Blood Flow Restriction Training: A Strategy for Beginning Lifters?

This is a research recap of D. Nancekievill, Seaman K, Bouchard DR, Thomson AM, Sénéchal M. Impact of exercise with blood flow restriction on muscle hypertrophy and performance outcomes in men and women. PLOS ONE. 2025;20(1):e0301164. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301164

Nancekievill et al. (2025) aimed to study the impact of blood flow restriction training (BFRT) on lean mass, strength, and performance outcomes in men and women. BFRT is a type of exercise that involves partially reducing blood flow to the limbs using a pneumatic cuff while performing low-load resistance training. The authors suggest that BFRT is a promising alternative to traditional high-load resistance training for muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle size) and strength gains. However, previous studies on BFRT have predominantly focused on young males, with females being underrepresented. The authors sought to address this gap.

Studying Blood Flow Restriction Training

In this study, 38 participants (19 men and 19 women) with an average age of 25 years were enrolled. All participants were physically inactive, but otherwise healthy. They participated in a 6-week whole-body BFRT program, performing resistance exercises three times per week at 30% of their 1-repetition maximum (1-RM). 1-RM is the maximum amount of weight one can lift for a single repetition. . Throughout the training period, blood flow restriction cuffs were set to 60% of each individual’s limb occlusion pressure. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and muscle strength was measured using 1-RM testing.

Findings

The authors observed a significant increase in lean mass in both males and females, with no significant difference in the change between the two groups. Both groups also experienced an increase in 1-RM for upper- and lower-body exercises, with males showing a greater increase in 1-RM for certain exercises such as chest press, seated row, knee flexion, and knee extension. Furthermore, both males and females showed an improvement in peak power during a vertical squat jump, with males showing a greater increase.

The authors had hypothesized that there would be sex-based differences in the adaptation of lean body mass, muscle strength, and performance outcomes in response to BFRT. However, they concluded that both males and females experienced similar increases in lean body mass and muscle strength following 6 weeks of BFRT. Although males experienced a greater increase in muscle strength, the authors suggest that BFRT is an effective training method for increasing muscle strength in both males and females.

Limitations

The study had a few limitations that could have affected the results. First, the duration of the intervention was only 6 weeks, and it is possible that sex-specific differences in outcomes may have emerged over a longer period of BFRT. Second, the study did not include a control group, which limits the conclusions that can be drawn. Finally, although participants were asked to maintain their current lifestyle, including their diet, the authors did not control their diet every week for the duration of the study.

Despite these limitations, the study provides evidence that BFRT is an effective training method for increasing lean mass and muscle strength in both males and females. The authors suggest that future studies should continue to investigate sex differences following BFRT over longer durations, with different populations, and with a focus on the underlying physiological mechanisms underpinning these adaptations.