Different Types of KAATSU Walking

People of all ages perform KAATSU Walking.

Users can either use their KAATSU Air Bands on their arms or legs while doing KAATSU Walking. They do this extremely effective, efficient, safe application of KAATSU for a variety of reasons and applications, preferably in the KAATSU Cycle mode:

Weight Maintenance or Weight Loss

• The most effective KAATSU Walking for weight maintenance or weight loss is to use the arm bands first as a warm-up modality before you begin your KAATSU Walking session. Then, switch to the leg bands on the KAATSU Cycle mode in the Low Pressure setting and begin walking. If you want to apply more stress, then you can switch to the Medium Pressure setting, and then to the High Pressure setting as you wish and as you can.
• Make sure to place the leg bands around your upper legs while you are sitting down; not while you are standing up. Apply the bands with a "one-finger tightness".
• Make sure to be well-hydrated before and during your KAATSU Walking session.
• Immediately take off the bands if you feel uncomfortable or lightheaded. This is an indication that the leg bands are on too tightly.
• Walk barefoot in the sand for the most vigorous KAATSU Walking session.
• Alternatively, you can walk on grass or uphill for a more intense workout.
• You can also walk on a treadmill while it is set on a slight or moderate incline.

Muscle Strengthening of the Upper Body

• The most effective KAATSU Walking for muscle strengthening of the upper body is to use the arm bands first as a warm-up modality before you begin your KAATSU Walking session. Then, keep the arm bands on the KAATSU Cycle mode in the Low Pressure setting and begin walking. If you want to apply more stress, then you can switch to the Medium Pressure setting, and then to the High Pressure setting as you wish and as you can.
• Repeatedly contract and relax the muscles of your arms while you are walking. You can do biceps curls or triceps extensions or hand clenches as you walk. The more that you contract your arm muscles while walking, the more impactful KAATSU will be.
• You can continue walking at a comfortable pace as you work your arms.
• Make sure to place the bands around your upper arms with a "one-finger tightness".
• Make sure to be well-hydrated before and during your KAATSU Walking session.
• Immediately take off the bands if you feel uncomfortable or lightheaded. This is an indication that either the arm bands are on too tightly or the stress of the workout is too much.
• Walk barefoot in the sand for the most vigorous KAATSU Walking session.
• Alternatively, you can walk on grass or uphill for a more vigorous workout while moving your arms.
• You can also walk on a treadmill while it is set on a slight or moderate incline.

Overall Stamina Building and Muscle Strengthening of the Lower Body

• The most effective KAATSU Walking for stamina building and muscle strengthening of the lower body is to use the arm bands first as a warm-up modality before you begin your KAATSU Walking session. Then, put the leg bands on the KAATSU Cycle mode in the Low Pressure setting and begin walking. If you want to apply more stress, then you can switch to the Medium Pressure setting, and then to the High Pressure setting as you wish and as you can.
• Start with a comfortable pace and increase your pace as you wish.
• Make sure to place the bands around your upper legs with a "one-finger tightness" while you are sitting down (not standing up).
• Make sure to be well-hydrated before and during your KAATSU Walking session.
• Immediately take off the bands if you feel uncomfortable or lightheaded. This is an indication that either the leg bands are on too tightly or the stress of the workout is too much.
• Walk barefoot in the sand for the most vigorous KAATSU Walking session.
• Alternatively, you can walk on grass or uphill for a more vigorous workout while moving your arms.
• You can also walk on a treadmill while it is set on a slight or moderate incline.

Longevity and Wellness

• The most effective KAATSU Walking for longevity and overall wellness is to use the arm bands first as a warm-up modality before you begin your KAATSU Walking session. Then, put the leg bands on the KAATSU Cycle mode in the Low Pressure setting and begin walking. If you want to apply more stress, then you can switch to the Medium Pressure setting, and then to the High Pressure setting as you wish and as you can.
• Start with a comfortable pace and increase your pace as you wish. But a comfortable pace, performed for 15-30 minutes per day in the Low Pressure setting in the KAATSU Cycle mode is sufficient.
• Make sure to place the bands around your upper legs with a "one-finger tightness" while you are sitting down (not standing up).
• Make sure to be well-hydrated before and during your KAATSU Walking session.
• Immediately take off the bands if you feel uncomfortable or lightheaded. This is an indication that either the leg bands are on too tightly or the stress of the workout is too much.
• Comfortably walk barefoot in the sand for the most strenuous KAATSU Walking session.
• Alternatively, you can walk on grass or uphill for a more vigorous working while constantly moving your arms.
• You can also walk on a treadmill while it is set on a slight or moderate incline, at a comfortable pace.

Core Strengthening

• The most effective KAATSU Walking for core strengthening is to use the arm bands first as a warm-up modality before you begin your KAATSU Walking session. Then, put the leg bands on the KAATSU Cycle mode in the Low Pressure setting and begin walking slowly with a book on your head. Keep your shoulders back and walk with perfect posture with a straight spine and a balanced gait.
• Continue to walk until the book falls off your head. Reset the book and continue walking.
• For a more difficult challenge (for those with outstanding balance), hold two water bottles (or very light weights) in both hands and move your arms assymetically while you are walking.
• Alternatively, you can do Hand Clenches as you walk with the book balanced on your head.

KAATSU Hybrid

• The most effective KAATSU Walking for overall fitness is to alternate each of these applications (e.g., Monday: Weight Maintenance or Weight Loss + Tuesday: Muscle Strengthening of the Upper Body + Wednesday: Overall Stamina Building and Muscle Strengthening of the Lower Body + Thursday: Longevity and Wellness + Friday: Core Strengthening) described above on different days of the week.
• A variety of stress applied to different parts of the body performed daily will have a very positive cumulative effect.

Copyright © 2014 - 2023 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Fitness Walking, Increasing Strength and Stamina

For who? Working adults, mothers, retirees
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, balance, KAATSU Walking



The most common use of KAATSU equipment is during simple walking. KAATSU users put on their leg bands and simply do KAATSU Walking after a meal, while walking around the neighborhood or walking the dog. Either the KAATSU Cycle mode or the KAATSU Constant mode can be used, but you can walk longer in the KAATSU Cycle mode while the KAATSU Constant mode should be limited to 20 minutes.

Over 10 years ago, academic researchers from Japan confirmed what KAATSU Specialists have long known: that low-intensity exercise with KAATSU Air Bands leads to muscle growth and strength gains.*

Many researchers between 2000 - 2005 tested KAATSU Walking with MRI-measured muscle size and strength (maximum dynamic or one repetition maximum) and isometric strength along with blood hormonal parameters. Testing was done on both control groups and experimental groups of subjects ranging from young men to older women.

The testing was done using 20-minute bouts of treadmill speed of 50 meters per minute. The researchers found a multitude of benefits and changes among the experimental KAATSU users while there was no change in muscle size and dynamic and isometric strength in the control group..

1. Serum growth hormone was elevated after KAATSU Walking with the experimental group, but not with the non-KAATSU control group.
2. MRI-measured thigh muscle cross-sectional area and muscle volume increased by 4 - 7%.
3. One repetition maximum and maximum isometric strength increased between 8 - 10%

Furthermore, indicators of muscle damage (creatine kinase and myoglobin) and resting anabolic hormones did not change with both groups. The researchers concluded that KAATSU Walking induces muscle hypertrophy and strength gain despite the minimum level of exercise intensity after 3 weeks, and that KAATSU Walking may be a potentially useful method for promoting muscle hypertrophy for a wide range of the population including the frail and elderly.

While these benefits have long been known in Japan, there have been many other applications that have since been developed and researched that address age-related skeletal muscle loss (sarcopenia) that inhibits mobility and increases the risk of developing several diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease.

As the implications of KAATSU protocols began to be appreciated by the United States military, researchers like Dr. William Ursprung at Texas A&M University studied the effects of KAATSU Walking to improve aerobic capacity. Dr. Ursprung evaluated the effects of KAATSU Walking on VO2max, 1.5 mile run times, and muscular size at low training volumes and intensities with airman from the U.S. Air Force 350th Special Operations and Tactics Training Squadron.






























After three weeks of KAATSU Walking, the test found significant improvements in VO2max, significant decreases in 1.5-mile run time, and significant increases in thigh muscle cross sectional area and the researchers concluded that KAATSU Walking represents a methodology for improving aerobic capacity, endurance and muscular size at low training volumes and intensities.

This conclusion mirrored the applications for KAATSU that many far forward-thinking coaches and trainers have known and used. For military personnel and athletes who are looking for concurrent improvements in strength and endurance, they do not always have to move, run, swim, cycle or row at maximum intensity if they strategically use KAATSU equipment.

While movement or exercises with KAATSU equipment performed with intensity will result in significant physiological and athletic improvement, it is always unnecessary.

"As long as their technique and athletic form is correct, athletes and military personnel can realize benefits with KAATSU by moving more slowly (i.e., walking versus running or swimming at a moderate pace versus swimming at maximum speed) rather than always going all-out," explains Steven Munatones. "Perhaps this lowered intensity is appropriate after injuries or immediately after a competition or during a taper phase of training. Perhaps this slower pace or raw speed is simply more appropriate during different parts of any specific workout when an athlete is working on their technique or form."

This phenomena means that the implications and applications of KAATSU usage expands significantly. When benefits and improvements can be achieved at any speed, pace or level of intensity, coaches and athletes can be much more flexible and creative in their training decisions.

For example, instead of only going all-out sprints with KAATSU, runners, cyclists, swimmers, rowers and skiers can practice at more moderate pace - which means that KAATSU can be done more frequently and with less resultant fatigue.

* Muscle size and strength are increased following walk training with restricted venous blood flow from the leg muscle, Kaatsu-walk training by Professor Abe and Professor Kearns of Tokyo Metropolitan University and Professor Sato of the University of Tokyo.

** The Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on VO2Max and 1.5 Mile Run Performance by William Ursprung, published in the International Journal of Exercise Science.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Firming Up Legs With KAATSU

Whether KAATSU female users are 26 or 66*, many of them ask how best to tone their legs and hips with KAATSU.

In contrast to the more intense KAATSU workouts that focus on muscle hypertrophy or improvement of specific sports movements, KAATSU Walking with a lower pressure in the KAATSU Air Bands is highly recommended.

Preparation
*Be well-hydrated.
*Understand the standard KAATSU protocols (i.e., always have good capillary refill within 2-3 seconds, no occlusion, no numbness).
*Always warm-up with the KAATSU Cycle (i.e., 8 cycles of 20 seconds pressure on + 5 seconds pressure off).

Key Points
*Can do KAATSU Walking daily, but it is recommended to do at least 2-3 times per week.
*Use a lower-than-normal Base SKU and a lower-than-normal Optimal SKU.
*The entire leg-focused workout can be 15 minutes in total.

*Do not release the air in the KAATSU Air Bands throughout the entire workout (unless, of course, you feel numbness or become lightheaded).

Protocols
*STEP 1: Start with the KAATSU Cycle at a lower-than-normal Base SKU and a lower-than-normal Optimal SKU to warm-up (e.g., if your Optimal SKU is normally 200 SKU, then use an Optimal SKU of 160).
*STEP 2: After the KAATSU Cycle is complete (you can do this once or twice), inflate the KAATSU Air Bands to a lower-than-normal Optimal SKU (e.g., if your Optimal SKU is normally 200 SKU, then use an Optimal SKU of 160).
*STEP 3: Walk for 15-20 minutes. Simply walk around your neighborhood, your fitness gym or wherever you are doing KAATSU. Alternatively, you can walk on a treadmill or use a StairMaster or other such indoor equipment.
*STEP 4: Top off your KAATSU session with some light stretching and do a KAATSU Cycle as a warm-down if you wish.

Post-Workout Results
*You will feel very toned and refreshed.
*Your legs will become slimmed and toned without muscle hypertrophy.

* Photos show 66-year-old Diana Nyad doing some more intense and complicated KAATSU leg strengthening exercises with KAATSU Specialist Hollie Stray-Gundersen.

Copyright © 2015 by KAATSU Global