Jonty Skinner Inducted In Hall Of Fame

For who? swimmers, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery


Certified KAATSU Specialist Jonty Skinner, a former world record holder and USA Swimming National and Olympic team coach, was recently inducted in the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

He talks about his career and his path to the Hall of Fame above in the ASCA World Clinic in Washington D.C.

His use of KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua was explained here on FloSwimming.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Aqua Explained

Boston-based swimming coach Chris Morgan explains KAATSU the original BFR and KAATSU Aqua, its competitive swimming application, in an interview with Brent Rutemiller of Swimming World Magazine at the 2017 American Swimming Coaches Association World Clinic in Washington D.C.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

Michael Andrew Goes 3 For 3

For who? swimmers, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery

At the 2017 World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, 17-year-old Michael Andrew had an evening to remember.

At 6:24 pm, he set a world record in the 50-meter backstroke, winning the event in a time of 24.63 seconds.

At 6:40 pm, he entered the water again in the 50-meter butterfly in a semifinal heat and qualified first in 23.27 seconds, setting another world record.

At 7:11 pm, he walked up to the starting blocks in the 50-meter freestyle for his third race in 45 minutes and won the event, setting his third world record in 21.75 seconds.

He followed the KAATSU Cycle protocol between races that allowed him to recover quickly and prepare himself physiologically for his next event.

For more information on his remarkable evening, visit SwimSwam and Swimming World Magazine.




Copyright © 2014-2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

KAATSU Training On Proliferation and Differentiation Of Goat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

For who? medical researchers, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



The video above shows the subjects of an interesting series of research projects by the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University in Changchun, China.

The initial results were published in the Chinese language in the Chinese Journal of Laboratory Diagnosis (25 Aug 2016 issue, Vol. 20, No. 8, P. 1240) entitled Effects of KAATSU Training on proliferation and differentiation of goat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by by Yu-hui Yang, Shao-qian Sun, Yoshiaki Sato, et al.

The English translation of the paper is below:

Objective

To explore the effects of KAATSU Training on proliferation and differentiation of goat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Methods

60 Boer goats were randomly divided into experimental group and control group, the experimental group was given KAATSU Training twice a week, non-KAATSU Training twice a week for the control group. 6 months later, we got the goat bone marrow and then separated and absorbed the white cloud layer which mainly contained the mononuclear cell in the upper-middle interface with the method of percoll-density gradient centrifugation, cultured and observed the cell morphology and the proliferation rate; the cells of the two groups were induced into cardiomyocyte like cells by the 5-azacytidine. The cells which had been differentiated were detected with the expression of the cardiac specific antigen α-actin by immunofluorescence assay.

Results

The cells isolated from the bone marrow in the white cloud layer were adherent, generated and grew well. In addition, the cells which induced by 5-azacytidine could express the cardiac specific antigen. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of the experimental group were small and round, and their proliferation rate was faster than the control group, though the shape of the cells in the control group were polygonal or triangular, and the proliferation rate were slow.

Conclusion

It has been succeeded both in separation and cultivation of the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and also induced the proliferation of turning into cardiomyocyte like cells in vitro. The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in pressurization motion for a long period of time were easier to proliferate than the cells in non-pressurization motion, but the differentiated capability were low.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are from the mesoderm and are pluripotent stem cells with high capability in proliferation, self-renewal and multi-directional differentiation potential. Further studies have demonstrated that BMSCs can differentiate into cardiomyocytes, neurons or neuroglial cells. Upon in vivo transplantation, these cells can migrate to injured sites (mostly to ischemic or anaerobic sites) and repair respective tissues. Cell transplantation has provided brand-new treatment strategy to irreversible heart diseases. BMSCs are currently considered as one of the most ideal seed cells for cell transplantation, and are often used as carrier cells in gene therapy. Allogeneic BMSC transplantation may trigger immunologic rejection, while autologous stem cells are of limited quantities.

It is therefore crucial to look into how autologous stem cells could proliferate and be release to the bloodstream, especially in large mammals. In recent years, the number of studies focused on small animals such as mice/rat or rabbit is relatively high, but few studies and report investigate into BMSCs in bigger animals like goats. Thus, it is important to study the in vitro directed differentiation of BMSCs from goat as a big animal.

Osaka University and Peking University have both carried on research on stem cells with some of their work summarized below:



Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU For Baseball Players

For who? baseball players, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



























Teenage baseball players can use KAATSU in three primary ways that have been tested and proven by professional baseball players:

1. Athletic Performance
2. Injury Rehabilitation
3. Recovery

Athletic Performance
1. For throwing: warm-up with KAATSU Cycle and throw as normal with KAATSU Optimal SKU Pressure and the Arm Bands untethered.
2. For pitching: warm-up with KAATSU Cycle and pitch as normal with KAATSU Optimal SKU Pressure and the Arm or Leg Bands untethered.
3. For running: warm-up with KAATSU Cycle and do base running as normal with KAATSU Optimal SKU Pressure with the Leg Bands untethered.
4. For batting: warm-up with KAATSU Cycle and take practice swings (i.e., not at home base with a pitcher) with KAATSU Optimal SKU Pressure with the Arm or Leg Bands untethered.
* Avoid fielding or batting to the KAATSU Arm or Leg Bands on. We want to avoid any possible unintended injuries.

Injury Rehabilitation
Use KAATSU Cycle (Cycle 20 or Cycle 60) to augment traditional rehabilitation therapy and to avoid muscle atrophy.

Recovery
1. Post-game pitcher: ice + 3-5 KAATSU Cycles on arms as an ideal post-game recovery mode to reduce inflammation.
2. Post-workout field players: 3-5 KAATSU Cycles after weight-running or a particularly long and vigorous workout.
3. Travel: 3-5 KAATSU Cycles on arms and/or legs after long trips or overnight travel as desired.

Copyright © 2014-2017 by KAATSU Global

Coaching With KAATSU Aqua

Chris Morgan, a 2008 Olympic swimming coach, teaches and teaches everyone about KAATSU the original BFR on dryland and KAATSU Aqua in the water from Olympic swimming medalists and Olympic Trials finalists to masters swimmers (24- 75 years), competitive age group swimmers and collegiate swimmers for those aiming for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to those recovering from injuries.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

Unique Vision By Dr. Yoshiaki Sato

For who? Navy SEALs
For what? meteorite, Japanese swords

Retired Navy SEAL Captain John Doolittle is shown holding a Japanese sword owned by KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato at the headquarters of KAATSU Japan in Fuchu just outside of Tokyo.

The unique sword is made from a meteorite that had fallen in Japan.

Dr. Sato acquired the raw meteorite years ago and commissioned one of Japan's most renowned sword makers to create an otherworldly long bladed weapon.

The sword is so strong that it was tested by cutting cleanly through the chassis of a motor vehicle.

The unique vision of Dr. Sato - whether it comes to KAATSU or a sword made from a meteorite - is always a pleasure to behold.

Copyright © 2014-2017 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Aqua Burpees

For who? water athletes, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



The KAATSU Aqua Burpees (arms) can include any number of swims and exercises to maximize intensity in the water.

One version is shown above with a 54-year-old swimmer doing the following Burpee:

1st lap = 25 yards of butterfly + pull-ups off the diving board performed to muscular failure
2nd lap = 25 yards of freestyle
3rd lap = 25 yards of butterfly + push-ups on deck performed to muscular failure
4th lap = 25 yards of freestyle

This KAATSU Aqua Arm Burpees set with the pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands includes 100 yards of swimming (with hand paddles to increase intensity) + a maximum number of pull-ups and push-ups performed to muscular failure.

3-4 sets of these KAATSU Aqua Arm Burpees with 1-2 minute rest between each set is plenty for a thoroughly exhausting workout for all levels of lifeguards, swimmers, water polo players, triathletes, military special operators, CrossFit athletes, surfers, surf lifesavers and other types of watermen and water women.

The total arm workout time would be between 10-15 minutes total.

KAATSU Aqua Leg Burpees can include a combination of eggbeatering (treading water) with your hands and elbows out of the water + non-lock (partial extension) squats on deck performed to muscular failure + vertical kicking with a medicine ball and kicking with a kickboard to muscular failure.

An example could be: 1st lap = 25 yards of kicking with a kickboard + vertical kicking with a medicine ball to muscular failure
2nd lap = 25 yards of kicking with a kickboard
3rd lap = 25 yards of eggbeater + non-lock squats on deck performed to muscular failure
4th lap = 25 yards of sprint kicking with a kickboard

Kicking can be done with or without fins.

The total leg workout time would be between 10-15 minutes total.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

Increasing Range Of Motion With KAATSU

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



Robert Heiduk of KAATSU Germany worked with a young woman who had a ski accident 10 weeks ago. She could not raise her right arm above her shoulder before seeing Heiduk.

Heiduk used the standard KAATSU protocols that he learned from Dr. Yoshiaki Sato in Tokyo (i.e., KAATSU Cycle + movement under Optimal SKU pressure). Her range of motion before and after KAATSU is shown above as a result of a single KAATSU session.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU In Hawaii

North Shore lifeguards on Oahu use KAATSU the original BFR in a variety of ways for training, rehabilitation and recovery.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

How The University Of Alabama Uses KAATSU

For who? swimmers, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery

Among his many athletic and coaching achievements, Jonty Skinner will be inducted as a coach in the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2017.

The current Associate Head Coach at the University of Alabama first made his name in the international sports arena as one of the fastest sprinters in the world.

He was one of the gold medal favorites in the 100m freestyle at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. However, his home country of South Africa was still banned due to its apartheid, and he was ineligible to compete.

At the 1976 Olympics, his American rival Jim Montgomery won the 100m gold medal en route to becoming the first swimmer in history to break the 50-second barrier in the 100m freestyle with a 49.99. Twenty days later at the American national swimming championships in Philadelphia, Skinner swam a 49.44 to set the world record that would last for the next five years.

Upon his retirement as the world's fastest sprinter, Skinner has established an even greater legacy, in coaching.

He has become a scientifically-minded, analytically-oriented coach which included an 8-year reign as USA Swimming’s Director of National Team Technical Support covering the 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In this position, Skinner was charged with organizing all of the testing, monitoring, and analysis of national team swimmers.

He also coached three separate times in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama (1978-1981; 1988-1994, 2012-present) in one of the swimming world's most prestigious swimming programs.

As Skinner is described by Floswimming, "He continues to apply his analytical mind towards using cutting-edge scientific methods on his swimmers. In a sport where races are won and lost by hundredths of seconds, Skinner is always searching for new and creative ways to get his swimmers to move faster through the water."

Watch his use of KAATSU here, produced by Floswimming.

Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

How North Shore Lifeguards Train With KAATSU

For who? lifeguards, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



Location: North Shore, Oahu in Hawaii.

Some of the most monstrous and among the best-known waves for surfers crash onto the North Shore of Oahu in the state of Hawaii.

With many surfers enjoying themselves in heavy surf while facing large waves over coral reefs at shallow depths while facing strong tidal pulls, rip tides and currents, the lifeguards on the North Shore of Oahu have their hands full.

To make a save, the lifeguards must run from their lifeguard station in soft sand, quickly put on their fins, and sprint through surf diving under the crashing waves. Then they must grab the troubled surfer, bodysurfer or ocean swimmer and safely bring them back to shore. And the lifeguards do it repeatedly on days where the surf can be rough or large.

This responsibility requires speed, strength and stamina.

How can these lifeguards use KAATSU the Original BFR and KAATSU Aqua to help improve their speed, strength and stamina?

For speed on land, lifeguards place the KAATSU Air Bands on their legs and run on the soft sand at Waimea Bay or Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline) or Haleiwa. They can start with simple walking and then end with short sprints on flat sand or up a sand dune.

For speed in the water, lifeguards place the KAATSU Aqua Bands on their legs while using fins and do the following kicking and swimming sets in a pool:

• 1 x 25m easy kicking + 1 x 25m fast kicking
• 1 x 25m easy kicking + 1 x 50m fast kicking
• 1 x 25m easy kicking + 1 x 75m fast kicking
• 1 x 25m easy kicking + 1 x 100m fast kicking
• 10x streamlined jumps off the bottom of the pool and kick up as high out of the water as possible. Repeat immediately 10 times.

• 8 x 25m swimming freestyle with fins with 20 seconds rest between each 25
• 4 x 50m swimming freestyle with fins with the first 25m easy + second 25m fast
• 1 x 25m easy + 1 x 75m fast
• 1 x 25m easy + 1 x 100m fast

For strength on land, lifeguards place the KAATSU Air Bands on their legs and do squats, leg lunges, leg curls and simply balance on one leg to gain core strength. Lifeguards can place the KAATSU Air Bands on their arms and do KAATSU 3-point Exercises, do push-up sets, or use resistance bands while doing a variety of exercises.

For strength in the water, lifeguards place the KAATSU Aqua Bands on their legs while using fins or place the KAATSU Aqua Band on their arms while using hand paddles and do the following kicking and swimming sets in a pool:

• Kick in the vertical position for 10 seconds in a pool with hands and arms out of the water. Rest 10 seconds and repeat 4-8 times.
• Kick on one's back with arms straight out of the water: 4 x 25m with 20 seconds rest between each 25
• 4 x 25m hard with hand paddles and no fins, 20 seconds rest between each 25
• 8 x 25m easy/hard with 20 seconds rest and 10 seconds of vertical kicking (elbows out of water) between each 25

For stamina on land, lifeguards place the KAATSU Air Bands on their legs and go for a slow run or spin on a stationary bicycle.

For stamina in the water, lifeguards place the KAATSU Aqua Bands on their legs while using fins or place the KAATSU Aqua Band on their arms while using hand paddles and do the following kicking and swimming sets in a pool:

• 12 x 25m kicking with KAATSU Aqua Bands (2 butterfly, 2 backstroke, 4 freestyle, 4 head-up freestyle)
• 3 sets of vertical kicking with KAATSU Aqua Bands for 30-60 seconds until reaching muscular failure
• Aqua-jogging or aqua-running with KAATSU Aqua Bands in waist-deep water
• 3 x 60 seconds of treading water (eggbeater with arms above water) with KAATSU Aqua Bands

• Two lifeguards face each other and hold one kickboard between them while in a shallow or deep pool. The kickboard is held in the vertical position. Each lifeguard kicks vigorously against each other, in the opposite direction, until one lifeguard has moved 5 meters.

KAATSU Air Bands are also used for rehabilitation purposes under the guidance of a physical therapist or trainer - to help rapid healing of injured muscles, bones, ligaments or tendons.




























Copyright © 2014 - 2017 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Aqua Bands - How To Use In Pool

For who? water athletes, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery




















































Depending if you are a competitive swimmer (healthy or injured), a masters swimmer (healthy or injured) or a water polo player or a land-based athlete interested in working out in the pool, there are a number of kicking sets you can do in the pool:

1. Pool Kicking Sets

To develop speed
• 1 x 25 easy + 1 x 25 fast
• 1 x 25 easy + 1 x 50 fast
• 1 x 25 easy + 1 x 75 fast
• 1 x 25 easy + 1 x 100 fast

To develop stamina:
• 1 x 25 easy + 30 seconds vertical kicking (hands in water)
• 1 x 25 easy + 30 seconds vertical kicking (hands out of water)
• 1 x 25 easy + 30 seconds vertical kicking (wrists out of water)
• 1 x 25 easy + 30 seconds vertical kicking (elbows out of water)

To develop strength:
• 10 x 25 kicking with KAATSU Aqua Bands (2 butterfly, 2 backstroke, 2 breaststroke and 4 freestyle)
• 3 sets of vertical kicking with KAATSU Aqua Bands until mouth goes below surface of water
• Aqua-walking, aqua-jogging or aqua-running with KAATSU Aqua Bands in waist-deep water
• 3 x 60 seconds of treading water (eggbeater) with KAATSU Aqua Bands

2. Open Water Kicking Sets

To develop stamina:
• 500m kick in open water with a kickboard
• 500m kick in open water with a kickboard and short-blade fins
• 500m kick in open water with a kickboard and long-blade fins
• 500m kick in open water without a kickboard, hands sculling in front
• 500m kick in open water without a kickboard or fins, hands sculling at sides

To develop navigational IQ:
• 500m backstroke kick in open water with arms stretched out in front
• 500m backstroke kick in open water with hands sculling at sides

To develop strength and stamina:
• 100m backstroke kick with arms stretched up above the chest in the air
• 100m easy freestyle back to start
• 75m backstroke kick with arms stretched up above the chest in the air
• 75m easy freestyle back to start
• 50m backstroke kick with arms stretched up above the chest in the air
• 50m easy freestyle back to start
• 25m backstroke kick with arms stretched up above the chest in the air
• 25m easy freestyle back to start

To develop speed and kinetic awareness of the power of the ocean:
• 30 minutes of bodysurfing with a regular kickboard
• 30 minutes of bodysurfing with a regular kickboard and fins
• 30 minutes of bodysurfing with fins

3. Pool or Open Water Kicking Sets

Just for fun and challenge
• Swim with shoes in open water trying to keep a streamlined body position
• Vertical kicking with shoes in the pool
• Vertical kicking holding liter bottles filled with water
• Push off wall underwater and try to go as far as possible underwater while holding a kickboard in outstretched arms
• Two people face each other and hold one kickboard between them in the vertical position. Each kick vigorously against each other, in the opposite direction, until they have moved 5 meters

Copyright © 2014-2016 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU User Michael Andrew Wins First World Title

Photo courtesy of Peter H. Bick for Swimming World Magazine.

Michael Andrew, a phenomenal 17-year-old from Kansas won his first world swimming title yesterday in Canada in the 100m individual medley at the 2016 FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships.

Coached by his father, Peter Andrew, Michael uses blood flow moderation training with KAATSU Cycles and KAATSU Training on his KAATSU Master unit.

The Andrew's use of KAATSU is illustrative to what is recommended to aquatic athletes and their counterparts on dryland, using either a portable KAATSU Nano or a larger KAATSU Master.

1. Strength building
(a) warm-up with KAATSU Cycle with an appropriate Base SKU and Optimal SKU levels 2-3 times on both arms and legs.
(b) a wide variety of body-weight exercises and resistance band exercises, along with use of ergometers with the KAATSU Arm Bands (and separately with KAATSU Leg Bands), always going to either muscular or technical failure generally in sets of 3-4.

2. Stamina building
(a) swim short sets of sprints (8-12) of 25-50 yards or meters with 20 seconds rest between, ideally performed at the end of practice.
(b) after the KAATSU swim sprints are completed, remove bands and loosen down a bit (100-300 meters) and then do one last all-out sprint. The athletes usually feel strong and swim outstandingly fast.

3. Speed building
(a) swim short sprints (15-25 meters) and agility drills that should be performed with a strong kick.
(b) practice race starts (3-5).
(c) practice race-pace breakouts and turns.

4. Skill improvement
(a) Use KAATSU Arm Bands or KAATSU Leg Bands (on alternate days) during shooting drills for water polo players.
(b) Use KAATSU Arm Bands or KAATSU Leg Bands during swimming technique drill sets (on butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke or freestyle). The athletes usually feel an enhanced tactile feel in the water as a result.
(b) Use KAATSU Leg Bands during kicking sets for swimmers, especially intense when using fins, or during eggbeatering drills that are especially important for goalies.

5. Warm-up
(a) Conduct warm-up on dryland with "light" KAATSU Cycles before a game/swim meet or between games/swims on multi-game tournaments or multiple swims during one day.
(b) Do KAATSU Cycles (Cycle 20) between prelims and finals at the hotel or home.

6. Recovery
(a) Warm-down with "light" KAATSU Cycles after a practice/game/swim meet in order to recover well for the next day.
(b) Do KAATSU Cycles (Cycle 20) after finals in the evenings in the hotel/home in order to recover well for the next day of competition.

7. Flexibility
(a) Stretch on dryland with KAATSU Cycles in order to increase range of motion.
(b) Stretch in the water with KAATSU Arm Bands or KAATSU Leg Bands on in order to increase range of motion.

8. Rehabilitation
(a) Perform KAATSU based on the advice of a physician, physical therapist or trainer.

To research Frequently Asked Questions about KAATSU, visit here.

Copyright © 2014-2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

KAATSU Training For Ice Hockey Players

For who? hockey players, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



Ice hockey players or those who enjoy ice skating for fitness or performance can use the pneumatic KAATSU Air Bands monitored by the KAATSU Master or KAATSU Nano and inflated to their Optimal SKU (pressure).

They can do a variety of exercises. We recommend that they do 3-4 sets of each exercise that is performed to either muscular or technical failure. If the Optimal SKU is set correctly, the duration (or repetitions) of each set should be reduced. That is, if set #1 is 1 minute in duration (or 30-40 repetitions), then rest for a maximum of 20 seconds and continue with set #2. KAATSU users should reach their muscular or technical failure before 1 minute or 30-40 repetition in Set #2.

Rest should be no more than 20 seconds before set #3 begins. In set #3, KAATSU users should reach their muscular or technical failure in a shorter time duration or fewer repetitions in Set #2.

Copyright © 2014 - 2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

KAATSU Push-up Challenge

After 1-2 KAATSU Cycles (Cycle 20 is a great warmup for non-athletes or Cycle 60 for high-level athletes) and perhaps after completing the standard KAATSU 3-point exercises (i.e., hand clenches + biceps curls + triceps extensions), try to do the KAATSU Push-up Challenge (i.e., three sets of push-ups with your Optimal SKU levels in the KAATSU Air Bands).

Do the first set of push-ups until you reach muscular or technical failure. Ideally, your Optimal SKU will allow you to do between 25-40 push-ups.

Then rest 20 seconds and start your second set of push-ups. Do the second set of push-ups until you reach muscular or technical failure.

Ideally, if your Optimal SKU is set properly, you will not be able to repeat the same number of push-ups in the second set as you did in the first set. You may be able to do only 10-20 push-ups on the second set. This is OK and actually exactly what you want.

Then rest 20 seconds and start your third set of push-ups. Do the third set of push-ups until you reach muscular or technical failure.

Ideally, your number of push-ups will decrease again. This indicates you have set your Optimal SKU.

This is a great way to build strength and develop tone in your upper body.

Copyright © 2014 - 2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

Training With KAATSU Aqua Bands In The Water

For who? aquatic athletes, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



Sprint butterfly + pull-ups + pull-outs + push-ups with the pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands are notoriously difficult. 8 x 25 with 5 pull-ups and 10 push-ups are extraordinarily tough.



Competitive swimmers, open water swimmers, water polo players, triathletes, surfers, and other watermen and waterwomen can use KAATSU Aqua leg bands to enhance speed, stamina, strength and "feel" in the water.



Aquatic athletes can pull a parachute with KAATSU Aqua Bands to enhance speed, stamina, strength and "feel" in the water.



Using the pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands by identifying the appropriate Base SKU (compression) and inflated Optimal SKU (compression), swimmers, water polo players and triathletes and everyone from those rehabilitating to individuals simply focused on fitness can really work on their core in the water.



Using the pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands in the water and the KAATSU Nano or KAATSU Master on the pool deck, individuals of any ability or any age was do blood flow moderation training for speed, stamina, strength or flexibility.



Long Beach (California) firefighter Mitch Berro trains with KAATSU Aqua Bands by pushing off bottom of pool holding a weight.



Training with KAATSU Aqua Bands by eggbeatering in a pool while holding a weight.



Use a kickboard, use fins, do vertical kicking, or other moves to highly stress the legs and core.



Pull along a parachute to add stress to your KAATSU Swimming.



The pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands add stress to sculling in the water with or without hand paddles.



The pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands can help strengthen triceps with triceps extensions in the water with or without hand paddles.



The pneumatic KAATSU Aqua Bands can be done while swimming, kicking or pulling butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke or freestyle, or while shooting a water polo ball or doing aqua-therapy, aqua-walking or aqua-jogging.



KAATSU Aqua Walking for those undergoing aqua-therapy or rehabilitation.

Copyright © 2014 - 2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

Local And Systemic Mechanisms Of KAATSU Training

Dr. James Stray-Gundersen of the United States Ski & Snowboard Association and Chief Medical Officer of KAATSU Global explains the local and systemic mechanisms of KAATSU Training that is used by elite professional and Olympics athletes and non-athletes alike.

Copyright © 2014 - 2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

Details And Differences Between KAATSU And KAATSU Aqua

KAATSU Aqua Bands can be used differently depending on whether the bands are used for with masters swimmers or fitness swimmers or competitive elite swimmers.

In general, the more competitive the swimmer, the higher the pressures. But finding the Optimal SKU (compression) is a function of many factors including whether the bands are on the legs or arms, the percentage of body fat, the tolerance level of high lactate levels, and the amount of experience using KAATSU.

But in general, the intensity of feeling while doing KAATSU Aqua is greater in the water compared to KAATSU done on dryland. The reasons why include the following:

1. Because the body is in the horizontal position while swimming and the body is floating in the water. Therefore, the relative pressure within the veins and capillaries are greater in this situation than on dryland, especially while swimming quickly.

2. Swimming is an activity where breathing is different and less efficient than on land. That is, even great swimmers breathe differently while swimming than while exercising on land. Therefore, there is an even greater hypoxia in the limbs in the water than on land.

3. Swimming is an activity where there is almost never a "pumping out" of the lactate like there is with exercises like biceps curls. In other words, when the athlete is correctly doing biceps curls with KAATSU Air Bands on land, the limbs become saturated with blood and lactate. But the pumping action of the curls naturally forces some blood and lactate out of the muscle, past the KAATSU Air Bands. But when one is swimming freestyle, backstroke or butterfly, this "pumping out" of the lactate does not occur so effectively. The arms are simply swinging around the body (over and below the water surface) in a rather static position. Therefore, more lactate stays in the muscle...and therefore discomfort comes earlier.

4. Because swimming is such a technical sport, even slight changes in the head or body or knee or elbow positions can dramatically change the speed of the swimmer. So when the swimmer starts to feel the lactate building, their technique quickly deteriorates and speed significantly decreases.

Coaches want their swimmers to swim with as best technique as possible. Therefore, swimming with KAATSU Aqua Bands is generally and best limited to 25-50 meter distances - performed at top speed and with as best technique as possible.

Swimming sets for competitive elite swimmers can be done towards the end of their workouts and can be limited to breakouts (10-15 meter practices of turns off the wall), 25-meter or 50-meter swims of high intensity.

Examples of sets with KAATSU Aqua Bands include:

* 10 x 25 with a 20-second rest
* 10 x 40 swims in a 25-yard or 25-meter pool where a strong pace is maintained for the first lap followed by a strong turn and breakout. Swim easy to the wall after the breakout.
* 5-10 x racing starts with KAATSU Aqua Bands or until technical failure is reached. Followed by 2-3 racing starts without bands.
* 5 x 25 of each stroke (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) with a 20-second rest
* 8 x 15-meter race-pace breakouts of each stroke (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) with a 20-second rest
* 8 x 50 (or 4 x 100) pulling with hand paddles and/or buoys with arm bands
* 8 x 50 race-pace kicking with or without a kickboard with leg bands
* 8 x 30-second vertical kicking sets with leg bands
* 8 x vertical jumps off the bottom of the pool with leg bands

Notes:
1. The sets can be done alternatively with the arm bands and leg bands on alternative days.
2. If there is sufficient time within a workout, the sets above can be done first with the arms bands and then with the leg bands.
3. In each set, each swimmer should swim with their own Optimal SKU.
4. The swimmer should take additional rest and/or temporarily release the air in the KAATSU Aqua Bands when technical failure is reached (where technical failure is judged by a breakdown of proper swimming technique).

Copyright © 2016 by KAATSU Global, Inc.

Olympic Swim Coach On His Use Of KAATSU Aqua

Chris Morgan, a 2008 Olympic swimming coach, teaches and advises a number of athletes about KAATSU the original BFR on dryland and KAATSU Aqua in the water from Olympic swimming medalists and Olympic Trials finalists to masters swimmers (24- 75 years), competitive age group swimmers and collegiate swimmers.

"KAATSU Aqua is beneficial for those athletes aiming for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and non-athletes recovering from injuries," says Morgan who explained how Roy-Allan Burch [see below] used KAATSU to recover from a double patella tendon rupture and qualified for the Olympics.







































Morgan [see video below] explains, "We work on speed, strength and stamina every workout at the Gator's Swim Club in Waltham, Massachusetts [the 2015 New England Senior Swimming Championship Team].

Like other competitive age-group swim teams, we augment those hard training sessions with a focus on proper technique, good balanced nutrition, and all kinds of 'outside the box' dry-land training.

This year, our athletes began an innovative addition to our entire training regime that has resulted in some unprecedented drops in time."

Over a 3-month period, some of the representative swims include the following:

Henry Gaissert (17 years old)
• 100 freestyle: from 47.0 to 44.8 (44.1 relay split)
• 100 butterfly: from 52.4 to 49.8
Maddie Wallis (16 years old)
• 100 backstroke: from 57.1 to 54.9
• 200 backstroke: from 2:07.9 to 2:00.3
Johnny Prindle (17 years old)
• 100 freestyle: from 48.1 to a 45.9 relay split
• 200 freestyle: from 1:47.2 to 1:41.5
• 100 breaststroke: from 59.0 to 57.5

Their secret…?

KAATSU.

KAATSU is the advantage that Olympic and professional athletes from Japan, and increasingly in teams from the United States and Switzerland to Tunisia and Hungary, have been using to gain specific strength in order to improve speed and increase stamina.

Morgan continues, "Years ago, Olympic champion Misty Hyman from Stanford University did something vaguely similar. The 200-meter butterfly Olympic champion in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games placed several thick postage rubber bands around her arms and legs. She would at times swim as much as 8,000 meters with the bands at AFOX in Arizona under the guidance of its coach Bob Gillette as a high school student. Her unusual training method started in Arizona as a top age-grouper and continued at Stanford University under Richard Quick - where I served as an assistant coach.

But we learned from Dr. Yoshiaki Sato and our KAATSU Global colleagues that very specific pressures with carefully engineered pneumatic bands used in short durations is the key to significant improvements in speed, strength and stamina. We use the KAATSU Master and KAATSU Nano devices to identify two types of specific pressures (called Base SKU and Optimal SKU where SKU stands for Standard KAATSU Unit). These pressures are specific for each athlete that can vary from day to day and workout to workout. Those specific pressures, that vary from athlete to athlete, are how our athletes have maximized the benefits of KAATSU or "blood flow moderation training."

Invented in 1966 and perfected by 1973 by Dr. Sato of Tokyo, the KAATSU inventor was honored by the Japanese Olympic Committee in 1992. Word eventually leaked out from Japan about KAATSU beginning in the 1980s and throughout the 1990s, but it was mostly adopted without knowledge of the Base SKU and Optimal SKU, the smart pneumatic bands, or the use of the KAATSU Cycle protocols by the bodybuilding community.

These bodybuilders, looking to achieve muscle hypertrophy, never understood the existence of pneumatic bands that maintain its structural integrity as they inflate, or the importance of identifying one's Base SKU or Optimal SKU, or integrating the KAATSU Cycle protocols as a means of post-workout recovery. Eventually, the bodybuilding community resorted to using knee wraps and other sorts of restrictive, occasionally non-elastic, bands as occlusion training or tourniquet training tools. But acceptance of the thick postage rubber bands or knee wraps never took off in amateur or professional sports in the West, especially in the aquatic community.

But for years and even a cursory search on Amazon, a growing number of American and European bodybuilders and trainers simply tie knee wraps and other bands around their arms in order to build bulk based on information they learned from the Internet and two-dimensional photos they saw of KAATSU bands.

In contrast to the specific KAATSU protocols to identify optimal pressures, bodybuilders tie their limbs with occlusion bands using a pain scale from 1 to 10, with 7-8 being the recommended level of pain by various American researchers and strength coaches. This kind of simplified and frankly dangerous* means to occlude blood flow in the limbs was neither possible nor practical for age-group swimmers or older masters swimmers. "Or frankly, anyone," reminds Morgan. "In contrast to those focused on muscle hypertrophy, we wanted a proven, safe and effective means to help our young athletes improve their speed, strength and stamina - not a means simply to get bulkier.

Since the Center for KAATSU Research at the Harvard Medical School was established in 2013, I first used KAATSU on myself** and learned the proper protocols and how to safely use the KAATSU equipment. With that knowledge and experience, the athletes of the Gator's Swim Club have been experimenting with KAATSU and our age-group swimmers, several who are national-caliber swimmers.

I quickly learned how we could replicate 'race pain' without the need for a time-consuming test set by using the KAATSU equipment. By engorging the muscles in blood - instead of keeping blood out like the bodybuilders and their knee wraps, I studied how this revolutionary training technique could be utilized by competitive swimmers whether they are focused on their local high school championships and getting into college or others like Roy Burch and Mohamed Hussein who qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games."

Coach Morgan now uses KAATSU in three fundamental ways:

1. In rehabilitation
2. For recovery
3. During training

Rehabilitation
Swimmers use KAATSU to quickly resolve sore shoulders and the tweaks of overuse injuries from both our age-groupers and masters swimmers. "We use the KAATSU Cycle modality that starts off with lower pressures and gradually builds up to higher pressures. These protocols are the same protocols that are used by Olympic gold medalists and members of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics USA team and professional soccer players."***

Recovery
"We use the KAATSU Cycle modality between races and between the preliminary and final events in a multi-day event (e.g., the 2015 Winter Junior National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia) and KAATSU Cycle has been used at the World University Games and United States Olympic Trials in both swimming and track & field."

Training
"We do a variety of sets with KAATSU in order to improve technique, speed, strength and stamina. None of these sets last over 20 minutes, as per the standard KAATSU protocols. Some of the sets involve using arm bands and some of the sets involve using leg bands, including sets that exclusively focus on starts or turns.

These sets can range from 10 x 15m breakouts to 10 x 50 at a specific pressure.

Not only have our athletes and their parents accepted KAATSU and appreciate its benefits, but we also have some of our graduating seniors requesting the KAATSU machines accompany them to their new collegiate teams."

* Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2010 May; 20(3): 218-9: Low-load ischemic exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis

** In 2013, Morgan competed in a Tough Mudder obstacle race near Boston. He used the KAATSU Master to improve his fitness level, but on the day of the event, at mile #10, he slipped on a log, smashed his side, and broke 2 ribs. For 7 days immediately after the injury, he used the KAATSU Master and KAATSU Air Bands as prescribed for broken bones. By day 7, the pain and sensitivity of the broken ribs had vanished. Ten days after the first x-rays revealed the broken ribs, he took a second set of x-rays at Harvard University that showed a complete recovery. "Ever since that time, I wanted the athletes who I work with to benefit from a clear and methodical use of KAATSU."

*** Get Stronger, Go Longer. KAATSU is Blowing Researchers' Minds (Military Times) and KAATSU Japanese Blood Flow Routine (Outside Magazine)

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