Rankings / Protocols — Movement
Blood flow restriction (BFR) training
Protocols · Movement
Tier A-
What this is
Allows hypertrophy at loads too light to drive gains conventionally — ideal for rehab, older adults, or training around injuries. Standard cuffs (not just any tourniquet) for safety.
Mechanism
Partial arterial occlusion during low-load exercise mimics metabolic stress of heavy lifting; triggers muscle growth pathways (mTOR, myogenic signaling) at 20-30% 1RM
Dose & route
Specialized cuffs set to ~50-80% arterial occlusion pressure; 4 sets of 30/15/15/15 reps at 20-30% 1RM
Citations
- https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/13/1003
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28434230/
- https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2019/10000/perceptual_responses_to_continuous_versus.13.aspx
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This is an independent synthesis of published research by a non-clinician. Scores are opinions supported by citations, not prescriptions. See the full disclaimer and methodology for how this score was produced and what it does and doesn't mean.