Sunday, December 30, 2018

KAATSU To Offset Sarcopenia



KAATSU inventor Professor Sir Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, M.D., Ph.D. and University of Tokyo Hospital cardiologist Toshiaki Nakajima, M.D., Ph.D. determined the optimal means to prevent sarcopenia using KAATSU the original BFR.

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and is a major problem especially among older individuals.

Among both males and females, muscle strength decreases with age and muscle volume quickly decreases (0.45 kg per year) as individuals age past 50 years old. That is, fast twitch muscle fiber decreases on average to 50% by the age of 80 years.

To prevent it, physicians and physiologists understand that high-intensity resistance exercise (e.g., weight training or body weight exercises) is required. But this type of training is usually not possible - or desired - by the elderly.

But with KAATSU, individuals up to the age of 104 [see below] can perform low-load or no-load, non-impact exercise with KAATSU equipment following the KAATSU Cycle modality to induce muscle hypertrophy and strengthen muscle even with short-term, low-intensity exercise. With the KAATSU Air Bands or KAATSU Aqua Bands, the KAATSU no-load, non-impact exercise physiologically and safely equals high-intensity, high-load training. In both cases (KAATSU and high-intensity, high-load training) the muscle and brain are stimulated to induce muscle hypertrophy and strength including fast twitch muscle fibers.

Elderly KAATSU users are strongly recommended to use repeated (3-6) KAATSU Cycles on first their arms and then subsequently on their legs. Ideally, this is done sometime in the morning or afternoon. Users can then do a few KAATSU Cycles on either their arms and/or legs during the evening hours, optimally less than hour before bedtime.

The KAATSU Master 2.0 is the next-generation device to be used safely and effectively by users over the age of 50 years.



























There are 5 general levels of pressure (Levels 1 - 5) that are increasingly higher, but are based on decades of use by elderly patients in Japan and are judged safe by Japanese cardiologist.

Dr. Nakajima reported the significant increase in cross sectional area of thigh with MRI in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports (2014 Oct;24(5):799-806). He also explained how the increase in muscle strength and mass leads to improvement of life function tests like getting up and out of a chair or bed.

Similar results were realized in the arms (biceps and triceps) among the group of elderly patients [see before-and-after effects of a 71-year-old subject on left].

Dr. Nakajima explains the process leading up to muscle hypertrophy due to traditional resistance training. "Typically, an individual needs to perform at least 65% of 1RM to create mechanical stress, metabolic stress, Hormone (cathecholamine) secretion, Growth factor, Cytokin (IL-6), nerve factor, local circulation, hypoxia and cell swelling that leads to adaptation and an increase in protein synthesis and decrease in protein degradation.

In contrast, KAATSU leads to several mechanisms that cause KAATSU's hypertrophic effects: recruitment of fast twitch muscle fibers, increase in Growth Hormone and IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor), amino acid uptake, increase in protein synthesis and a decrease in myostatin.
"

He described the process. "Maintenance of skeletal muscle mass is dependent on the relationship of muscle protein balance - protein synthesis and breakdown. A negative protein balance induces muscle atrophy, whereas a positive balance induces muscle hypertrophy.

After muscle disuse, during long-term bed rest and simulated models of no-bearing activity, severe skeletal muscle atrophy develops due to altered protein metabolism leading to decreased muscle contractile protein content.

To prevent this, resistance exercise, an established and potent stimulus for enhancing muscle protein synthesis and subsequent muscle hypertrophy, is traditionally used.

Conversely, skeletal muscle is a plastic organ that adapts its mass to the different conditions by affecting pathways that regulate protein and cellular turnover. Repetitive KAATSU appears to be a novel stimulus for skeletal muscle to induce a net positive protein balance and prevent atrophy especially with patients with orthopedic diseases or injuries or those with disuse syndrome, sarcopenia and cachexia (weakness and wasting of the body due to severe chronic illness)
."

The video below shows the before-and-after effects of KAATSU Cycle on a 104-year-old female.

Visionary physicians like Dr. Sato and Dr. Nakajima are leading the way on how best to utilize KAATSU to combat sarcopenia (loss of muscle tissue as a natural part of the aging process) while addressing a host of other wellness and health issues. For example, 104-year-old female patient in Kawasaki, Japan shows what is possible with KAATSU under the guidance of her physician Dr. Odagiri and Dr. Sato.



The patient was bedridden and uncommunicative for two months with severe dementia. She was transferred from her local hospital to Odagiri Hospital where she was treated with KAATSU. Initially for the first month, she simply did KAATSU Cycle as she remained in bed. Gradually, she became communicative and was able to get out of bed. Eventually, over the course of two months, she was able to do a variety of exercises and found herself wishing to live to be 200 years old [see English translation in video above].

During the Japanese-language video, she was asked how old she is and she answers as 104, holding a document confirming her age and birth date. She is shown doing a variety of exercises with her KAATSU Air Bands on (at an Optimal SKU level of 120).

Her doctors also documented her muscle gains in her upper legs (quadricep + hamstring) via before-and-after comparative computed tomography scans (3 months apart):





























For a brief explanation of the mechanisms involved in doing KAATSU among elderly patients, visit here.

Copyright © 2014 - 2018 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU For Older Golfers

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, golfers
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery

Former Japanese golf professional Teruo Sugihara (Japanese: 杉原輝雄) passed away at the age of 74. Sugihara was one of the first professional athletes in Japan to transform his career later in life by incorporating KAATSU into his training and recovery.

Sugihara won 63 tournaments over the course of his career and played professionally in Japan even after his diagnosis of prostate cancer in 1997. In 2006, at age 68, he became the oldest player to make the cut in a top-tier Japanese tour event.

His final Japan Golf Tour appearance came at the 2010 Mizuno Open in Nishonomiya, Japan, the same year that he co-authored a book called KAATSU Golf with KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato.

There were many valuable lessons in his innovative use of KAATSU that he has shared with golfers of any age, but especially with older golfers.

Sugihara-san used KAATSU to improve his health and his game. His book, KAATSU Golf, describes how he used KAATSU to:

* strengthen his upper body
* improve his swing
* enhance his mobility during his swing
* increase his grip strength
* improve his leg strength with squats and practice swings
* enhance his overall strength and club head speed

Older golfers can use KAATSU with the following protocols:

1. Always start with the KAATSU Cycle mode, using the KAATSU Nano or KAATSU Master 2.0 units with KAATSU Air Bands.
2. Always be well-hydrated before starting KAATSU.

3. The KAATSU Cycle should be used first on the arms and then on the legs. That is, place the KAATSU Air Bands first on then arms, do upper body exercises, then remove the bands. Then, repeat the KAATSU Cycles with the KAATSU Air Bands on the legs.

4. The Base SKU pressure should be high enough to slightly reduce venous flow, but not high enough to restrict arterial flow. That is, the KAATSU Air Bands should be snugly applied to the limbs so a finger cannot be slipped between the bands and the arms (or legs). The palm of the hand with the band will subsequently turn slightly pink or give the appearance of a rosy color compared to the palm on the hand without the band. This is due to the increased engorgement of blood in the capillaries.

5. In addition to the coloration of the palms, the maintenance of the arterial flow can be confirmed by the Masimo MightySat Finger Pulse Oximeter. The pulse rate and SpO2 is shown on the face of the Masimo device [see photo below where a women in her 60s with the KAATSU Air Bands at 280 SKU shows a real-time pulse rate of 72 beats per minute and SpO2 of 100%]. It is also normal that veins are distended [see photo below].







































6. The KAATSU Cycle mode should start conservatively (i.e., with a lower Optimal SKU pressure) on the first Cycle and then can be gradually increased on the second and subsequent Cycles (e.g., 100 SKU on the first Cycle followed by 140 SKU on the second Cycle, 180 SKU on the third Cycle, and 220 SKU on the fourth Cycle). At all times, the coloration should be at least maintained, and usually becomes a deeper hue or more red. This coloration transformation is due to increased engorgement of blood in the capillaries and veins.


























































7. If the user feels uncomfortable or lightheaded at any time, the bands should be immediately removed. Alternatively, on the KAATSU Master 2.0, the data settings for automatic shutdown can be set to any specific SpO2 or pulse rate. However, use of the KAATSU Cycle has shown over millions of KAATSU sessions that this mode comfortable and appropriate for users of all ages and backgrounds.

8. During the 3-4 KAATSU Cycles, the KAATSU 3-Point Exercises can be done:

KAATSU 3-Point Exercises for arms:
(a) Standard: Hand Clenches + Biceps Curls + Triceps Extensions
(b) Advanced: Hand Clenches with a squeeze ball + Biceps Curls with very light dumbbells + Triceps Extensions done slowly under muscle contraction

KAATSU 3-Point Exercises for legs:

(a) Standard: Toe Curls + Toe Raises + Sitting Heel Raises
(b) Advanced: Slow Standing Heel Raises + Slow Standing Leg Curls + Slow non-lock Quarter Squats

KAATSU 3-Point Exercises for core (optional):

(a) Standard (with KAATSU leg bands on): Sit up straight in chair + stretch arms and hands upwards in a long, slow stretch + bend forward breathing slowly
(b) Advanced (with KAATSU leg bands on): Balance on one foot (alternate feet) + balance on one foot while moving water bottles in hand + walk with a book on your head + balance

That is, when the bands are inflated, the user can do these various movements listed above in order.

9. After the KAATSU Cycles are over, the user can then move right into their KAATSU functional movements of choice (e.g., swinging a club using a putter or driver) or stretching.

10. If functional movements are not possible due to injury or disability, the KAATSU 3-Point Exercises can be used for rehabilitative or recovery.

11. After the KAATSU Cycles and exercises are completed on the arms, then remove the bands from the arms and place the bands on the legs.

12. Do KAATSU Cycles on the legs and then KAATSU functional movements of choice with the bands on the legs.

To purchase Sugihara's DVD book in its original Japanese language, visit Amazon Japan here.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

Monday, December 24, 2018

Rocks, Sand, Powder and KAATSU

For who? trainers, coahes, athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



























Most personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and exercise physiologists believe that proper muscle building requires regular lifting of weights and other resistance exercises.

The conventional wisdom is that the heavier the weight and/or the more repetitions or time in the gym, the larger and faster muscles will grow.

Standard thought includes that part of that muscle-building process - at any age or with either gender - requires the experience of DMOS (Delayed Muscle Onset Soreness) where the muscle fibers are damaged while weight lifting, and thus leading to the secretion of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) that results in muscle recovery, growth and size.

Practically, this means that if you are bench pressing 50 kg in 3 sets of 12 repetitions, and then gradually increase the weight to 55 kg in 3 sets of 12 repetitions, then not only are you psychologically satisfied with your performance, but you are also getting stronger and most probably bigger in size.

And usually sore for a while after every weight training session.

Figuratively speaking, a strength and conditioning coach wants their athletes to lift more weights over more repetitions.

Let’s imagine that those weights are rocks. Let’s place those rocks in a bucket and ask the athlete to lift those imaginary buckets.

If the coach wants to increase their weight of that bucket, he will add another rock. But at some point, the bucket will be filled and no more rocks can be added.

But what if those rocks were replaced by sand? Rocks are clearly heavier than sand. But, if we filled the bucket with sand - tiny particles of little rocks - the overall weight of the sand-filled bucket will be even greater than a bucket filled with larger, heavier rocks.

Now imagine the coach wants to increase the weight of the bucket for his athlete. He cannot add another rock, but he can add some additional sand.

The sand enables micro increases of weight in a way that rocks cannot. This can enable the coach to help his athlete very gradually and very minutely increase the weight and performance gains.

Now figuratively imagine, a clever coach used powder instead of sand in his imaginary weight training bucket. Powder is obviously lighter than sand and significantly lighter than rocks. But powder enables the coach to very precisely and gradually increase the weight and strength of his athlete.

Essentially, the sand and the powder enables a more precise means to gradually increase the strength and performance of an athlete.

KAATSU is very similar to this analogy of using rocks versus sand versus powder.

KAATSU equipment enables strength and conditioning coaches to very precisely and MUCH more frequently increase the strength and size of their athletes in addition to their speed and stamina.

The preciseness and specificity that is enabled by KAATSU equipment is unparalleled. With KAATSU equipment, one pressure point increase is the figurative and literal amount that is equivalent to a single grain of sand or tiny bits of powder. For elite athletes who seek victory by being only incrementally faster, better, and stronger than their opponents, KAATSU - or the equivalent of sand or powder - can be the incremental difference.

Likewise, for a stroke victim or a paraplegic who is striving to make only slight incremental improvements in their movements or strength, KAATSU enables the tiny increases in their Quality of Life. Performed regularly and ideally daily for less than 15 minutes per day, these incremental increases in performance and in the Quality of Life makes significant changes in the lives of healthy athletes and injured individuals.

Copyright © 2014 - 2018 by KAATSU Global

Be Healthy Until The Day You Die

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


























Graph courtesy of CNN.

"He taught me that a wonderful goal is to be healthy until the day you died," said Steven Munatones of 70-year-old Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, the inventor of KAATSU [shown on left]. "What Dr. Sato and his wife* have shown after 5 decades of daily KAATSU use is that his goal is possible. It is unbelievable how healthy the Sato's are."

With unprecedented demographic changes underway in Japan, KAATSU is a wellness modality in much need.

Japan's population peaked in 2008 at 128,083,960 people. But as the number of births fell below the number of deaths among Japanese, Japan is experiencing its biggest natural population decline since 1899 when records began. Japan's population is currently at 124 million this year - but is expected to decrease to 88 million by 2065 and 42 million by 2110 as its population continues to decline by 1 million people every year according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research estimates.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reported that the number of births dipped under 1 million babies for the third consecutive year while the number of deaths in 2018 was 1.369 million.

The demographic trends are undeniable. Since 2013, more than 20% of Japan's population is over the age of 65 and that figure is forecasted to rise above 40% by 2060 while Japanese has an average life expectancy of 85 years as of 2016 (it was 81.25 as of 2006).

So what are the implications of these demographic trends vis-a-vis KAATSU usage?

Significant.



Visionary physicians and patients born before 1950 are leading the way on how best to incorporate KAATSU to combat sarcopenia (loss of muscle tissue as a natural part of the aging process) and address a host of other health issues. For example, 104-year-old female patient in Kawasaki, Japan shows what is possible with KAATSU under the guidance of her physician Dr. Odagiri and KAATSU inventor Dr. Sato.

The video above was presented by Dr. Odagiri at the first KAATSU Training Symposium held in Tokyo, Japan in 2005.

The patient was bedridden and uncommunicative for two months with severe dementia. She was transferred from her local hospital to Odagiri Hospital where she was treated with KAATSU. Initially for the first month, she simply did KAATSU Cycle as she remained in bed. Gradually, she became communicative and was able to get out of bed. Eventually, over the course of two months, she was able to do a variety of exercises and found herself wishing to live to be 200 years old [see English translation in video above].

During the video, she was asked how old she is and she answers as 104, holding a document confirming her age and birth date. She is shown doing a variety of exercises with her KAATSU Air Bands on (at an Optimal SKU level of 120).

Her doctors also documented her muscle gains in her upper legs (quadricep + hamstring) via before-and-after comparative computed tomography scans (3 months apart):





























For a brief explanation of the mechanisms involved in doing KAATSU among elderly patients, visit here.

* Mrs. Sato wears a pulse oximeter showing a pulse rate of 72 and a SpO2 of 100% while doing KAATSU on the new KAATSU Master 2.0.

Copyright © 2014-2018 by KAATSU Global

Thursday, December 13, 2018

The Transformation From Tradition

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

















































David Tawil is one of the world’s most experienced KAATSU Master Specialists. He has taught KAATSU to Olympic gold medalists and Navy SEALs as well as wounded warriors and quadriplegics, traveling from Tokyo to Tel Aviv and Houston to Helsinki.

After learning myriad KAATSU protocols and applications directly from KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato over several visits to Tokyo, 29-year-old Tawil started to travel the globe mentoring individuals from teenagers to basketball stars about the intricacies of KAATSU.

But his transformation to a KAATSU Master Specialist was unlikely and unexpected.

I was a conventional personal trainer, lifting heavy weights in order to tear down muscle so it could repair itself and get bigger,” explained Tawil originally from New York City. “I frequently experienced DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) - that was how bodybuilders and trainers were taught.

But then I met Dr. Sato through my own trainer, Jim Cleary. At the time, we were very much into negatives. But Jim was one of the earliest advocates of KAATSU in the United States, back in 2014. Jim had torn his biceps lifting weights and used KAATSU to avoid atrophy and build his bicep even when it was in the process of healing.

I thought the KAATSU concept of reducing the venous flow and secreting Growth Hormone as well as IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) was fascinating. At the time, it was certainly unheard of in my weight training circles and traditional training network, so I found my way to Tokyo where Dr. Sato blew my mind with all kinds of athletic performance, weight training, rehabilitation and recovery protocols.”

Dr. Sato showed Tawil how he could build muscle without lifting weights and avoid DOMS, even while rehabilitating from broken bones or torn muscles or damaged ligaments and tendons. At first, KAATSU seemed to Tawil as a simple adjunct to his traditional weight training program. But as he experimented more and more with KAATSU, he realized KAATSU presented a complete lifestyle change.

KAATSU completely transformed my lifestyle and made it significantly more efficient and effective.

In the course of a single day, I was able to incorporate all different facets of Dr. Sato’s discoveries with KAATSU. I wake up in the morning and do KAATSU to help my body wake up.

I could literally pack for a business trip while wearing my arm bands on and kill two birds with one stone. I would be getting ready, packing my luggage while building muscle with the KAATSU Air Bands on. I could go to the airport early and do a few KAATSU Cycles to relax before my flight. I even learned to do KAATSU at 30,000 feet in the airplane, effectively eliminating jet lag and feeling energized once I got off the plane.

I did KAATSU in Starbucks, in taxis, while waiting in hotel lobbies, before a business meeting, and during vacation.

We did KAATSU Aqua on vacation with my family and I was able to help my father recover from his leg injuries
.”

Not only did Tawil feel better and look bigger, but he also validated his physiological improvements at the Bulletproof Lab in Santa Monica, California. “Even after I stopped lifting weights and was only doing KAATSU Cycles throughout the day - while doing functional movements or isometric exercises - I actually got bigger. My lean muscle mass increased - as documented at the Bulletproof Lab - while my body fat decreased. If I had not experienced this myself and seen the results independently confirmed by the DEXA scan, it would have been hard to believe."

Tawil's most recent work has been with Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Russian professional mixed martial artist who is a two-time Combat Sambo World Champion and the reigning undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion, and his MMA teammates in Miami, Florida.

Follow Tawil's travels around the world here.

Copyright © 2014-2018 by KAATSU Global

Monday, December 10, 2018

Peter Andrew Headlines Global Coaching Convention

Courtesy of FINA, Hangzhou, China.

Coach Peter Andrew spoke eloquently on a topic he knows very well about training world-class swimmers: Quality vs Quantity: Non-Traditional Periodisation of Training Volume to over 1000 delegates, representing over 400 organizations and National Federations at the Hangzhou Intercontinental Hotel. Andrew headlined the 3-day FINA World Aquatics Convention between December 8th and 10th.

Speakers at the 2018 FINA World Aquatics Convention and FINA Swimming Coaches Golden Clinic covered myriad topics to the world's most accomplished coaches and administrators.

"It was years ago that Peter inquired about KAATSU the original BFR and KAATSU Aqua, its application in the swimming and aqua therapy worlds," recalled Chris Morgan, an Olympic coach who runs Crimson Aquatics in Massachusetts. "He started to use KAATSU for recovery after workouts and between heats and the finals, and later for dryland training, and with the KAATSU Aqua Bands when doing explosive sprints in the pool."

After making his presentation at the 5th FINA World Aquatics Convention, Andrew shifted from a speaker to a coach attending the 14th FINA World Swimming Championships held between December 11th and 16th.

Born and raised in South Africa, Andrew was an avid swimmer who later became a member of the Naval Operational Dive Team with the South African Naval Defense Force before earning his business management degree from Natal Technico.

Andrew moved to the United States and established the Aberdeen Aquaholics in South Dakota. The team moved to Kansas and evolved into Indie Swimming and then into the Race Pace Club where his son and world champion Michael trains.

He coached Michael who became the United States' most successful national age group swimmer with over 100 national age group records with four national titles in the 50m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke and 50m butterfly, and a 2016 world 100m individual medley championship. As his son developed into one of the world's fastest swimmers, Andrew’s influence within the global swimming community has increased.

The Andrew's pair incorporates Ultra Short Race Pace Training and KAATSU into their training regimen.

For more information on the World Aquatics Convention and FINA Swimming Coaches Golden Clinic, visit here. For more information on Peter Andrew, visit here.

Copyright © 2014 - 2018 by KAATSU Global