From youth pathways to National teams, how the MN Elite Performance team build elite athletes with Hytro BFR

Preparation, according to Martin Nugent, is what separates great athletes from good athletes. It was Abraham Lincoln who famously quoted ‘give me six hours to chop a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe,’ and it’s a philosophy that Martin subscribes to. By preparing through physical and mental training, he points out, athletes allow themselves to compete to the best of their ability. Before they can do any of that, though, there is a step that Martin believes all athletes must go through: “Preparation starts with recovery.” 

Jon Mason, Strength and Conditioning coach at Martin Nugent Elite Performance, agrees. “Recovery is one of the most important aspects of training. It dictates what can come after. There’s no point having a session planned for an athlete, only to have them come in under-recovered or ill-prepared.” 

The team at Martin Nugent Elite Performance knows a thing or two about preparation. One of the premier facilities in the UK, their collection of coaches has taken numerous athletes from childhood to championship titles. Working with athletes as young as six all the way up to professionals, as well as a whole host of organisations, schools, universities and clubs, their coaching staff constantly search for ways to benefit their athletes. With Hytro BFR, they believe they may have found a new tool to do just that.  

“I’ve been aware of Blood Flow Restriction for a long time and know that it has been around since the 1960s,” said Martin. “However, I only began to consider using BFR with my athletes after seeing the research that’s been driven by Hytro. Whatever provision we put out to our athletes has our name attached to it, so it’s important to us that the product is backed up by science. That’s why we’re now adopting Hytro BFR into our facility. We’ll be using it daily with athletes.” 

Though recovery is an essential part of preparation, Martin Nugent Elite Performance intend to use Hytro BFR wearables for aspects that cover the entire performance spectrum. “We’ll be using Hytro BFR for everything,” said Martin. “We have limited periods with certain athletes and groups, so we’ll be maximising time in the gym without creating excessive load on the joints.” Strength and Conditioning Coach Joe Johnson has already used Hytro BFR with his clients at Martin Nugent Elite Performance. “We put on sessions that fit around our athletes’ needs,” he said. “We may have a footballer who’s had a heavy day of training, so we get them to put the Hytro BFR Recovery Shorts on and focus their time on recovery. Another athlete may come to us and say they have a half-hour window for a decent session. In that instance, we put the shorts on and follow the protocols, depending on whether they’re after a stimulus for hypertrophy or aerobic conditioning.” 

Though the knowledge and application of BFR is increasing among coaches, it’s not yet considered a mainstream tool for athletes. Given that, some athletes may be unfamiliar with the process of strapping in. For those athletes, the coaches at Martin Nugent Elite Performance describe BFR in layman’s terms. “I tell them that they’re going to feel restricted, almost as if the limb is expanding,” said Martin. “They’ll be feeling like they’re working hard with very little effort. When they unstrap, there will then be a huge flush through the joint that provides a rejuvenating effect.” 

From the athletes who have tried Hytro BFR to date, Jon believes that there’s been an overwhelmingly positive reaction. “They couldn’t believe how difficult an exercise became, even at body weight,” he said. “It gave them a real stimulus. Those who have used it from a recovery perspective have been amazed by their body’s reaction. We’ve had plenty of reports of reduced soreness because of Hytro BFR.” 

Hytro seeks to make BFR accessible, which is just one of the reasons that Martin Nugent Elite Performance have decided to incorporate it into their facility over other forms of BFR. “The convenience of Hytro BFR is the first thing, followed by affordability,” said Martin. “It’s very easy to apply. Athletes can’t really go wrong, so they can self-administer it. The science behind the product makes it a bargain – and a big win for us.”  

For other coaches, athletes, and practitioners seeking to follow in Martin Nugent Elite Performance’s footsteps and add Hytro BFR to their training programmes, Martin had some simple advice: “Get in touch with Hytro. Get educated by Dr. Warren Bradley. That’s all you need. Simple.” 

Discover more about Martin Nugent and the Elite Performance team via their website.  

For those football athletes in the Hytro audience looking to make this next pre-season their best ever, be sure to contact the MNEP team about their Off-Season Performance Camp. This is a five-day intensive camp designed to physically prepare players for the upcoming season, utilising technology rarely seen outside of the professional game. Each player is extensively profiled using Hawkins Dynamics Unilateral force plates, Hamstring Solo Elite, Opto-Jump and Witty Timing Systems. Sessions will be both gym and pitch based, with a specific focus around strength, robustness, power, speed, and pitch conditioning. 

Email info@mneliteperformance.co.uk to find out more. 

Learn more on how elite sport is using Hytro BFR to optimise performance. If you’re looking to add Hytro BFR to your schedule, contact us for a demo.