A 5-week low-load blood flow restriction training protocol significantly improved brachial blood flow during exercise (+19%; p=0.011, d=0.5) in male climbers compared to high-load or no training.
Does low-load blood flow restriction training improve brachial blood flow and vascular adaptations compared to high-load resistance training or no training in male climbers?
Low-load blood flow restriction training for 5 weeks improves brachial blood flow and oxygen availability during low-intensity contractions in male climbers, without altering macrovascular structure or endothelial function.
Standardized Mean Difference: 0.5
p-value: p=0.011
ABSTRACT Low‐load blood flow restriction training (LLBFRT) induces significant vascular stress, which is often associated with vascular remodeling, increased capillarization and muscle blood flow. These adaptations may be of interest to climbers as their endurance performance is limited by blood supply due to the isometric and intermittent nature of finger flexors (FD) contraction. This study, thus, aimed to assess vascular adaptations to a 5‐week FD protocol using LLBFRT ( n = 12, cuff pressure = 60% of the limb occlusion pressure) and compare these responses to those elicited by high‐load resistance training (HLRT, n = 12) and no specific training (CON, n = 12) in male climbers. Participants in LLBFRT and HLRT trained twice a week, respectively at ~40% and ~75% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Before and after the intervention, flow‐mediated dilation (FMD), peak reactive hyperemia blood flow, brachial blood flow and muscle oxygenation (near‐infrared spectroscopy) at rest and during contractions from 10% to 60% MVC were assessed using brachial doppler‐ultrasound. Brachial blood flow across contraction intensities was significantly improved in LLBFRT (+19% ± 31%; p = 0.011, d = 0.5) but not in CON and HLRT. Oxy‐ and total hemoglobin concentrations decreased less during contraction following LLBFRT while did not change following CON and HLRT. Reactive hyperemia and FMD were not altered by any training modality. In conclusion, despite no difference with HLRT, LLBFRT was the only protocol which increased significantly blood flow of the feeding artery and O 2 availability during finger flexor low‐intensity contractions. However, these adaptations were not accompanied by modifications of macrovascular structure or endothelial function.
Perrin et al. (2026) studied Experienced climbers (n=36). Low-load blood flow restriction training (LLBFRT) vs. High-load resistance training (HLRT) and no specific training (CON) was evaluated on Brachial blood flow across contraction intensities (d = 0.5, p=0.011). A 5-week low-load blood flow restriction training protocol significantly improved brachial blood flow during exercise (+19%; p=0.011, d=0.5) in male climbers compared to high-load or no training.