#64 - Blood flow restriction and exercise with Dr Jeremy Loenneke
Sep 17, 2023
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Dr Jeremy Loenneke, an expert on resistance training and blood flow restriction, discusses the benefits of low load resistance training with blood flow restriction on muscle hypertrophy and strength. He explores the dissociations between increases in strength and hypertrophy when undertaking resistance training. The podcast also covers the history and applications of blood flow restriction, as well as its potential for rehabilitation. Overall, an interesting conversation on innovative exercise techniques.
Blood flow restriction training can result in significant increases in muscle size and strength.
Blood flow restriction training is commonly used in rehabilitation settings and is also utilized by athletes and bodybuilders to enhance their training efficiency.
Blood flow restriction training allows individuals to achieve muscle growth and strength gains with lower loads, reducing stress on injured areas while promoting muscle growth.
The exact mechanisms of blood flow restriction training are not fully understood, but theories suggest that metabolite accumulation and enhanced muscle fiber recruitment play a role in stimulating muscle adaptation.
Deep dives
Blood flow restriction training for muscle hypertrophy and strength
Blood flow restriction training, also known as BFR or blood flow restriction, involves applying a cuff to the proximal portion of a limb and partially restricting blood flow during exercise. This technique has been shown to have comparable effects on muscle hypertrophy and strength when compared to higher load resistance training. Research suggests that using low load resistance training with blood flow restriction can result in significant increases in muscle size and strength. The exact mechanisms behind these adaptations are not fully understood, but it is believed that metabolite accumulation and potential cellular swelling may play a role in stimulating muscle growth. Blood flow restriction training is commonly used in rehabilitation settings and is also utilized by athletes and bodybuilders to enhance their training efficiency and target specific muscle groups.
The benefits of blood flow restriction training in rehabilitation
Blood flow restriction training has shown promise in rehabilitation settings, particularly for individuals recovering from injuries or surgical procedures. This technique allows individuals to achieve muscle hypertrophy and strength gains with lower loads, reducing the stress on injured areas while still promoting muscle growth. It can be a valuable tool for athletes, such as those in football or basketball, to expedite their recovery process and return to their sport. Blood flow restriction training can also be used as an alternative for individuals who may find lifting heavy weights mentally or physically challenging, as well as for older adults who may experience joint discomfort. While blood flow restriction training is not necessary for general muscle growth and strength gains, it can be a beneficial addition to an exercise routine for targeted purposes.
The role of blood flow restriction training in optimizing exercise intensity
Blood flow restriction training offers a unique approach to exercise intensity by allowing individuals to achieve significant muscle growth and strength gains with lower loads. This can be advantageous for individuals who may struggle with lifting heavy weights due to physical limitations, injury recovery, or personal preference. By combining low load resistance training with blood flow restriction, individuals can experience the benefits of higher intensity exercise without subjecting their bodies to excessive stress. This can be particularly useful for individuals who want to push their limits without compromising their safety or comfort. Blood flow restriction training serves as a powerful tool to optimize exercise intensity and can be utilized alongside conventional training methods to enhance overall performance and muscular development.
Understanding the mechanisms of blood flow restriction training
Although the exact mechanisms of blood flow restriction training are not fully understood, several theories have been proposed. One theory suggests that the accumulation of metabolites, such as hydrogen ions and inorganic phosphate, may play a role in stimulating muscle growth and protein synthesis. The restriction of blood flow and the subsequent pooling of these metabolites during exercise could lead to anabolic signaling and cellular swelling, triggering muscle adaptation. Additionally, blood flow restriction training is believed to enhance the recruitment of higher threshold motor units and type II muscle fibers, which are crucial for muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. While further research is needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms, blood flow restriction training continues to be a promising area of study in the field of exercise physiology.
Blood flow restriction training can lead to exercise-induced hypoalgesia
Blood flow restriction training, which involves applying partial restriction of blood flow during exercise, can lead to a generalized reduction in pain sensitivity both during and after exercise.
Blood flow restriction can be effective even with sub-maximal resistance exercise
Recent data indicates that blood flow restriction applied during sub-maximal resistance exercise can lead to exercise-induced hypoalgesia, and this effect can be observed even with low-intensity exercise.
The effect of blood flow restriction on pain reduction may last up to 24 hours
Studies suggest that exercise-induced hypoalgesia from blood flow restriction may persist for up to 24 hours, although the exact duration of the effect is still being investigated.
Blood flow restriction may have potential therapeutic applications for pain management
Blood flow restriction has been explored as a potential treatment option to reduce pain sensitivity before therapy sessions, allowing for a more effective therapy experience. However, caution should be exercised when applying blood flow restriction for individuals with injuries or specific medical conditions.
Dr Glenn McConell chats with Associate Professor Jeremy Loenneke from the University of Mississippi, USA. He is an expert on resistance training and in particular the effect of blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle hypertrophy and strength. He is finding that you can get similar increases in hypertrophy, and close to similar increases in strength, by conducting low load resistance training with blood flow restriction compared with high load resistance training. Surprisingly, he is also finding that there can be dissociations between increases in strength and increases in hypertrophy when undertake resistance training. We also discussed other interesting research he has been undertaking. I was actually blown away by some of his findings. A very interesting, long chat. Twitter: @jploenneke 0:00. Introduction and how Jeremy got into exercise research 4:20. How to utilize resistance training for hypertrophy vs strength 9:45. Dissociations between hypertrophy and strength with resistance training 15:35. Why changes in muscle size may not effect strength 17:55. Specificity of training and strength 19:35. What is blood flow restriction (BFR) and why do it? 21:28. BFR and aerobic/endurance exercise 23:25. The history of BFR and exercise research 27:45. How much pressure is applied during BFR to reduce the blood flow? 31:50. Discomfort from BFR 34:15. % of 1RM to use during BFR 35:22. Comparing resistance training with and without BFR 37:58. BFR and rehabilitation 41:00. Using BFR to train harder? 43:57. How common is BFR? 45:30. Do some use BFR to not have to train as hard? 46:41. What does BFR feel like? Uncomfortable? 48:06. Mechanisms that BFR during exercise has its effects 52:43. BFR, resistance training and muscle fibre recruitment 56:24. Hypoalgesia: reduced pain during and after exercise 1:01:31. Safety issues and BFR? Muscle damage, blood clots, blood pressure? 1:07:52. Relationship between muscle mass and strength 1:09:44. Hormonal responses to BFR and resistance training 1:11:50. Muscle signaling with BFR and resistance training 1:13:50. Protein synthesis with BFR and resistance training 1:14:40. Endurance exercise and BFR 1:18:00. Ischemia preconditioning 1:20:50. Cost of BFR systems etc 1:25:20. Effects of BFR on endothelium dysfunction or veins? 1:28:38. Any sex differences with BFR and resistance training 1:32:50. Strength training one arm affects the other arm 1:39:08. Do men and women have the same strength per muscle size? 1:43:56. Hand grip in kids as a biomarker 1:46:24. Career challenges etc 1:50:50. Takeaway messages 1:54:43. Outro (9 seconds) Inside Exercise brings to you the who's who of research in exercise metabolism, exercise physiology and exercise’s effects on health. With scientific rigor, these researchers discuss popular exercise topics while providing practical strategies for all. The interviewer, Emeritus Professor Glenn McConell, has an international research profile following 30 years of Exercise Metabolism research experience while at The University of Melbourne, Ball State University, Monash University, the University of Copenhagen and Victoria University. He has published over 120 peer reviewed journal articles and recently edited an Exercise Metabolism eBook written by world experts on 17 different topics (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-94305-9). Connect with Inside Exercise and Glenn McConell at: Twitter: @Inside_exercise and @GlennMcConell1 Instagram: insideexercise Facebook: Glenn McConell LinkedIn: Glenn McConell https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenn-mcconell-83475460 ResearchGate: Glenn McConell Email: glenn.mcconell@gmail.com Subscribe to Inside exercise: Spotify: shorturl.at/tyGHL Apple Podcasts: shorturl.at/oFQRU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@insideexercise Anchor: https://anchor.fm/insideexercise Google Podcasts: shorturl.at/bfhHI Anchor: https://anchor.fm/insideexercise Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/4025218 Not medical advice
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