Cardiovascular and Muscular Response to NO LOAD Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction.

Changes in muscle thickness (MT), isometric torque, and arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) were examined following four sets of twenty unilateral elbow flexion exercise. Participants performed four sets of maximal voluntary contractions with no external load throughout a full range of motion of a bicep curl with and without the application of blood flow restriction (BFR). For torque there was an interaction ( = 0.

Limb Occlusion Pressure: A Method to Assess Changes in Systolic Blood Pressure.

Unlabelled: Although often used as a surrogate, comparisons between traditional blood pressure measurements and limb occlusion assessed via hand-held Doppler have yet to be completed. Using limb occlusion pressure as a method of assessing systolic pressure is of interest to those studying the acute effects of blood flow restriction, where the removal of the cuff may alter the physiological response.

Purpose: We sought to determine how changes in limb occlusion pressure track with changes in traditional assessments of blood pressure.

The Basics of Training for Muscle Size and Strength: A Brief Review on the Theory.

The periodization of resistance exercise is often touted as the most effective strategy for optimizing muscle size and strength adaptations. This narrative persists despite a lack of experimental evidence to demonstrate its superiority. In addition, the general adaptation syndrome, which provides the theoretical framework underlying periodization, does not appear to provide a strong physiological rationale that periodization is necessary.

Assessing differential responders and mean changes in muscle size, strength, and the crossover effect to 2 distinct resistance training protocols.

The objective of this study was to determine differences in 2 distinct resistance training protocols and if true variability can be detected after accounting for random error. Individuals ( = 151) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: () a traditional exercise group performing 4 sets to failure; () a group performing a 1-repetition maximum (1RM) test; and () a time-matched nonexercise control group. Both exercise groups performed 18 sessions of elbow flexion exercise over 6 weeks.

Blood flow restriction does not augment low force contractions taken to or near task failure.

Low-load exercise performed to or near task failure appears to result in similar skeletal muscle adaptations as low-load exercise with the addition of blood flow restriction (BFR). However, there may be a point where the training load becomes too low to stimulate an anabolic response without BFR. This study examined skeletal muscle adaptions to very low-load resistance exercise with and without BFR.

Perceptual changes to progressive resistance training with and without blood flow restriction.

The purpose was to examine changes in the perceptual responses to lifting a very low load (15% one repetition maximum (1RM)) with and without (15/0) different pressures [40% (15/40) and 80% (15/80) arterial occlusion pressure] and compare that to traditional high load (70/0) resistance exercise. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and discomfort were measured following each set of exercise. In addition, resting arterial occlusion pressure was measured prior to exercise.

Is muscle growth a mechanism for increasing strength?

Skeletal muscle hypertrophy commonly occurs with repeated bouts of resistance exercise as well as following the administration of exogenous drugs. This increase in muscle size is thought to be mechanistically important for the increase in muscle function. However, at present, there is no experimental evidence that would support any paradigm in which muscle hypertrophy is a mechanism for increasing strength with exercise.

High-pressure blood flow restriction with very low load resistance training results in peripheral vascular adaptations similar to heavy resistance training.

Objective: To investigate vascular adaptations to eight weeks of resistance exercise, with and without different pressures of blood flow restriction (BFR), in the upper and lower body.

Approach: Forty individuals (men  =  20, women  =  20) completed eight weeks of resistance exercise at very low loads (15% of one-repetition maximum (1RM)), with two levels of BFR (40% arterial occlusion pressure (AOP), 80% AOP), without BFR, and 70% of 1RM. Vascular conductance and venous compliance were measured via plethysmography before and following training in the forearms and in the calves.

Acute hemodynamic changes following high load and very low load lower body resistance exercise with and without the restriction of blood flow.

Objective: To examine the acute changes in blood flow and blood pressure of very low load knee extensor exercise (15% one repetition maximum (1RM)) with and without different levels of applied pressure to determine how these effects might differ from high load exercise. We also sought to examine if this differed between men and women.

Approach: A total of 90 participants (45 men, 45 women) were randomized into a very low load condition with no restriction 15/0, (n  =  21), a very low load condition with 40% arterial occlusion pressure (15/40, n  =  23), a very low load condition with 80% arterial occlusion pressure (15/80, n  =  22), and a traditional high load condition (70/0, n  =  24).

Acute skeletal muscle responses to very low-load resistance exercise with and without the application of blood flow restriction in the upper body.

The purpose was to examine the acute skeletal muscle response to high load exercise and low-load exercise with and without different levels of applied pressure (BFR). A total of 22 participants completed the following four conditions: elbow flexion exercise to failure using a traditional high load [70% 1RM, (7000)], low load [15% 1RM,(1500)], low load with moderate BFR [15%1RM+40%BFR(1540)] or low load with greater BFR [15% 1RM+80%BFR(1580)]. Torque and muscle thickness were measured prior to, immediately post, and 15 min postexercise.

A method to standardize the blood flow restriction pressure by an elastic cuff.

Blood flow restriction training using a practical (non-pneumatic) elastic cuff has recently increased in popularity. However, a criticism of this method is that the pressure applied and the amount of blood flow restriction induced is unknown. The aim was to quantify blood flow following the application of an elastic cuff and compare that to what is observed using a more traditional pressurized nylon cuff.

The Impact of Ultrasound Probe Tilt on Muscle Thickness and Echo-Intensity: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction/background: To determine the influence of ultrasound probe tilt on reliability and overall changes in muscle thickness and echo-intensity.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-six individuals had a total of 15 images taken on both the biceps brachii and tibialis anterior muscles. These images were taken in 2° increments with the probe tilted either upward (U) or downward (D) from perpendicular (0°) to the muscle (U6°, U4°, U2°, 0°, D2°, D4°, and D6°).

Muscle Adaptations to High-Load Training and Very Low-Load Training With and Without Blood Flow Restriction.

An inability to lift loads great enough to disrupt muscular blood flow may impair the ability to fatigue muscles, compromising the hypertrophic response. It is unknown what level of blood flow restriction (BFR) pressure, if any, is necessary to reach failure at very low-loads [i.e.

Magnetic resonance imaging-measured skeletal muscle mass to fat-free mass ratio increases with increasing levels of fat-free mass.

Background: To investigate the skeletal muscle mass to fat-free mass (SM-FFM) ratio in female and male athletes, as well as to examine the relationship between ultrasound predicted SM and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-measured SM.

Methods: Seven female track and field athletes (female), 8 male collegiate swimmers (male-G1) and 8 male collegiate Olympic weightlifters (male-G2) volunteered. Whole-body SM volume was measured using MRI images obtained from the first cervical vertebra to the ankle joints.

An investigation into setting the blood flow restriction pressure based on perception of tightness.

Objective: To determine whether the perceived tightness scale could be used to set sub-occlusive blood flow restriction pressures. A secondary aim was to determine variables that may impact individual ratings.

Approach: One hundred and twenty participants completed three separate conditions in one limb within the upper and lower body.

Very-low-load resistance exercise in the upper body with and without blood flow restriction: cardiovascular outcomes.

It is proposed that, at very low loads, greater blood flow restriction (BFR) pressures might be required for muscular adaptation to occur. The cardiovascular and hyperemic response to very low loads combined with relative levels of BFR is unknown. Ninety-seven participants were recruited and assigned to 1 of 4 exercise conditions: 15% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM) without BFR (15/00), 15% 1RM with BFR at 40% of arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) (15/40), 15% of 1RM with BFR at 80% of AOP (15/80), and 70% of 1RM without BFR (70/00).

Perceptual and arterial occlusion responses to very low load blood flow restricted exercise performed to volitional failure.

Purpose: Studies examining perceptual and arterial occlusion responses between blood flow restricted exercise and high load exercise often prescribe an arbitrary number of repetitions, making it difficult for direct comparisons. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare these protocols when performed to volitional failure.

Methods: Individuals completed four exercise conditions varying in load and pressure: (i) 15% 1RM; no restrictive pressure, (ii) 15% 1RM; 40% arterial occlusion pressure, (iii) 15% 1RM; 80% arterial occlusion pressure, and (iv) 70% 1RM; no pressure.

Validity of the Handheld Doppler to Determine Lower-Limb Blood Flow Restriction Pressure for Exercise Protocols.

Laurentino, GC, Loenneke, JP, Mouser, JG, Buckner, SL, Counts, BR, Dankel, SJ, Jessee, MB, Mattocks, KT, Iared, W, Tavares, LD, Teixeira, EL, and Tricoli, V. Validity of the handheld Doppler to determine lower-limb blood flow restriction pressure for exercise protocols. J Strength Cond Res 34(9): 2693-2696, 2020-Handheld (HH) Doppler is frequently used for determining the arterial occlusion pressure during blood flow restriction exercises; however, it is unknown whether the blood flow is occluded when the auscultatory signal is no longer present.

Moderately heavy exercise produces lower cardiovascular, RPE, and discomfort compared to lower load exercise with and without blood flow restriction.

Purpose: To determine the acute cardiovascular and perceptual responses of low-load exercise with or without blood flow restriction and compare those responses to that of moderately heavy exercise.

Methods: Twenty-two participants completed unilateral elbow flexion exercise with a moderately heavy-load- [70% one-repetition maximum (1RM); 70/0] and with three low-load conditions (15% 1RM) in combination with 0% (15/0), 40%, (15/40) and 80% (15/80) arterial occlusion pressure. Participants exercised until failure (or until 90 repetitions per set).

The Application of Blood Flow Restriction: Lessons From the Laboratory.

Blood flow restriction by itself or in combination with exercise has been shown to produce beneficial adaptations to skeletal muscle. These adaptations have been observed across a range of populations, and this technique has become an attractive possibility for use in rehabilitation. Although there are concerns that applying blood flow restriction during exercise makes exercise inherently more dangerous, these concerns appear largely unfounded.

Resistance exercise and sports performance: The minority report.

Resistance exercise is typically performed to increase both muscle size and strength and is regularly incorporated into training programs for sports performance. Presumably, the exercise would be expected to increase the force producing capabilities of skeletal muscle, which may have subsequent influence on various sports related abilities. Interestingly, few studies are designed to examine sports related benefits of resistance exercise while including a proper control group to account for adaptations to simply performing the sports related task.

Blood flow restriction and cuff width: effect on blood flow in the legs.

Unlabelled: Much of the literature examining blood flow restriction in the lower body uses cuffs of differing widths. It is currently unknown whether similar relative pressures using cuffs of differing widths elicit the same blood flow response.

Purpose: To examine the hemodynamic responses to relative pressures using two commonly used cuffs (10 and 12 cm).

Skeletal muscle mass in human athletes: What is the upper limit?

Objectives: To examine the amount of absolute and relative skeletal muscle mass (SM) in large sized athletes to investigate the potential upper limit of whole body muscle mass accumulation in the human body.

Methods: Ninety-five large-sized male athletes and 48 recreationally active males (control) had muscle thickness measured by ultrasound at nine sites on the anterior and posterior aspects of the body. SM was estimated from an ultrasound-derived prediction equation.