Blood flow restriction added to high-load resistance training did not promote any additive effect on muscle strength and hypertrophy compared to high-load training alone.
RCT (n=49)
randomly allocated
Does blood flow restriction combined with high-load resistance training improve muscle strength and hypertrophy compared to high-load resistance training alone in healthy untrained men?
The addition of blood flow restriction to high-load resistance training does not provide any additive effect on muscle strength and hypertrophy in healthy untrained men.
ABSTRACT: Teixeira, EL, Ugrinowitsch, C, de Salles Painelli, V, Silva-Batista, C, Aihara, AY, Cardoso, FN, Roschel, H, and Tricoli, V. Blood flow restriction does not promote additional effects on muscle adaptations when combined with high-load resistance training regardless of blood flow restriction protocol. J Strength Cond Res 35(5): 1194-1200, 2021-The aim of this study was to investigate, during high-load resistance training (HL-RT), the effect of blood flow restriction (BFR) applied during rest intervals (BFR-I) and muscle contractions (BFR-C) compared with HL-RT alone (no BFR), on maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), maximum dynamic strength (one repetition maximum 1RM), quadriceps cross-sectional area (QCSA), blood lactate concentration (La), and root mean square of the surface electromyography (RMS-EMG) responses. Forty-nine healthy and untrained men (25 ± 6.2 years, 178.1 ± 5.3 cm and 78.8 ± 11.6 kg) trained twice per week, for 8 weeks. One leg of each subject performed HL-RT without BFR (HL-RT), whereas the contralateral leg was randomly allocated to 1 of 2 unilateral knee extension protocols: BFR-I or BFR-C (for all protocols, 3 × 8 repetitions, 70% 1RM). Maximum voluntary isometric contraction, 1RM, QCSA, and acute changes in La and RMS-EMG were assessed before and after training. The measurement of La and RMS-EMG was performed during the control sessions with the same relative load obtained after the 1RM test, before and after training. Similar increases in MVIC, 1RM, and QCSA were demonstrated among all conditions, with no significant difference between them. La increased for all protocols in pre-training and post-training, but it was higher for BFR-I compared with the remaining protocols. Increases in RMS-EMG occurred for all protocols in pre-training and post-training, with no significant difference between them. In conclusion, despite of a greater metabolic stress, BFR inclusion to HL-RT during rest intervals or muscle contraction did not promote any additive effect on muscle strength and hypertrophy.
Teixeira et al. (Thu,) conducted a rct in Healthy and untrained (n=49). Blood flow restriction (BFR) during rest intervals or muscle contractions combined with high-load resistance training vs. High-load resistance training alone was evaluated on Maximum voluntary isometric contraction, 1RM, quadriceps cross-sectional area, blood lactate concentration, and RMS-EMG. Blood flow restriction added to high-load resistance training did not promote any additive effect on muscle strength and hypertrophy compared to high-load training alone.