And this method is very well suited for home training – it is almost perfect because it does not require bulky equipment.
KAATSU Training
We will talk about KAATSU – this is the name of the method in Japan, or occlusive training – this name is more common in Europe and across the Atlantic. This training method is also known as BFR training.
What is KAATSU?
I will not delve into the depths of occlusive training in this article – if you develop an interest in it, I will write another, more detailed article. For now, I will explain everything as briefly as possible.
KAATSU is a training method that originated in Japan back in the mid-1960s. The essence of it is in restricting the outflow of blood from the working muscles: this way, it is possible to engage the "fast" muscle fibers and give them a very good load, even using very light weights.
And the weights used are indeed very light – from 20 to 40 percent of your one-rep maximum in the chosen exercise. If we are not talking about athletes but about "ordinary mortals," they will often be able to achieve muscle growth with just their own body weight.
KAATSU is very often used as a technique for rehabilitation after injuries (in fact, this is the purpose for which it was invented), as well as for patients with significant heart problems – this is why it has come to the forefront for me now.
What is needed for KAATSU?
It should be noted that in its classic version, KAATSU involves the use of a special device that very precisely doses the pressure and restricts blood flow exactly as needed – such a device is only made in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Once, one such device was ordered for me, but unfortunately, it was never delivered – so I have to make do with the tools used outside of Japan. These are ordinary venous tourniquets, although knee and elbow wraps are often used (and most commonly used for leg exercises).
Or even a regular elastic bandage, which can be found in every pharmacy. All the "gadgets" that can be useful for KAATSU are shown in the photos – along with the original Japanese device (by the way, very expensive).
In Japan itself, the blood flow restriction training method is quite popular; outside of this country, its popularity is significantly lower, and I find it very difficult to understand why – it can ensure very good muscle growth and strength gains.
Professional athletes still use it – although not as often as it deserves. Unfortunately, it is very rarely used in medical practice, and in the post-Soviet space, it is not used at all.
KAATSU for home training
Why is KAATSU ideal for home training? As I said, this method involves the use of light weights.
You can start with push-ups and squats without any additional load, but even experienced fitness enthusiasts will find that a pair of adjustable dumbbells weighing 10-12 kg each is enough for all exercises.
And if you have a pull-up bar – it's even better! KAATSU is especially suitable for training arms (biceps, triceps) and legs (quadriceps and hamstrings). But you can also give a good load to the delts, forearm muscles, and chest – it must be said that occlusive training is often used even by experienced bench press athletes.
The drawback of KAATSU is the inability to give a good load to all muscle groups: for example, it is impossible to come up with decent exercises for the back muscles. But, in my opinion, expecting a full workout of all muscles from home training would be somewhat naive.
Tips
A few practical tips. There are only four places to apply blood flow restriction bands (tourniquets, wraps), and they are all on the limbs:
- upper bicep – when training biceps, triceps, shoulders (verified – works very well), chest, and partly traps;
- below the elbow – when training forearms;
- upper quadriceps – when training quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes;
- below the knee – when training calves.
It is not worth tightening the band as tightly as possible right away – try a looser option. And it should be said that between exercises it is better to remove the tourniquets and wraps – at least at first.
Yes, one more thing: it is better to avoid supersets – single exercise sets performed sequentially are much more beneficial.
Exercises for blood flow restriction training
As for exercises, various types of dumbbell curls, squats – even without any additional weight, push-ups: they can be done from the knees for easier variation, and standing dumbbell presses work best.
It is better to do pull-ups with a resistance band – this way you can do more repetitions. The number of repetitions is critically important.
In the first set of the exercise, it is best to try to do as many repetitions as possible (usually no more than 30, less is also fine), in all subsequent sets – about half of that number.
There should be a total of 3-4 sets in the exercise, although more is also allowed. Well, and the rest between sets should be very short – 30-60 seconds, no more.
Occlusive training with blood flow restriction can provide very good muscle workout, resulting in increased volume and strength. This method can be used by those who have "not picked up a sword in a long time" and therefore can only work with very light weights – the benefits will definitely be there.
And if at the moment you have the opportunity to train only at home, why not try something new and unfamiliar?
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