To increase muscle mass and improve strength levels, it is necessary to train using high overloads. However, if this is not possible, one of the recommended strategies is to use the blood flow restriction training.

Federico Donghi, head of the Training Department at the Mapei Sport Research Centre, says: «This training modality originated in Japan in the 1960s and consists of using a lace or sleeve positioned at the level of the most proximal part of the arm or thigh, which is tightened or inflated to restrict blood flow. With an inflation pressure above 110 mmHg and the use of a tendentially low overload, around 20 per cent of the maximum, and a high number of repetitions, it is possible to achieve the positive adaptations of overload training, such as an increase in muscle mass».

As illustrated by the expert in the latest episode of Cubetti di Sapere, this is a strategy that can be used in the context of reathletisation, but is also effective for advanced athletes. «That’s why it can be useful to integrate BFR training into your routine, but even better if you use it under the supervision of a professional».