Key result
Blood flow restriction fails to alter power or physiological responses during high-load bench press.
Why the study?
Previous research on blood flow restriction during high load resistance training primarily used high occlusion pressures and rarely measured physiological responses during or after bench press exercise.
Does blood flow restriction at 50% AOP improve bar velocity, power, or physiological responses during high load bench press in resistance-trained males?
Does blood flow restriction at 50% AOP improve bar velocity, power, or physiological responses during high load bench press in resistance-trained males?
Blood flow restriction at 50% arterial occlusion pressure during high load bench press does not enhance bar velocity, power, or physiological responses compared to non-restricted exercise.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Does not support BFR at 50% AOP for high-load bench press; leaves optimal parameters open for prospective study.
PURPOSE: Blood blow restriction (BFR) can increase peak velocity and power during high load resistance training. However, previous research primarily utilized high occlusion pressures (i.e., greater than 80% arterial occlusion pressure (AOP)), and rarely measured the physiological response during or after the bench press stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate the application of 50%AOP during acute high load bench press exercise on barbell power, velocity, and the physiological responses to this stimulus. METHODS: Resistance trained males (n = 12, 26.2 ± 6.6 yrs., 84.0 ± 10.8 kg, 176.3 ± 10.4 cm) completed a maximum strength test followed by two experimental sessions which consisted of four sets of 4 reps of the barbell bench press at 75%1RM, with or without BFR applied to both arms at 50% AOP. Significance was set to p ≤ 0.05. A series of two-way repeated measures ANOVAs with Bonferroni post hoc corrections tested for potential changes in bar velocity, power, blood lactate, and muscle thickness and activation of the anterior deltoid and pectoralis major. RESULTS: There were no main effects for the interaction terms "Condition×Set" or "Condition×Time," nor for "Condition" for any variables (all p > 0.05). There was a "Time" effect for blood lactate (p < 0.001) with lactate increasing from pre- to postexercise, and a main effects for "Set" for mean (p = 0.016) and peak velocity (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: There was no difference in the change in velocity, or physiological responses during high load bench press with or without BFR at 50%AOP. While promising, use of BFR for upper body power may require pressures >50%AOP.
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LeMense et al. (2025) studied Healthy resistance trained males (n=12). Blood flow restriction (BFR) vs. Without BFR was evaluated on Bar velocity, power, blood lactate, and muscle thickness and activation (p=>0.05). Blood flow restriction at 50% arterial occlusion pressure during high load bench press did not alter bar velocity, power, or physiological responses compared to no restriction.
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