The benefits of occlusion training

Now you’re on board. You know what occlusion training is. You know it’s the same thing as Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training. And you know it’s proven by real science, not gym floor mythology.

Now comes the interesting bit – the benefits of occlusion training. BFR Training is not just for Elite Athletes, though it’s definitely for them too. It’s not just for competitive bodybuilders, though it’s definitely for them too. BFR Training is for everyone with a sport or performance goal, whether the goal is to build a better physique, increase size or strength, perform better in your chosen sport or recover faster from your last match or exercise session.

Your body’s physiological reaction to occlusion training delivers all these outcomes. They result from the overproduction of the metabolites that trigger muscle repair and growth and the accelerated recruitment of muscle fibres when exercising. Do you see yourself belonging to one or more of the following groups of people?

Seeking improved physique

You may be a Gen X or Millennial coming of age who wants to attract and impress, whether that means bigger biceps or booty, or a more toned physique. You may be in mid-career hoping to regain the physique that you once had and that seems to be slipping away. You may be passing through mid-life searching for ways to reverse the physical decline you spy over the horizon. The unique muscle-building properties that only occlusion training delivers will propel you towards the goals that so often seem elusive. You’re never too young (if you’re over 16) nor too old to strap in, get bigger and stronger – faster, and turn heads.

Seeking improved performance

The science is rock solid. Occlusion training benefits do not stop at building muscle size and strength. The benefits also include improved muscular and cardiovascular endurance. It gives you the edge over the competition that you seek. It doesn’t matter what your sport is. Occlusion training will take you to new heights – whether it’s football or dance, tennis or swimming, cycling or CrossFit, squash or rugby.

There is a reason why occlusion training has become common practice for Elite Athletes. It gives them the extra endurance they need to win. Whether you compete against other teams, or just yourself, the endurance benefits of occlusion training are real.

Seeking accelerated recovery

The physiological processes that build muscle size and strength are the same processes that repair muscles. Muscles grow when fibres are torn through exercise, repaired and then strengthened in anticipation of the next workout or match. Enhancement follows recovery. Since occlusion training stimulates this physiological process, it also accelerates recovery. Elite athletes know that a faster recovery from a match or other competition means being able to train again sooner and being ready for the next event sooner.

Regardless of your sport, you know that you need to rest and recover before you do it again. If you haven’t recovered, your performance is impaired. A CrossFit enthusiast knows you can’t do two equally intense workouts on the same day. A bodybuilder knows you can’t train legs intensively two days in a row. Speeding up recovery is one of the great benefits of occlusion training.

Seeking improved rehabilitation from injuries and surgeries

Rugby players, footballers and bodybuilders all know that an injury or surgery will set them back. They will lose size, strength and endurance because training intensity is impaired for some number of weeks, or even months, as they heal. The same is true for all of us. We all know that the exercise prescribed by our physiotherapist is intended in large part to help us maintain our muscular strength as we go through the healing process.

In our next article, we’ll tell you how to perform occlusion training safely and effectively. Once the occlusion band is applied and your muscles are engaged, you will immediately sense that your muscles are working harder than they ordinarily do. For this reason, occlusion training is performed with much lighter loads than conventional training. Even bodyweight is enough. And even passive occlusion training (strapping in without exercise) delivers benefits which we will explain.

Using light loads or performing occlusion training passively means you can exercise and achieve the results you seek with less strain on your healing body part. So, whether you’re recovering from knee surgery or a shoulder impingement, tennis elbow or back pain – a key benefit of occlusion training is delivering improved rehabilitation.

Now that you know the benefits of occlusion training, stay tuned into Hytro to read about optimal occlusion training protocols to outlift, outperform and out impress. With Hytro BFR wearables, it’s far easier than you may think.