Kaatsu Training "blows researchers minds"

[WillBrink]

Kaatsu Training. This is being pushed as amazing "Japanese training secret" when it's simply a very fancy (and expensive) version of blood flow restriction/occlusion training, which is not new. The Kaatsu system appears to have systemized occlusion training (I have not read their material however) and may be worth a look for some. The hype lingo used is annoying, but it's not without possible merit. An article on Occlusion Training Here for background.



From the Army Times

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Sooner or later, experience teaches most of us the value of that wisdom.

And now you must set that aside for a few minutes to consider this:

What if you could get a total-body, muscles-maxed workout, the kind that usually takes hours under heavy, sweat-soaked weights or pounding miles of road and trail, all in less than 30 minutes?

Better yet, what if — after that kind of workout — not only do you not feel any of the typical soreness that comes with pushing your body to total muscle failure, but you're ready to do it again within just a few hours?

And what if you could get that workout with just a few basic body-weight exercises and minimal weights?

Best of all, what if that workout not only adds solid, lean muscle mass, but also significantly increases strength and endurance, while reducing body fat?

All within just a few weeks?

That's the promise of a revolutionary new training system just coming over from Japan dubbed Kaatsu.

"It really does sound too good to be true," says former Army physician Dr. Brian Law. "That's exactly what I thought."

But Law recently tried Kaatsu for less than two weeks. And he's already a believer.

"I work out a lot. I normally bench press 350 pounds," says Law, now a researcher at Ohio University. "After 10 days of doing Kaatsu for only about 10 minutes a day, I added 10 pounds to my max bench press — without even using a spotter. All the hours I've spent in the gym and, wow, these kind of results after only 10 minutes. It's pretty cool."

So cool that Law is among a team of researchers preparing to launch a major two-year study exploring the possibilities of Kaatsu.

He isn't the only one downright excited about what he's already experienced.
U.S. ski champ Bode Miller used Kaatsu during a long

U.S. ski champ Bode Miller used Kaatsu during a long recovery from injury. (Photo: Andy Kropa /Invision/AP)

"I think it's the most revolutionary training methodology I've ever seen," Bode Miller tells Military Times. The six-time Olympic medalist and five-time world champion downhill skier has been using Kaatsu since undergoing back surgery to repair a herniated disk in November.

"I've been getting a top-to-bottom workout with just Kaatsu alone. That's a testament to its effectiveness in terms of not just building size, but building functional effectiveness," Miller says.

"I think it's also going to be the most widely beneficial [training method] — good for people from 12 years old to 80 and from elite athletes and law enforcement and military to stay-at-home moms and dads. There's an application for every human on the planet with this."

Cont:

http://www.armytimes.com/story/life/...back/22878671/

[Voodoo_Man]

Interesting concept.

I am always down for trying new things. I might throw this into the mix.

[WillBrink]

Interesting concept.

I am always down for trying new things. I might throw this into the mix.

Read the first article linked for low cost way to employ occlusion training.

[Voodoo_Man]

Read the first article linked for low cost way to employ occlusion training.

I have some of those cloth knee wraps. It says a 7, out of a 1-10 scale of tightness. I assume a tourniquet would be a 10 or 11 on that scale, so I guess I gata mess around with it. I'll do it on arm days and see how it works out.

[WillBrink]

I have some of those cloth knee wraps. It says a 7, out of a 1-10 scale of tightness. I assume a tourniquet would be a 10 or 11 on that scale, so I guess I gata mess around with it. I'll do it on arm days and see how it works out.

I suppose if you set the tourniquet to a 7 out of 10 tightness, it could be used if adjustable. I might look into some basic rubber tubing to tie off quick, or use wraps per the article. Although I have been aware of occlusion training a long time, never really looked fully into the data and tried it. I think I will give it a try per the first linked article, as a few finish sets after standard workout and see how that goes.

[Voodoo_Man]

I suppose if you set the tourniquet to a 7 out of 10 tightness, it could be used if adjustable. I might look into some basic rubber tubing to tie off quick, or use wraps per the article. Although I have been aware of occlusion training a long time, never really looked fully into the data and tried it. I think I will give it a try per the first linked article, as a few finish sets after standard workout and see how that goes.

I like the idea of "finish sets" with this method.

[WillBrink]

I like the idea of "finish sets" with this method.

Seems a good way to experiment for those already doing traditional resistance training, at least as a starting point.

[dth4lf]

I suppose if you set the tourniquet to a 7 out of 10 tightness, it could be used if adjustable. I might look into some basic rubber tubing to tie off quick, or use wraps per the article. Although I have been aware of occlusion training a long time, never really looked fully into the data and tried it. I think I will give it a try per the first linked article, as a few finish sets after standard workout and see how that goes.

I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on it after trying it. My initial response to the idea of cutting off circulation to a limb to achieve a specific training effect is one of skepticism, but if the research supports its legitimacy...

I wonder how long it will be until I see dudes walking around the gym with resistance bands or similar tied around various limbs. Might make for some good "Miscellaneous Gym Rants" thread material.

[ABNAK]

So how, for instance, are the chest, abdominal, shoulder, and any other muscles not in an extremity stimulated? i.e. is it mainly for arm and leg workouts?

Could this be used during cardio, like bicycling or tire pulling, etc.?

I wonder if you take Test injections for low-T if that would inhibit some of the hormones released, as your body doesn't produce any anymore (at least testosterone).

I'm intrigued. Been doing this shit for 25+ years and this is certainly eye-opening.

[QuickStrike]

Whaaaat, the "one simple trick" that actually works?!


Hold on brotatoes, about to get much too swole.


Seriously, maybe to supplement the exercises that I'm already doing for lagging body parts.


Does it induce more fascia stretch = muscle growth?