ogasawara, R., Sakamaki, M., Ozaki, H., Sato, Y., & Abe, T. (2011).
European journal of applied physiology, 111(10), 2525-2533.
I truly think that this series will once again, like the knee surgery series highlight some great ways of using BFR aside from just using it for bicep curls and bench press. If you want to know more information about BFR or you want to order your own set of BFR cuffs please head to my website, which is www.sportsrehab.com.au.
If you want to contact me, you can do this via the contact us, or should be contact me on the website, or just DM me through my socials on Instagram or Twitter, which is @chrisgaviglio.
Twitter - click here
Instagram - click here
If you enjoy the podcast, please give it a writing an iTunes, and also share it with someone who may benefit from this information. Thanks for listening. See you next time and remember to keep the pump.
Welcome to today's episodes. I have just finished the short collective mini-series on the multiple uses of BFR around knee surgery. In this collective series of article reviews, I wanted to highlight the multiple uses of BFR within one scenario.
With today's episode, I talk to sprinter Mark Giglio where we discuss how to use blood flow restriction to help manage his achilles pain. In particular we look at how he can use BFR for general pain/stiffness, sprint and strength training sessions. Mark has lots of great questions and we discuss how BFR could also be used to maximise training and competition outcomes. In particular we discuss about the potential increases in endogenous (naturally occurring in the body) anabolic hormones. With respect to most athletes, the ability to increase anabolic hormones concentrations in the body (esp. testosterone) has positive benefits to improvements in strength, speed, power and behaviours associated with positive outcome.
I really enjoyed this conversation, and the goal of this segment is to help educate users of BFR. My motto with this segment is that the questions that you have may also help someone else. So if you have a burning question on how to use BFR (any pure happy to come onto the podcast) get in contact with me.
If you like this podcast please give it a rating on iTunes or if you know someone who'd benefit from this podcast please share it with them.
And if you haven't got a pair of your own BFR cuffs, please head to my website and get yours today - www.sportsrehab.com.au
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Hi everyone and welcome to today's episode.
I've enjoyed putting together this short mini-series on the collective ability of using BFR in multiple different scenarios to assist with improving the operative outcome - in this case knee surgery.
Today's episode is around the cardioprotective ability of using Blood Flow Restriction prior to surgery. In particular, perioperative myocardial infarction is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after major non-cardiac surgery. Therefore the ability to reduce myocardial injury and other ischaemic complications of surgery holds great benefit.
Using BFR in this instance, is a great option as traditional methods to reduce the risk are usually pharmacologically based which although the may reduce the risks they do have side-effects in some patients.
The article is pretty heavy with mechanisms so if you are interested please download the article.
Cardioprotection by remote ischaemic preconditioning. British journal of anaesthesia, 99(5), 611-616. Walsh, S. R., Tang, T., Sadat, U., Dutka, D. P., & Gaunt, M. E. (2007).
If you haven't yet got a set of BFR cuffs please head to my website to buy your own and if you have any questions please ask as I really want to ensure you get the best use of Blood Flow Restriction for you. Head to https://www.sportsrehab.com.au
If there is anyone listening that may benefit from this, please share it.
Thanks for listen
Chris
Welcome back to this episode which is a short series of paper reviews that highlights the different uses for Blood Flow Restriction around Knee surgery.
Today's episode looks at the positive effect of only 8 days of pre-operative strengthening with respect to density and function of the quadriceps within the first 4 weeks of ACL reconstruction. This is a great concept as it is well documented the outcome from surgery is improved with relative muscle strength and size. With the positive effects of training with BFR whilst using low-loads, this training methodology in a pre-operative state really highlight the advantages of blood flow restriction. This is also something to highlight in some people, where the injury may prevent any kind of meaningful strengthening program prior to the operation due to the inability to strength train through a suitable range and load.
The article for reference is called:
Preconditioning With Blood Flow Restricted Exercise Preserves Quadriceps Muscle Endurance in Patients After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Short–Term Frontiers in physiology, 9, 1150.
Žargi, T., Drobnič, M., Stražar, K., & Kacin, A. (2018).
I hope you are enjoying this mini-series that puts together a collection of different BFR papers of relevance to optimising recovery from knee surgery.
If you enjoy this podcast please give it a rating on iTunes.
If you know someone who may benefit from this knowledge please share it with them.
And if you haven't got a set of your own BFR cuffs, please head to my website to purchase of your own today: www.sportsrehab.com.au
See you soon for the next episode.
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Happy New Year.
Late last year I reviewed an article that highlighted the benefits of 12 strength training sessions using BFR post knee arthroscopy around improving muscle size, strength & function. This highlighted the ease and effectiveness of such a simple training addition.
Consequently I wanted to collate a few articles that built on this initial article to highlight the few different uses of BFR around surgery. In this case, we are focusing on the knee.
Today's article review looks at how BFR can decrease joint and tendon pain in the knee joint. I have had a lot of success using BFR for this reason and not just around surgery.
The 2 articles are:
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Blood flow restriction-induced analgesia in patients with anterior knee pain. Korakakis, V., Whiteley, R., & Epameinontidis, K. (2017). Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 20, e100.
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Quadriceps strengthening with and without blood flow restriction in the treatment of patellofemoral pain: a double-blind randomised trial. Giles, L., Webster, K. E., McClelland, J., & Cook, J. L. (2017). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(23), 1688-1694.
Join me in the next episode where we will keep building on the multiple ways that you can incorporate BFR around surgery to assist with improving your recovery.
If you want to know more about BFR and buy your own set of cuffs please head to my website: www.sportsrehab.com.au
Thanks for listening and remember to keep the pump.
Chris
Hi there,
This is a short bonus episode just in time for Christmas. I regularly get questions emailed to me about how to incorporate BFR in their specific scenario. I thought that putting it in an audio format may be a good way to not only answer the question but also it may be relevant for some of you. Hence today's podcast.
Today's question is:
"I have just undergone a partial menisectomy and have had 40% of my medial meniscus in my left knee removed. I was wondering what you might recommend I could do to assist my rehab of the left leg at this stage. For example, I am allowed to start heel to toe walking, hamstring/calf stretch and a few other very low key exercises like mini recumbent cycling tomorrow but I was wondering would you recommend using the BFR in anyway yet even just passively?" I actually liked doing this segment and think it can be an extra segment for BFR Radio. So, if you have any questions that you'd like to be answered contact me through my website or my social media channels.
https://www.sportsrehab.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisgaviglio/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisGaviglio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sportsrehab.com.au/
Have a Merry Christmas and see you all in the New Year.
Chris
Hi there and welcome to this month's episode. In the last episode I reviewed an awesome paper highlighting the positive effect of just 12 BFR sessions after knee arthroscopy. This prompted me to put together a mini-series of papers that combine all of the positive effects of using BFR around knee surgery. So usually I'd follow up with the next article, however I've been trying to interview Matt Ham for a short while so I'd thought I put this interview out.
Similar to a previous episode where I interviewed S&C coach Tony Lewis (https://www.instagram.com/tonylewispt/), Matt was also born in the same town (Ayr, Queensland). This is remarkable considering the small size of the town.
Matt has worked in the fitness industry for over fifteen years and competed in professional football (soccer) for four years with Hyundai A-league teams including Gold Coast United, Brisbane Roar and the North Queensland Fury. He has held strength & conditioning positions with the Brisbane Roar (2016-2017), the Queensland Rugby League Referees, The Guam National Football Team and various young professional and semi-professional athletes.
Matt’s professional experience with sporting teams, coupled with his academic achievements in sports and exercise science and years of service in the fitness industry has subjected him to an expansive array of top-level strength and conditioning, resistance training, rehabilitation, group fitness and various cardiovascular training methods which has given him a well-rounded and superior approach to fitness training.
He has recently moved to Townsville and is the S&C coach for the Townsville Blackhawks Rugby league team which competes in the Queensland Rugby League competition.
In today's interview we talk through Matt's journey from a professional footballer (soccer for all of us Aussies) to how he got started as an S&C coach, opening his own business, working with elite footballers and of course all things BFR. This episode is more than just BFR so if you are an inspiring S&C coach or thinking about opening your own training business I think you'll get some great ideas and lessons learnt from this podcast.
If you are in Brisbane check out his facility:
Address: 3 Manilla St, EAST BRISBANE Q 4169
Mob: 0455 046 706 E: info@hammerathletic.com.au
Alternatively you can follow him on the following social media channels: Twitter: https://twitter.com/hammerathletic Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hammerathletic/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hammerathletic/
Also if you're looking for more information or want to purchase your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website: https://www.sportsrehab.com.au
And you if you find this episode useful or know someone who will get good value from the interview please share it.
Thanks for listening and see you soon.
Welcome back to this month's episode.
It's been a busy couple of months and so firstly a few updates.
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Valve upgrade - from a product viewpoint, I have upgraded the valve connectors and I have been getting positive reviews and these are much more preferable from my customers. All products from now on will be supplied with this. If you want to upgrade your valves please contact me via my website and I we can discuss how we can make this happen.
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Online strength & conditioning programming - over the COVID period I increased the amount of online clients and have really enjoyed it. So it you want a personalised training program from BFR specific, rehab, general fitness & strength or elite performance please contact me.
When I started to prep for this article, I started to think that this would be best served as a small series of paper reviews which highlight the many ways you can utilise BFR around a knee operation. The first episode will highlight how beneficial the inclusion of 12 sessions post knee arthroscopy can be around improving muscle size, strength & function.
The article I review is:
Blood flow restriction training after knee arthroscopy: a randomized controlled pilot study Tennent, D. J., Hylden, C. M., Johnson, A. E., Burns, T. C., Wilken, J. M., & Owens, J. G. (2017). Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 27(3), 245-252.
What I enjoy about these papers is how simple the intervention are and how beneficial it is.
And across the spectrum of everyone, the advantage of BFR is that is portable and can be done anywhere. Also with restrictions to gym access during the COVID period, this furthermore plays a great advantage to putting BFR into your rehab program.
If you are looking to purchase your own set of cuffs or want more information please visit my website at https://www.sportsrehab.com.au
Thanks for listening and see you next month.
Thanks for tuning into this month's episode.
I hope you enjoyed last month's podcast where I discussed a new training concept that I have been utilising. The results were absolutely surprising so in the mean time I've been working on a heavy load Isometric + BFR training program. I've just finished the testing for that 7 week training block so I'll have them to you all soon. Again I think you'll be surprised.
Onto this month's episode and a quick update around my product. I am about to update the valves which is a really nice touch to the product. The final function isn't any different but it's definitely is a good addition to the product.
In today's interview, I talk to S&C coach Tony Lewis. We both live in the same town (Brisbane) but more interestingly we were both born and grew up in the same town of Ayr (small farming town in North Queensland).
I primarily got Tony on to talk about his work with BFR in ballet but he had lots of really interesting uses for BFR in other facets of his work. I am sure you'll get something out of our chat.
A little about Tony:
- Like every kid in town, I played whatever sports were happening at that time.
- Started dancing in 1984
- Moved to Melbourne in 1986 to study full-time dance for 4 years
- After graduating from the Australian Ballet School, worked with the Australian Ballet for a short period before moving to Europe, where he danced professionally for 3 years.
- 1993 - offered a position with Queensland Ballet
- 2003 - retired from Queensland Ballet as a Principal Artist
- 2004 - started working full-time in the fitness industry
- 2010 - started my own training business
- 2014 - Strength Coach with the Queensland Ballet Academy
- 2016 - Strength Coach for the Queensland Ballet Company.
- 2020 - continue to learn, run my own business and work for the Queensland Ballet and the Academy.
If you want to contact him give him a follow or get to him via the following:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonylewispt/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonylewisPT/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonylewispt
Email: tony@tony-lewis.com.au
For more information or to buy your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website https://sportsrehab.com.au
Thanks for listening.
Chris
Hi there and welcome to this month's episode.
The last 12 weeks I've been exploring a strength training concept that incorporates "at-home" Isometrics whilst using a combination of light loads and Blood Flow Restriction. This training block has coincided with the COVID gym shutdown period and so I thought it was the best time to trial my concept. In particular the lockdown period has seen limited access to proper gym facilities. Perhaps one of the best "at-home" training concepts that would give an athletic performance benefit is Isometric training. There is a lot of good information about Isometric training at present and if you are looking for good presentations, you can't go past anything from leading from S&C coach Alex Natera (https://www.instagram.com/alex.natera/). I also suggest reading the book Special Strength Training Manual for Coaches by author and coach Yuri Verkhoshansky. His section on Isometric training is another great resource. In particular he advocated the addition of Isometric training with the high external loads. However for those who have limited access to this (especially during the gym shutdown period) is problematic. And this is where I see Blood Flow Restriction playing it part as a proxy for high external loads. Therefore I want to put my theory to the test by creating a progressive training program that could be done at home with limited weight which incorporated both Isometrics and Blood Flow Restriction. As an overview I trained with a maximum of 40kg weight. I added external training stress through the addition of lifting bands and BFR. I also used plyometrics as a superset and progressed these exercises across the 12-week training period. I've quite an extensive battery of tests to monitor my progress and the results are quite surprising. This month's podcast therefore goes through my concept from the training framework, structure, session examples through to the results. If you want to see some videos you can watch a similar presentation on my Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bxg98pzkbM) or alternatively my Instagram has a lot of training video examples (https://www.instagram.com/chrisgaviglio/) If you know of someone who can benefit from this please share and if you want to know more remember to check out my full length video. To order your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website https://sportsrehab.com.au Thanks for listening and see you next month.
Welcome to this month's episode of BFR Radio.
In exciting news, gyms are back open!
During the COVID period a lot of people may not have had all of the equipment necessary for "traditional" strength training. So during the COVID period I challenged myself away from more traditional high load lifting to create a hybrid strength program that worked around the constraints of not having access to lots of weight. The program involved combining low load training (the max I lifted was 40kg). As I knew that this would be enough external load, I delved into my bag of tricks and used the addition of Isometrics (use of a tie down strap), lifting bands, Blood Flow restriction and Plyometric exercises with a goal to improve athlete performance.
As I‘ve always advocated, there is no substitute for higher external load (i.e. mechanical stress) and therefore the addition of bands and isometric straps provided an additional external loading with the “minimal equipment” challenge and then the addition of BFR was using metabolic stress as a proxy for the mechanical stress that was missing. I’ve been collecting both upper and lower body testing for a few months that has actually predated me even starting this type of training so my preliminary findings are quite interesting. Once I’ve put them together I’ll share with you the results.
In other BFR work, I’ve been working on BFR use framework. Consequently I’ve been increasing my literature reading. There is so much is so many different areas, so if there is anything of particular interest that you want to hear on the podcast let me know and I’ll review those papers.
Today’s guest is NSWIS Senior Coach, David Young who is the lead S&C coach for the Women’s national rowing team based out of Penrith in NSW. As I usually preview a paper before we go into this segment, I actually wished I’d waited for the Rowing Paper I reviewed a few episodes ago. With the information that David will share with us today, I feel that we could have really had a BFR rowing special. And add last month's episode review from Sam Halley on the effects of IPC on kayaking performance (with a potential for it to transfer to rowing performance) then this would have been a really sports specific episode.
I am sure you'll get a lot out of today's episode. David brings a wealth of coaching experience and he really brings some good practical take-aways for BFR use in an elite training environment.
Some more information:
David is a Senior S&C Coach with the New South Wales Institute of Sport, having previously worked at both the English Institute of Sport and the Sports Council for Wales. During his 16 years in High Performance Sport David has worked across a wide range of Olympic and Commonwealth sports. Since 2006, he has worked with rowing programs in the UK and Australia, being fortunate enough to support athletes to numerous World, Olympic and Paralympic medals.
His current role sees him deliver S&C services to Rowing Australia’s Hancock Prospecting Women’s National Training Centre based in Penrith. David has a Master’s degree from the University of Sydney and ongoing industry accreditations with the ASCA, UKSCA and NSCA.
Contact him via LinkedIn or via email: David.Young@nswis.com.au
For more information or to order your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website: www.sportsrehab.com.au
Thanks for next listening and see you next month.
Chris
Thanks for joining in for this month's episode.
In this episode I am joined by Sam Halley who hopefully by the time this episode airs should have officially completed and be awarded his PhD. His PhD focused on the area of Ischemic Preconditioning (IPC) and this podcast will essentially be 2 parts.
The first section revisits what IPC is, what this means for exercise performance and some of his own work looking at the effect of IPC on nqurmusucalr function during intense exercise. The second part takes the concept of IPC into the real world of sporting performance. It looks at how the application of IPC on kayak 1000m performance.
The advantage of IPC is that it is a passive intervention that comprises of three to four 5 minute alternating cycles of blood flow occlusion and reperfusion across limbs. Exercise performance trials have demonstrated small, albeit inconsistent, ergogenic effects during aerobic and exhaustive tasks. His work with kayak athletes is well worth the listen.
We also discuss how this type of intervention could be of benefit with other athletes and in particular he highlights the potential for big-wave surfers and swimmers. Sam covers a lot in this podcast with a lot of practical take-aways.
If you want to contact him, his details are:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beachshalleyball/
Email: slhalley07@gmail.com
Researchgate: Sam Halley
I hope you enjoyed this episode.
For more information or to order your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website: www.sportsrehab.com.au
Hi everyone,
This month is jam packed full of great information. From a general training viewpoint, in Australia we are starting to see an ease of COVID-19 restrictions and this result in being able to access indoor training and gym facilities. It is therefore important to reload the body sensibly over the next month. For those who don't currently have access to sufficient training facilities (i.e. strength equipment) his is where I see BFR can be a good training addition.
Today's guest is ParaOlympian Sam Tait who I was suggested to get onto the podcast by a previous guest and Sam's S&C coach, Kelly Beahan. Sam is a complete T10 paraplegic and is an elite athlete who competes in the winter-based sport of sit skiing. Sam competed at the 2018 Winter Paralympics where he came 11th in downhill and a year later competed at the 2019 World Championships and finished 6th in downhill. Through Kelly's guidance, Sam really uses BFR to its full potential. His story is great so I thank him again for coming onto the podcast.
You can check what he is up to via:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtait_7/
Website: https://www.samtait.com.au
Also, check out Kelly Beahan who has been instrumental in helping with his physical preparation: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itskel/
As I was putting this episode together ad trying to find relevant articles, I felt it was themed around Spinal Cord Injuries. Although I couldn't find an article that was sporting related, I did find one that was related to general function and felt this may provide some useful information and ideas for those who have spinal cord injuries and rehab specialists.
The article I review is:
Electrical Stimulation and Blood Flow Restriction Increase Wrist Extensor Cross-Sectional Area and Flow Meditated Dilatation Following Spinal Cord Injury
Ashraf S Gorgey 1 2, Mark K Timmons 3, David R Dolbow 4, Justin Bengel 5 6, Kendall C Fugate-Laus 5, Lori A Michener 7, David R Gater 8
Affiliations expand
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and blood flow restricted (BFR) exercise on wrist extensors cross-sectional area (CSA), torque and hand functions compared NMES only in individuals with incomplete tetraplegia. The acute effect of an acute bout of NMES with BFR on flow mediated dilation (FMD) was compared with BFR only.
This is a great article that if you are interested in knowing more about to go and download it.
As I am talking about Spinal Cord Injuries, I thought it was also useful to highlight contraindications and indications to BFR. There is a fantastic article that I refer to here:
Key considerations when conducting KAATSU training International Journal of KAATSU - 2011 Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 1-6 T. Nakajima, T. Morita, Y. Sato
KAATSU training delivers a more thorough methodology and this article highlights that you can include BFR in those with Spinal Cord Injuries.
I hope you enjoy this episode and if you have any questions or want to purchase your own set of BFR cuffs, please reach out to me via my socials Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisgaviglio/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisGaviglio)
or my website https://www.sportsrehab.com.au Thanks for listening.
Chris
Hi there.
I hope everyone is doing well. With the current COVID-19 situation we are all in, I feel that BFR is placed really well for everyone irrespective of whether you are performing injury rehab or training for elite athletic performance. There is a lot of evidence that it is a great training tool is both of these scenarios.
This brings me to today's episode and it is over 12 months in the making. I get straight into "How you do BFR" with Jacinta Carroll. She brings a fantastic story and has multiple stories of how to use it in both an injury and performance sporting environment. I feel words don't do her justice to her CV but aside from being an elite athlete in two sports, a world record holder in one of them and a Physiotherapist, her interview is jam packed full of great applications of BFR.
A quick snapshot of her career so far:
- 4 x world champion in Waterski Jumping (Currently undefeated for the last 40 international pro tour stops).
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Ranked 2nd in the 59kg division got Olympic Weightlifting in Australia.
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Full time physiotherapist.
- Currently studying Masters of Sports Physiotherapy.
You can follow her journey on instagram: @jacintacarroll and if you like her bikinis checkout her swimwear sponsor: @finkitaswimwear
If you are interested in starting Blood Flow Restriction go straight to my website (www.sportsrehab.com.au) to purchase your own set.
Thanks for listening.
Hi there and welcome to this month's episode.
In this article review I look at a recent paper that investigated the use of Blood Flow Restriction cuffs whilst rowing at low intensities to improve aerobic (VO2max) capacity in elite rowing athletes. There is growing evidence in using Blood Flow Restriction during low intensity exercise (i.e. jogging, cycling and now rowing) whilst performing sport specific movement to improve performance parameters.
The other interesting point in this article is that they used elite athletes. The ability to improve performance in elite athletes is difficult and therefore the results that they showed in this article provides a great reason to look towards finding ways to incorporate BFR into athlete's training programming.
So whether you are a rower or an athlete looking to improve your aerobic I feel that there is definitely a place for including Blood Flow Restriction into your training. As per the article, it BFR was added during their low intensity exercise sessions making it an easy addition to your own training.
For more information about BFR or to purchase your own set of occlusion training cuffs please come over to my website www.sportsrehab.com.au.
Thanks for listening.
For more information on the article:
Low intensity rowing with blood flow restriction over 5 weeks increases V̇O2max in elite rowers: A randomized controlled trial. Held S1, Behringer M2, Donath L3. J Sci Med Sport. 2020 Mar;23(3):304-308. Epub 2019 Oct 15.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The present randomized controlled intervention study examined the effects of practical blood flow restriction (pBFR) on maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) during low intensity rowing.
DESIGN: Thirty-one elite rowers were either assigned to the intervention (INT) or control (CON) group, using the minimization method (Strata: Gender, Age, Height, V̇O2max).
METHOD: While INT (n=16; 4 female, 12 male, 21.9±3.2 years, 180.4±8.7cm, 73.6±10.9kg, V̇O2max: 63.0±7.9ml/min/kg) used pBFR during boat- and indoor-rowing training, CON (n=15, 4 female, 11 male, 21.7±3.7 years, 180.7±8.1cm, 72.5±12.1kg, V̇O2max: 63.2±8.5ml/min/kg) completed the identical training without pBFR. pBFR of the lower limb was applied via customized elastic wraps. Training took place three times a week over 5 weeks (accumulated net pBFR: 60min/week; occlusion per session: 2-times 10min/session) and was used exclusively at low intensities (
Hi there and thanks for tuning in for this month's episode.
Today's topic is actually a request from one of our follower listeners (thanks Dann) who wanted to hear about the role of BFR and muscle stems cells. The topic of muscle stem cells alone is fascinating where stem cells are present in skeletal muscle tissue and they can self-renew and are capable of giving rise to skeletal muscle cells. Stem cells are activated in response to muscle injury to regenerate damaged muscle tissue. So whether we are talking about general or athletic populations, the ability to activate or enhance muscle stem cell response around injury has fantastic implication for recovery.
As it worked out, I had an article in mind. I also try to explain some of the terms used in the paper to make it easy for you all to understand. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did reviewing it. If you have any other topics of particular interest please comment through my pod bean account, website or social media (@chrisgaviglio).
The paper I review is:
Proliferation of myogenic stem cells in human skeletal muscle in response to low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction. Nielsen JL1, Aagaard P, Bech RD, Nygaard T, Hvid LG, Wernbom M, Suetta C, Frandsen U. J Physiol. 2012 Sep 1;590(17):4351-61. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.237008. Epub 2012 Jul 16. Click this link to access the abstract
Happy New Year everyone.
Today's podcast looks into low load BFR training and achilles tendons. This is quite an exciting paper due to the positive effects of Blood Flow Restriction training with tendon adaptation. Previously only high load strength training has shown positive responses to tendon so this is a great result for what BFR can bring to the user - i.e. we can finally use low load training to elicit a tendon response (with the addition of BFR).
The other advantage of this session was how simple it was. There was a couple of points that I feel are quite important to note. Firstly, it was a 14-week training intervention. Typically a lot of academic studies are of 4-6weeks in lengths and probably this is why previous studies may not have shown positive training responses. The other point, was an incremental loading protocol - although the loads were still low (20-35% 1RM) every 4 weeks the load was increased by 5% and the subjects' max strength was reassessed and readjusted. This highlights that the body needs a continual increase in strength, even if we are using low-load BFR training. Therefore we can start to look at bringing this type of training to an "at-home" situation providing a simple solution for everyone.
This same principle for other tendons (esp. shoulder and patella) I feel can also be applied. I've had great success with tendon issues acutely and this paper highlights that a longer (14 week) approach to tendon adaptation is needed.
The article I review today is:
Low-load blood flow restriction training induces similar morphological and mechanical Achilles tendon adaptations compared with high-load resistance training. Centner C1, Lauber B1,2, Seynnes OR3, Jerger S1, Sohnius T1, Gollhofer A1, König D1.
J Appl Physiol 2019 Dec 1;127(6):1660-1667. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00602.2019. Epub 2019 Nov 14. Abstract
Low-load blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) training has gained increasing interest in the scientific community by demonstrating that increases in muscle mass and strength are comparable to conventional high-load (HL) resistance training. Although adaptations on the muscular level are well documented, there is little evidence on how LL-BFR training affects human myotendinous properties.
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate morphological and mechanical Achilles tendon adaptations after 14 wk of strength training. Fifty-five male volunteers (27.9 ± 5.1 yr) were randomly allocated into the following three groups: LL-BFR [20-35% of one-repetition maximum (1RM)], HL (70-85% 1RM), or a nonexercising control (CON) group.
The LL-BFR and HL groups completed a resistance training program for 14 wk, and tendon morphology, mechanical as well as material properties, and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and isometric strength were assessed before and after the intervention. Both HL (+40.7%) and LL-BFR (+36.1%) training induced significant increases in tendon stiffness (P < 0.05) as well as tendon CSA (HL: +4.6%, LL-BFR: +7.8%, P < 0.001). These changes were comparable between groups without significant changes in Young's modulus.
Furthermore, gastrocnemius medialis muscle CSA and plantar flexor strength significantly increased in both training groups (P < 0.05), whereas the CON group did not show significant changes in any of the evaluated parameters.
In conclusion, the adaptive change in Achilles tendon properties following low-load resistance training with partial vascular occlusion appears comparable to that evoked by high-load resistance training.NEW &
Before you go and listen to the podcast could I ask a couple of favours:
-
If you know of someone who is suffering from achilles tendon issues please get them to listen to this podcast.
-
If you are enjoying the podcast please give it a positive rating on iTunes.
Thanks for listening.
In the methods, there was a couple of points around how Tendon properties was calculated and I mentioned that I would put it in the notes:
How did they measure Tendon Stiffness? To assess tendon stiffness, elongation of the Achilles tendon was determined during ramped isometric contractions by B-mode US scans at 100 Hz at the gastrocnemius medialis myotendinous junction
After familiarization with the procedure and preconditioning of the tendon with five trials at 80% of MVC, participants were instructed to steadily exert torque to their individual maximum with a standardized loading rate of 50 Nm/s. This loading rate was chosen because it resulted in a ramped isometric plantar-flexion contraction lasting between 3 and 5 s for all subjects. During this process, visual online feedback of the torque signal was provided. Achilles tendon force was calculated by dividing plantar flexion torque by the tendon moment arm with a subsequent correction for ankle joint rotation by kinematic data
Tendon moment arm was calculated by measuring the perpendicular distance from the inferior tip of both medial (L1) and lateral (L2) malleolus (center of rotation) to the posterior part of the Achilles tendon. For this purpose pictures were taken from the medial and lateral sagittal planes (Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 Digital Camera). In accordance with previous studies, the mean of these two measurements (L1,2) was used for further calculations. Subsequently, the intersection of L1 and L2 was indicated with a needle and the perpendicular distance (M) from the needle to the tendon’s line of action was measured (32). Tendon moment arm was then determined by subtracting M from L1,2 (for detailed descriptions see Refs. 32 and 50). All analyses were conducted with ImageJ (1.51; NIH).
Tendon stiffness was then calculated as the slope of the force-elongation curve between 50% and 80% MVC. This procedure has previously been used in the scientific literature (56). Young’s modulus was calculated as the slope of the stress-strain curve between 50% and 80% MVC.
What is Young’s Modulus? Young's modulus is a measure of the ability of a material to withstand changes in length when under lengthwise tension or compression. Sometimes referred to as the modulus of elasticity, Young's modulus is equal to the longitudinal stress divided by the strain.
Hi,
This is the last episode for 2020 and brings to a close a big year for me. I've started my accredited BFR workshop, seen BFR Podcast and the product demand grow. I've also designed my first piece of strength training equipment called the G-Thruster. It is a machine to help with the Hip Thruster movement and the feedback has been great. So today's episode is a case study looking at how using the Hip Thruster (G-Thruster) could be utilised to improved strength and hypertrophy of the lower body.
It utilises a high-frequency (daily) and low load training methodology as per other BFR studies. Other strength-based studies (i.e.Squat, Leg Extension and Bench Press), high frequency (daily or twice daily) training using low load BFR has reported significant improvements in muscle hypertrophy and strength measures.
This case study also incorporates a few other important points:
- The muscular response to BFR training has been shown to be both distal and proximal to the cuffs. Furthermore, it is the exercise that uses specific muscles that gets the desired response. In other words, if you want response of the gluteals with BFR you need to incorporate Hip Extension and Glute biased exercise.
- Hip thruster movement has been shown to be an effective PAP for sprinting, which leads to a potentially good exercise to incorporate into strength training programs. Furthermore, the hip thruster is a great strength stimulus for athletes who can't load heavy axially through the spine (e.g. squat).
The case study involved the following:
- 2 weeks - daily (3 x week - twice daily)
- Hip thruster - double (+40kg) and single leg (+20kg)
- Reps x sets - Set 1 = 20-30reps, Set 2-4 = 10-15reps
- BFR - continuous pressure (50% AO) using a 10cm wide cuff
- Measurements:
- Girth: Glutes (max circumference) and thigh (3 points: proximal third, mid-thigh & distal third)
- Strength measure - Single Leg isometric maximal force output
- Glute (knee at 90deg)
- Hamstring (knee at 170-180 deg)
Although the case study on me, my measurements are relatively stable so any changes would be due to the new stimulus.
The podcast goes through the results however I did see some very interesting girth and strength improvements lending support to using this type of training for athletes that are injured or trying to quickly accelerate change during specific time periods.
In closing for the year, thank you for your support. I appreciate your interaction and comments.
See you in 2021 for a bigger and better year.
Hi everyone,
With this episode of BFR Radio I was inspired by a recent post from a colleague who started to use a combination modality of BFR and Electrostimulation (EMS) for an athlete who was going through post ACL surgery rehab. Traditionally EMS requires a high level of intensity for it to be effective which is problematic for those who are in the acute postoperative stage. This is where the authors thought that the combination of BFR with a lower level of EMS may prove to be useful.
Before you head off and listen to the podcast, a few exciting updates:
- This week I am at the ASCA annual conference on the Gold Coast. I will have my Sports Rehab Tourniquets there to try and I am also debuting a new strength machine that I have developed. To date I haven't not seen this machine before so potentially a world debut.
- I am running a Brisbane BFR workshop on Saturday 23 November. Tickets can be purchased online only through eventbrite. There are lots of links through my social media and blog post. Click on this link to purchase your ticket Click on this link to purchase your Brisbane BFR Workshop Ticket (direct link to Eventbrite page)
Hope you enjoy the podcast.
The Effects of Blood Flow Restricted Electrostimulation on Strength and Hypertrophy. Slysz JT, Burr JF.
J Sport Rehabil. 2018 May 1;27(3):257-262. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2017-0002. Epub 2018 May 22.
Abstract
CONTEXT: The combined effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle mass and strength has not been thoroughly investigated.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of combined and independent BFR and a low-intensity NMES on skeletal muscle adaptation.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects had each leg randomly allocated to 1 of 4 possible intervention groups: (1) cyclic BFR alone, (2) NMES alone, (3) BFR + NMES, or (4) control. Each leg was stimulated in its respective intervention group for 32 minutes, 4 days per week for 6 weeks. Mean differences in size (in grams) and isometric strength (in kilograms), between week 0 and week 6, were calculated for each group.
Hi everyone,
Things have been a little busy lately hence the late podcast. With my normal S&C work commitments and a few workshops to prepare for I haven't been able to put together my normal schedule of podcasts. Today's podcast actually appeared on another podcast Snippit Sports Science of which my mate, Jared and I produce.
Speaking about workshops, I will be in Sydney on Saturday October 13th (2 weeks time) to do a new BFR workshop. Tickets are available through Eventbrite (click on this link to buy your ticket). Alternatively if you know of someone who'd benefit from this workshop I'd appreciate you letting them know and sharing the link.
Today's episode from a practical standpoint helps to understand the optimisation of Blood Flow Restriction pressures when doing aerobic (stationary-based) exercise. I personally have found that dropping my pre-determined BFR pressure by around 20mmHg works best and that if I stayed at this pressure (I usually do my strength training at) it is just doesn't feel right and is too high. The debate of BFR pressures is an ongoing on and this article helps shed some light as to some great evidence.
Effects of DifferentPercentages of Blood Flow Restriction on Energy Expenditure. Pfeiffer PS1, Cirilo-Sousa MS1, Santos HHD2.
Int J Sports Med.2019 Mar;40(3):186-190. doi: 10.1055/a-0828-8295. Epub 2019 Jan 31.
Abstract
The study aimed to analyze the effect of differentlevels of bloodflowrestriction(BFR) on energyexpenditure(EE) and subjective perceptions of discomfort (SPD) during aerobic exercises.
A sample group of 24 young men was required to walk on a treadmill for 14 min at 40% of their maximum speed, with 4 differentpercentagesof BFR (0, 50, 80 and 100%) applied in the lower limbs (LL) once a week with a 7-day interval between the 4 evaluations. EE data were collected during the exercise periods; SPD data were collected after the exercises.
There was a significant increase in EE at 50, 80 and 100% BFR compared to the condition without BFR, and between 50 and 100% BFR; however, there were no differences between 50 and 80% and 80 and 100% BFR. Discomfort showed a significant increase according to the increase in BFR. During the walking exercises with BFR, the EE strongly increased until 50% of BFR; after this level the additional increases slowed.
It can be concluded that when performing aerobic exercises with BFR, there is no need to use BFR levels above 50% to reach satisfying level of EE with only a moderate level of discomfort to the practitioner.
Snippit Sports Science Podcast is sponsored by EliteForm, which brings together cutting edge Velocity Based Training technologies. Please visit https://eliteform.com and check out their products, StrengthPlanner and PowerTracker.
If you want any more information about BFR training or want to purchase your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website: www.sportsrehab.com.au
Hi everyone,
Today's article review was selected after a conversation with a colleague around the use of passive BFR to attenuate loss with injury or limb immobilisation. This is also very relevant with my recent knee surgery and I've used Blood Flow Restriction heavily to assist my recovery.
The article I review is called:
Prevention of disuse muscular weakness by restriction of blood flow. Kubota A1, Sakuraba K, Sawaki K, Sumide T, Tamura Y.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of periodic restriction of blood flow to lower extremities with those of isometric exercise on disuse muscular atrophy and weakness induced by immobilization and unloading.
METHODS: The left ankle of each of 15 healthy males was immobilized for 2 wk using cast, and subjects were instructed to walk using crutches with non-weight bearing during this period. Subjects were divided into three groups: a restriction of blood flow (RBF) group (application of external compressive force of 200 mm Hg for 5 min followed by 3 min of rest, repeated five times in a single session, two sessions per day for 14 d); an isometric training (IMT) group (20 "exercises" of 5-s isometric contraction of the knee extensor, flexor, and ankle plantar flexor muscles followed by rest, twice a day, daily for 2 wk); and a control (CON) group (no intervention). We measured changes in muscle strength, thigh/leg circumferences, and serum growth hormone levels.
On "How you do BFR", my guest is Jonny Vincenti who recently opens his facility for me to host a BFR workshop in Perth. He is very generous with his time so if you have any questions please reach out to him.
A little about Jonny:
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John Vincenti has over 20 years of experience in the Strength & Conditioning industry, currently running his own Strength and Conditioning facility in Perth, Western Australia - V-Athletic Strength & Performance. V-Athletic is a private sector facility, concerned with the complete athletic performance requirements from junior to elite athletes.
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John is also currently in his third Season as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Fremantle Roosters Rugby League Club (NRLWA) and the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at WESTSTAR Football Academy – an elite West Australian junior Australian Rules Football Academy.
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John is an Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA) Level 3 Coach, Professional Coaches Scheme Professional Coach and Level 3 Sports Power/Weightlifting Coach with the Australian Weightlifting Federation (AWF).
Contact / Social Media:
- Email: jonnyv03@yahoo.com.au
- Facebook: V- Athletic Strength & Performance
- Instagram: @v_athletic (VA Strength & Performance)
- Twitter: @johnny_vincenti
Thanks for listening and if you want to order a set of your own BFR cuffs please visit my website: www.sportsrehab.com.au
Hi there,
Following exercise, neutrophils are the first immune cells to initiate the tissue remodeling process via several mechanisms including an increased production of cytokines and recruitment of monocytes/macrophages, which facilitate the phagocytosis of foreign particles, the differentiation of myoblasts, and the formation of new myotubes.
This review discusses the mechanisms through which metabolic stress and immune cell recruitment may induce skeletal muscle remodeling following BFR strength training. This is a fascinating concept to consider when trying to provide a thorough robust rehab model and also provides consideration around including Blood Flow Restriction as a valuable addition to any rehab program.
The Role of Inflammation and Immune Cells in Blood Flow Restriction Training Adaptation: A Review (Front Physiol. 2018; 9: 1376.) Authors: Fabrício Eduardo Rossi,1Marcelo Conrado de Freitas,2Nelo Eidy Zanchi,3Fábio Santos Lira,1,* and Jason M. Cholewa4
"How you do BFR" guest is Nicolai Morris.
Nicolai is an Australian Strength and Conditioning Coach who works at Sydney University as the senior strength and conditioning coach working with multiple sports including swimming, athletics, rugby, rugby 7’s, water polo and soccer. Nicolai has been coaching as an S&C for 12 years working across private, schools, professional and university sport environments.
Nicolai discusses how she uses BFR in her own training and competition as an elite swimmer as well as the different scenarios with her athletes that she trains. She is also very active on social media providing great insight into the great work that she does. Make sure you follow her as I am sure you will gain a lot from her.
Social Media @Nicolai_morris (Instagram and twitter)
@susfstrengthandconditioning (work Instagram)
And thank you for listening to the podcast. To purchase your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website at www.sportsrehab.com.au
Hi there,
Thanks for your patience in this episode. A recent trip to the USA has meant that i've had a lot of work to catch up on and hence this episode has been delayed a little.
Today's episode is cycling strong but the concepts in both the article review and the interview with Jordan Kerby highlight how BFR can be used as a training enhancement tool.
The article I review is called:
The effect of 1 week of repeated ischaemic leg preconditioning on simulated Keirin cycling performance: a randomised trial.
Lindsay, A., Petersen, C., Blackwell, G., Ferguson, H., Parker, G., Steyn, N., & Gieseg, S. P. (2017).
BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 3(1).
Ischemic preconditioning involves a continuous cycle of BFR cuff inflation (3-5min) followed by deflation (2-3min) whilst sitting passively. Aside from this study showing positive effects in 30second cycling sprint performance, the amazing thing is that it requires the user to do nothing except inflate and deflate the cuffs - Money for Jam I reckon.
In "How you do BFR" I interview elite cyclist and world champion Jordan Kerby. I am always appreciative of people's time but the time and information that Jordan gave in this interview is just amazing. I urge you to give this one time as what he is doing is reflective of an athlete who is really using all of his tools in the toolbox to maximise his performance.
A little bit of information about Jordan:
Bio:
- Has been in cycling both road and track for 14 years.
- Did 3 years professionally on the road. Along with winning a national u/23 championship.
- Switched to track endurance cycling as a preference and it suited his physiology better.
- World Champion in 2017 in the 4000m Individual Pursuit.
- Part of the team that won the 2018 Commonwealth Games team pursuit.
- Ambitions to go to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Outside of Competing:
- Been a commercial cycling coach since 2016. Having coached multiple state and national medallists as well as an Age Group Triathlon world champion.
- Currently studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport through Massey University.
- Career ambition to coach a High Performance track cycling team at a World Championship or Olympic level.
Social Media Channels.
- Twitter; @JordanKerby
- Instagram; @jordankerby
- Website that you can see what I do from a coaching perspective. thepedaler.com.au
Again a special thank you to Jordan for his time.
And thank you for listening to the podcast. To purchase your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website at www.sportsrehab.com.au
Hi there,
Rehabilitation of an achilles tendon can be lengthy and problematic. Today's episode looks at two case studies that used Blood Flow Restriction to accelerate the rehab process where "traditional" processes had previously failed. The article I review is:
Blood flow restriction training after Achilles tendon rupture. The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 57(3), 635-638. Yow, B. G., Tennent, D. J., Dowd, T. C., Loenneke, J. P., & Owens, J. G. (2018).
In "how you do BFR" I interview Alex Natera who is strength and power coach for the GWS Giants AFL ("Aussie Rules"). Alex is well known for his isometric and eccentric work of recent time, but he delves into his journey of BFR. Aside from highlighting some very interesting case studies we also discuss the importance of how to engage athletes in type of training methodology.
Alex regularly posts insightful and educational content on his social media so please give him a follow on the following platforms:
Twitter: @alex_natera
Instagram: @alex.natera
Thanks again for listening.
If you enjoy my podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes.
Also, remember to purchase your own set of BFR cuffs please visit my website www.sportsrehab.com.au
Thanks for listening
Hi everyone,
Before I get into today's podcast, I thought I'd take this opportunity to let you all know that my new shipment of upper body cuffs is not far away. So I thank you for your patience.
Today's episode builds on episode 7 on the positive effects of BFR on bone reformation. This article review is a case study of a bodybuilder who had a lower body fracture and not only was able to continue training with BFR but also experienced an accelerate healing environment.
Loenneke, J. P., Young, K. C., Wilson, J. M., & Andersen, J. C. (2013). Rehabilitation of an osteochondral fracture using blood flow restricted exercise: a case review. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 17(1), 42-45.
In "How you do BFR" I interview Dr. Chris Brandner to discuss a variety of topics associated with Blood Flow Restriction. Chris did his PhD. in the area of BFR and he has seen quite an evolution over the last 10 years. He brings a wealth of academic and practical experience in this area so I am also honoured to have someone of his credentials on the podcast.
If you want to get in touch with Chris, his best social media contacts are:
- Twitter: @ChrisBrandner
- Instagram: @chris.brandner
If you want to purchase a set of BFR cuffs I have my own brand - Sports Rehab Tourniquet and you buy them at www.sportsrehab.com.au.
I also have lots of information and videos on my various social media channels:
- Twitter: @chrisgaviglio
- Instagram: @chrisgaviglio
- YouTube: SportsRehabAUS
Thanks for listening.
Hi everyone and Happy New Year.
2019 will be an exciting year which I feel will see the Sports Rehab Tourniquet continue to grow in the BFR space. Recently I have upgraded the carry box to an EVA Protective Case. A case will fit both your upper and lower body cuffs and pump. This is a much sturdier and portable solution to my original box. This is included in the normal price for all cuffs. You can also purchase the case separately if you feel this would be a valuable addition to protect and carry your original SRT cuffs.
In today's podcast I answer a few questions that I get asked reasonably frequently. These are some fundamental concepts to applying BFR in a practical setting so I think you will get a lot out if. I enjoyed doing the Q&A segment so if you have any other questions that you would like to be answered please contact me through my website (www.sportsrehab.com.au)
I also have Ed Lea from Harlequins Rugby Union on "How you do BFR." Harlequins Rugby Union club are a professional team based in the UK. Ed has been working as rehab Strength & Conditioning Coach at Harlequins for 6 seasons and has recently started to implement BFR over the last 12 months. Ed discusses his journey with BFR but in particular highlights how he uses it in a few scenarios.
If you want to get in touch with Ed his best contact is Instagram: @edlea87
Thanks again for listening.
If you enjoy the podcast please leave a comment on either iTunes or via my social media:
- Twitter:@chrisgaviglio
- Instagram: @chrisgaviglio
Hi everyone,
Today's podcast title is from a well known line from a song by the artist Shakira - "the hips don't lie" which was a line from my guest today, Joseph Coyne. Joseph is an S&C and sprints coach. He has a wealth of experience around the world and is a very knowledge coach in a host of different areas related to performance enhancement (aside from just S&C). He has worked in elite sport and played an integral role with athletes such as Sonny Bill Williams, Ky Hurst, Stephen Hoiles and a number of truly elite Chinese Olympians. I had a fantastic conversation about not only how he implements BFR on himself and his athletes but I also got to listen to some of the other work that he does. This short bio doesn't do him justice so really encourage you to give it a listen and reach out to him. Just fascinating.
Today's article review looks at the concept of BFR sprinting and how this may improve performance. The article is: Low-Intensity Sprint Training With Blood Flow Restriction Improves 100-m Dash. Behringer, M., Behlau, D., Montag, J. C., McCourt, M. L., & Mester, J. (2017). The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(9), 2462-2472.
Although the athletes in this study weren't elite (by Track & Field standards), it really gives some ideas around this as a concept and a method for inclusion within a training week. I have adapted this and found that since my knee operation, I can actually do "run-throughs" pain free and recover with no joint soreness after the session. Prior to implementing BFR, this is something I've struggled with even after 3 years post-surgery.
If you enjoy this podcast please share it with your friends.
Again I appreciate Joseph's time. He is available for consultation and also provides some great services such as:
- post-surgery intensive rehabilitation
- off-season training program for field sports athletes
- speed coaching
- strength and conditioning.
Website: http://www.coynesportsinjuryclinic.com.au
Twitter: Click here for @josephcoyne
Instagram: Click here for @josephcoyne
(His Instagram has lots of great videos of his work so check it out)
Email: coach@coynesportsinjuryclinic.com.au
Also I have a BFR workshop in Townsville this coming Saturday 8th December. Tickets need to be pre-purchased so please click on this link for more information and to purchase your tickets.
Thanks for listening.
Chris
Hi everyone and welcome to episode 7.
Today I look at the concept that BFR may assist with improving bone healing. I review the article:
"Blood flow restriction: rationale for improving bone" by authors, Loenneke, J. P., Young, K. C., Fahs, C. A., Rossow, L. M., Bemben, D. A., & Bemben, M. G. (2012).
I think this concept has great application in endurance running-based athletes and those who may be generally predisposed to high bone stresses. Typically endurance based athletes aren't too strong, so another benefit from using BFR in their gym sessions could be the strength gains that BFR can give an athlete whilst using lower loads.
In "how you do BFR" I interview Olympian Jackie Narracott who represented Australia at the 2018 PyeongCheng Winter Olympics in the sport of Skeleton. Being a winter-based sport, skeleton provides a few different challenges and so Jackie discusses how she incorporates BFR into her training and competition preparation.
Jackie has just commenced her 2018-19 season so check her progress on the following platforms:
Twitter: @JackieNarracott
Instagram: @jac_narracott
Website: https://www.jaclynnarracott.com
Facebook: Jackie Narracott
If you enjoy listen to BFR Radio I would appreciate you sharing it with a friend and giving it a rating on iTunes.
Thanks for listening.
Chris
Hi everyone,
If you are interested in upper body BFR training, then this episode is jam packed full of information that has something for everyone.
With gains in muscle strength and size the possibility of increasing frequency of training has merit. Therefore the study I review today looked into performing twice daily bench press at 30% of 1RM for 2 weeks.
- Yasuda, Tomohiro, et al. "Effects of low‐intensity bench press training with restricted arm muscle blood flow on chest muscle hypertrophy: a pilot study." Clinical physiology and functional imaging 30.5 (2010): 338-343
Two weeks of bench press training led to a significant increase in 1RM bench press strength in BFR. Triceps and pectoralis major muscle size increased 8% and 16% respectively.
A control group who performed the same routine but with no BFR showed no change in strength or size.
The group of males studied weren't well strength trained. Therefore protocols that work well for recreationally trained people may not be as effective in well-trained athletes. Typically in athletes, they need higher-load lifting in their strength routines.
So as a comparison I thought I'd give this a go with a few major alterations. I also use my results and experiences as a comparison through the article review.
In "how you do BFR" I interview Jordan Desbrow who is an S&C coach at the Qld Academy of Sport. Jordan recently has a shoulder reconstruction and used BFR in conjunction with an upper body stregthening program prior to his operation. The results he got in 8 weeks were fantastic with quite a simple program. There were other benefits that he experienced during the training program so make sure you listen in.
If you want to contact Jordan:
Twitter: @jordandesbrow
If you use BFR or have any questions that you'd like to be answered please contact me.
If you enjoy the podcast please give it a rating on iTunes (BFR Radio)
Thanks for listening.
Chris
Hi everyone and welcome to episode 5.
A little while ago I had someone email me with respect to asking about possible improvements in hamstring and gluteal strength and hypertrophy with BFR use. Further to this, hamstring injury prevention is quite topical at present so I thought I'd review a couple of papers that highlight the effects of BFR use on the hamstring and gluteal muscle groups.
In particular I review the papers:
1.Abe, T., et al. "Skeletal muscle size and circulating IGF-1 are increased after two weeks of twice daily “KAATSU” resistance training." International Journal of KAATSU Training Research1.1 (2005): 6-12.
and
- Sérgio, R., et al. "Short-term Blood Flow Restriction Training Enhances Hamstrings/quadriceps Force Ratio in Professional Soccer Players: 3550 Board# 194 May 31, 9." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 46.5S (2014): 955.
In "how you do BFR" I interview Selwyn Griffith who is an Osteopath and works and the rehabilitation co-ordinator for the Brisbane Lions AFL club. Selwyn works with professional footballers and has a few different methodologies according to the athlete's needs and stages in physical preparation. In particular he covers the areas acute injury, load compromised athletes and the use of BFR in priming and activation areas. He has a real pragmatic approach to his BFR use.
If you want to contact Selwyn:
Twitter: @selwynosteo
Instagram: @selwyng
Linkedin: Selwyn Griffith
He also has some courses coming up so give him a follow so you can check it out.
If you use BFR or have any questions that you'd like to be answered please contact me.
If you enjoy the podcast please give it a rating on iTunes (BFR Radio)
Thanks for listening.
Chris
Hi everyone. Welcome to episode 4.
Osteoporosis is a relevant issue in an ageing population. Strength training has been shown to assist with improving outcomes with those who have osteoporosis. The addition of low-load BFR to a strength training routine is that it can provide the user with similar benefits to that of traditional high-load resistance. In an ageing population this has multiple benefits due to the need to not having to lift heavy loads.
This podcast reviews the article: Chronic Effect of Strength Training with Blood Flow Restriction on Muscular Strength among Women with Osteoporosis by Silva, J. et al., (2015). Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 18(4).
It covers some fantastic practical outcomes from other studies as well.
This article fits well with my interview with Kelly Beahan in "how you do BFR."
Kelly has extensive experience as a strength and conditioning coach in a multitude of professional and top tier sports: * NRL team Wests Tigers * Rehabilitation Coordinator with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU Academy, Mens & Women's Rugby Sevens and the Australian Wallabies)
- NRL team Cronulla Sharks and a role as Rehabilitation Coordinator followed before roles with
- Cricket NSW as Strength & Conditioning Coach - developed the NSW Women's Pathway Program,
- Head S&C for NSW Breakers and a member of the coaching staff in the inaugural WBBL winning team Sydney Thunder - the first time a female as lead S&C Coach has won a national title.
Kelly is urrently preparing Australian Paralympian Sit Ski Athlete Sam Tait (click here to check some of his training) who competes in Alpine Ski and Slalom events for World Cup events scheduled for the Northern Hemisphere Winter and Beijjing 2022 as well as partnering with US based S&C Coach Joel Jamieson as the Australian distributor for the Morpheus Recovery Band.
She also does a lot of injury rehabilitation work so make sure you look her up at the following:
Instagram: @itskel and also check out @morpheus_aus
Twitter: @kellybeahan
Thanks for listening
Chris
A lot of attention is given to the benefits of BFR strength training. However other exercise modalities such as cycling and walking have also been studied. Therefore today’s episode looks into the effects of four different interval-training protocols on aerobic fitness and muscle strength. In particular this study investigates how low intensity BFR cycling may be a possible addition to improve aerobic fitness and muscular strength.
The paper in particular I discuss is: Short-term low-intensity blood flow restricted interval training improves both aerobic fitness and muscle strength. (de Oliveira et al 2016).
“How you do BFR” interviews Gavin Pratt from GCP Fitness Online. Gavin currently works in China working with their High Performance Surfing program. We have a great discussion around coaching philosophies, challenges coaching in a foreign country as well as a few different examples of some interesting adaptions for BFR.
He has an online coaching program so please give him a visit at the following:
Website: www.gcpfitness.com.au
Instagram: @gcpfitness
Twitter: @gcpfit
Facebook: GCPfitness.online
Youtube: GCP Fitness
The pressure applied during BFR training is a important consideration to ensure optimal response as well as safety to the user. Literature has higlighted several different ways to calculate pressure all with different outcomes. Therefore understanding factors which affect optimal BFR pressure for the user are important. Episode 2 discusses these factors reviewing two papers that encompass this:
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Blood flow restriction pressure recommendations: a tale of two cuffs (Loenneke et al - 2013)
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Blood flow restriction in the upper and lower limb is predicted by limb circumfernce and systolic blood pressure (Loenneke et al 2015)
"How you do BFR" interviews Jo Danaher from JD Sports Performance. He explains how he incorporates it into his S&C business. Some interesting exercise adaptions and solid rep/set schemes. He is located in Brisbane.
Please give him a visit at the following:
Instagram - @jdsportperformance
Website - www.jdsportsperformance.com
This podcast discuses the article, "3 weeks of BFR training can improve strength and power in trained athletes." It examines the effects of moderate-load exercise with & without BFR on strength, power & repeated-sprint ability.
I also interview Olympian (2000, 2004 - 100m) and sprints coach Paul DiBella. He coaches junior sprinter Jake Doran who recently broke the U20 National 100m record (10.15s @ 17yrs old!) and I discuss with him about how he uses BFR.