Kaatsu is a patented exercise method based on blood flow moderation exercise.
Kaatsu – Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)
One of the greatest innovations in health for many years has been the development of Blood Flow Restriction training (BFR) for the treatment of Sarcopaenia. Sarcopaenia happens to almost all of us and essentially is the Reduction of Muscle Mass in the body as we age.
At age 60 25% of us will have significant Sarcopaenia and by 80 that will be 50% of us.
Blood Flow Restriction Training, specifically the market leading Kaatsu Training devices that we use reverses Sarcopaenia when used at the correct intensity and volume, at the same time
building your strength
reducing risks of diabetes and heart disease
improving your circulation
significantly reducing your risks of disability due to frailty
increasing your enjoyable Healthspan
Approximately half of your body is made of muscle and your muscles do more than just move you around, they are also responsible for the production of hormones that control the growth of all blood cells and other cells that help the body’s immune and inflammatory responses.
Muscles also act as a reservoir for Glucose. Every time we eat up to 80% of the sugars get stored in your muscles. Good levels of muscle mass will help you decrease your resistance to insulin and improve your insulin sensitivity reducing your risks of Type 2 diabetes.
Healthspan V’s Lifespan
Healthspan is the time you live whilst still being able to enjoy ALL of your preferred activities, not just living longer but living healthier for longer. That is what can be helped by using Kaatsu Training methods.
It MUST be your number one health goal if you want to live a long life with full functionality.
How do you improve your Healthspan? Get stronger!
Stronger people live longer and healthier, fact! We are taught that traditional strength training with weights is the only way to build strength. We know that to build strength efficiently we have to be moving heavy weights, ideally 80-95% of the maximum that we can lift.
For many people, particularly older or injured people this is not something they can contemplate.
The solution is Blood Flow Restriction Training developed in Japan in the 1960’s by Dr Sato who’s own product is called Kaatsu, meaning ‘Additional Pressure’.
It’s the solution because it allows us to use only up to 20-30% of the maximum weight we can lift meaning that probably EVERYONE can take part in meaningful strength training, even if you are starting from a point of frailty or injury. With less load intensity there is less biologic damage to muscles leading to less chance of feeling achey and sore the day after.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Bands that looks and behave a little like blood pressure cuffs are placed on either arms or legs and inflated to specific pressures in order to reduce the flow of blood back to the heart from the limb. Blood still enters the limb so oxygen still reaches the muscles, less than normal but this is important as I will explain. By reducing the flow of blood out of the arms or legs by up to 50% for a short time (15-20 minutes maximum) a heightened pressure is created in the blood vessels of the limbs and because Oxygen supply is slightly reduced mild HYPOXIA (lack of oxygen) begins to occur changing the way your muscles behave.
Muscles contain different types of muscle fibre and they have different jobs to do.
Type 1 muscle fibres (Slow Twitch) are used for endurance activities and they rely on plenty of Oxygen supply to work.
Type 2 muscle fibres (Fast Twitch) are used for sprint and explosive strength activities and are good at operating in the absence of Oxygen supply.
When Kaatsu bands are applied and we perform light exercise, the available Oxygen gets used up quickly since it’s delivery to the muscles has been reduced. The Type 1 fibres are ‘used up’ at the same time since they can only operate in the presence of sufficient Oxygen. Type 2 fibres now take over burning Glucose, for fuel and they convert this Glucose into another chemical called Lactate, this is responsible for the burning sensation you may be familiar with when your muscles are getting fatigued by exercise.
Lactate now builds up in the muscles because it cannot return to the heart with venous blood due to the restriction of the cuffs.
Once the arm or leg bands are released and blood flows normally the Lactate travels to ALL tissues in the body including the brain, this stimulates the body to produce increased amounts of Growth Hormone and another chemical called IGF 1 (Insulin Growth Factor 1) both of which are responsible for growing muscle fibres = more strength!
What are the benefits?
You’re only using up to 20-30% maximum weight you could lift = Light weights.
Increased Growth Hormone and IGF 1 production resulting directly in muscle growth and strength development.
Reduction in Myostatin production resulting in Greater Muscle Growth.
Increased Brain Derived Neuro-Tropic Factor (BDNF) this is ‘fertilizer’ for nerve cells, improving mental acuity and linked to lower levels of Dementia/Alzheimers.
Increased production of VEGF, (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) a hormone that stimulates your body to grow blood vessels thereby improving your circulation.
So by restricting blood flow temporarily it seems that it is possible to improve your circulation. Circulation declines with advancing age reducing the perfusion of our tissues with oxygen and other nutrients and also reducing our ability to clear Toxins from our tissues. This reduction in micro-circulation may been of the reasons why it becomes difficult to grow or maintain muscle mass as we get older.
Even if you are doing traditional weight training you may not improve your micro-circulation. The VEGF produced in Kaatsu training will make the difference resulting in increased blood vessel elasticity and growth making muscle strength development easier.
Is it safe?
Yes. It is an unusual sensation for most of us, to have the flow of blood restricted in arms and legs and it’s only reasonable to wonder about risks of blood clots, hypertension and stroke. Kaatsu has been researched in major university hospitals in Japan and the USA for decades and in fact the findings suggest reduced risk for blood clots and reduction in hypertension and stroke due to the improved blood vessel elasticity and micro-circulation resulting from Kaatsu. If you do it properly it’s safe.
Additional benefits – not just for your muscles
Improved capillary growth in the heart and brain meaning lower levels of heart attacks and dementia.
Better energy due to increased levels of NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) which is involved in energy production in your mitochondria.
Increased production of enzymes that repair damage to DNA.