Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Dr. Cory On Jumping Rope With KAATSU - Legs

For who? Student-athletes, competitive athletes
For what? Stamina, strength, flexibility, mobility, balance, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT explains and showcases how the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 and the KAATSU Air Bands can be used for aerobic purposes.

"...simple and easy...use your speed triangle...no jump rope, no problem."
"...my calves are catching their breath...just do some light hopping..."
"...keep moving and pumping those calves...let's do some single-leg stuff..."
"This is a great way to get a great workout in little time."

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On Jumping Rope With KAATSU - Arms

For who? Competitive athletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT explains and showcases how the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 and the KAATSU Air Bands can be used for aerobic purposes.

"I don't have a jumping rope, but I got my KAATSU..."
"All that I am really doing is just pumping my calves..."
"...shift, shift...swivel, swivel, tap, tap...getting a little lateral movement in there...I got my arms pumping...stick with me..."

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU At Home - Zoom Meeting On April 1st

For who? Retirees, competitive athletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home































Retired Navy SEAL Captain John Doolittle and Steven Munatones will co-host the inaugural KAATSU At Home - Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, April 1st at 10 am California time, 1:00 pm New York time, 6:00 pm GMT, and 2:00 am (Thursday) Tokyo time. It is a one-hour online meeting on the Zoom platform.

Doolittle and Munatones will briefly introduce the following topics during the first 30 minutes:

1. New products: KAATSU Master 2.0 and KAATSU Cycle 2.0
2. How and when to use the KAATSU Master 2.0 and KAATSU Cycle 2.0
3. Uses for KAATSU by aging Baby Boomers during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns, quarantines and shelter-in-place ordinances
4. Uses for KAATSU by competitive athletes during these trying times
5. Uses for KAATSU by working adults while at home

Doolittle and Munatones will answer questions and address any issues over the last 30 minutes. Participants can ask questions live to the co-hosts on the Zoom remote conferencing platform. If you do not have an opportunity to listen in live, the program will be recorded and archived for your listening pleasure.

Participants can also ask question live to the guests on the Zoom remote conferencing platform.

To login and listen to the KAATSU At Home - Zoom Meeting, join here (https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2827965029). Meeting ID: 282-796-5029 or dial +1-646-558-8656 (New York). To find your local number, visit https://us04web.zoom.us/u/fbYxwZ8Lmh.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Monday, March 30, 2020

Dr. Cory on KAATSU Aqua Arms in Deep Water

For who? Injured student-athletes, swimmers, triathletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU Aqua



Cory Keirn DPT demonstrates different KAATSU Aqua arms exercises in a home pool.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Aqua Arms

For who? Injured athletes, competitive athletes, swimmers
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU Aqua



Cory Keirn DPT demonstrates various kinds of upper body and core exercises with KAATSU Air Bands inflated by the KAATSU Cycle 2.0.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory on KAATSU Aqua Legs in Deep Water

For who? Student-athletes, swimmers, triathletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU Aqua



Cory Keirn DPT demonstrates using the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 and the KAATSU Aqua Bands for an at-home workout.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory on KAATSU Aqua with a Noodle

For who? Injured athletes, swimmers, triathletes
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU Aqua



Cory Keirn DPT demonstrates how to use inflated KAATSU Air Bands with a Noodle in a swimming pool as a form of innovative aqua therapy.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory Doing KAATSU Aqua

For who? Injured competitive athletes, retirees, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU Aqua



Cory Keirn DPT demonstrates using the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 and the KAATSU Aqua Bands for an at-home workout based on the principles and protocols of KAATSU the original BFR.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Dr. Cory Using The KAATSU Cycle 2.0 For Lower Body Warm-up

For who? Work-at-home employees, student-athletes, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT explains how the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 can be used for a lower body warm-up based on the principles and protocols of KAATSU the original BFR.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

The History, Mechanism and Relevance of KAATSU

For who? Stay-at-home parents, student-athletes, competitive athletes
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home





The All Nippon Airways (ANA) documentary on Dr. Yoshiaki Sato and the NHK Medical Frontiers documentary on muscle atrophy, both remain especially relevant in these trying times of self-isolation, quarantines, lockdowns and shelter-in-place ordinances.

KAATSU the original BFR and the mechanisms why it is so effective and efficient have a long history.

The Moment of Discovery

In the fall of 1966, Yoshiaki Sato was 18 years old. He was attending a Buddhist memorial service and listening to the monk chanting sutras when, not unexpectedly, his legs went numb while sitting on the floor in the traditional Japanese position (“seiza” or 正座). With a straight back while kneeling on the tatami mat floor, he started to massage his calves in order to relieve the pain as his legs were bent underneath him.

While the discomfort continued during the long ceremony, he had a revelation.

Sato realized that his blood circulation was blocked in his calves as the weight of his body was directly upon his ankles. He reasoned that his legs must have gone to sleep as a result of the reduced blood flow to the periphery of his legs. Because his calves had the “pumped up” feeling after he experienced while bodybuilding, this was the initial KAATSU moment of inspiration where the original idea of blood flow moderation training began.

The swelling and hardness in his calves led to Sato asking himself the key question that began KAATSU.

I wonder if purposefully constricting blood flow could artificially replicate the physiological conditions of hard training. If this were true, could benefits be realized by only lifting no loads or only light loads instead of heavy weights?

The answer would be answered in the positive.

Years of Quiet Experimentation

Over the next seven years between 1966 and 1973 in the quiet of his own house, the young man from Tokyo diligently experimented on himself by applying different bicycle tubes, ropes and bands at different pressures on different parts of his body. He methodically kept track of what type of bands and pressures worked and what experiments did not.

As a monk in his local Buddhist temple, he began to see results that could not be explained given the physiological knowledge of the day. But the resulting effects of KAATSU were clear, although the medical explanations did not come for another decade.

After detailed and documented trial and error, Sato gradually developed effective protocols to safely restrict blood flow and enable muscle growth. His self-research on his own body led him to determine what length and width of bands are ideal and the optimal degree and locations to apply KAATSU pressure in various activities.

Moment of Proof

By 1973 on his own body, Sato gradually developed the details and fine-tuned the protocols of KAATSU as it continues to be practiced. At the age of 25 he went on a ski trip when he badly fractured his ankle and torn the ligaments around his knee. The injuries were diagnosed and his own father, a local doctor, told Sato that it would take six months to heal.

With a plaster cast on his leg, Sato rehabilitated himself with his KAATSU bands applied to his upper leg. Because he could not withstand the discomfort of keeping the bands on for the usual duration, he released the bands and repeatedly tightened the bands while doing isometric exercises for 30 seconds on and a few seconds off three times per day.

The results of his regimen – now known as the KAATSU Cycle – surprised him to a certain extent, but really shocked his doctors because not only did his muscles not atrophy, but he fully recovered within six weeks.

Years of Confirmation

Word spread locally of Sato’s unheard of recovery. Demand for his new approach built rapidly around Tokyo, so Sato opened the Sato Sports Plaza in Fuchu where the KAATSU Japan headquarters still exists.

Sato conducted KAATSU on local people of all ages and abilities over the next decade. Injured patients, healthy athletes, older people and younger adults flocked to his office. While applying KAATSU to thousands of clients, Sato learned what worked best for people with various kinds of afflictions and injuries and from all walks of life between 1973 and 1982.

Mind – Body – Spirit Connection

Sato observed that KAATSU enabled the human body to improve and heal itself most effectively and most efficiently than any other therapy or modality.

He also encouraged people to focus mentally on their injured body part while doing KAATSU and observed how the intake of food and water before and after KAATSU also led to positive results. The mind-body-spirit connection was clearly evident.

Patenting KAATSU

In 1994, Sato applied for his first patents in Japan (Patent No. 2670421), U.S.A. (Patent No. 6149618), and Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy with 94206403.0) as he produced and commercialized the first KAATSU Training bands. He worked on injured professional golfers and Japanese Olympians as his reputation grew.

Introduction of the KAATSU Instructor Certification Program

In 1997, Sato introduced the KAATSU Instructor educational program in Japan where his defined protocols were shared with coaches, trainers, physical therapists and physicians throughout Japan. Over 3,000 KAATSU Instructors were certified and hundreds of more experienced KAATSU Special Instructors were licensed. These instructors conducted tens of thousands of KAATSU sessions annually and safely without complications.

Media attention and public acceptance grew in Japan after KAATSU was named one of the collaborative projects of the University of Tokyo Hospital’s 22nd Century Medical and Research Center in 2000.

Sato also began to offer an ischemic circulatory physiology course at the University of Tokyo Hospital and conducted joint development work with the Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation.

KAATSU Research

Beginning in the mid-1990’s, Sato began joint research with Professor Naokata Ishii of the Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, at the University of Tokyo. Other researchers in Japan, including cardiologists Dr. Nakajima and Dr. Morita at the University of Tokyo Hospital, started to explore the benefits of KAATSU and various research results were submitted to peer-review publications.

KAATSU Internationalization

In 2014, KAATSU Global was established in Huntington Beach, California and the Center for KAATSU Research at the Harvard Medical School was started in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Sato and his partners Steven Munatones and Richard Herstone. Thereafter, Olympic coach Chris Morgan, David Tawil, retired Navy SEAL Captain John Doolittle, Ralph Polendo, Dr. Lyle Nalli, Robert Heiduk in Germany, Péter Lakatos in Hungary and many others joined the team and began global expansion throughout North America, South America, Oceania, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Eventually, KAATSU Global developed the next-generation products that were also sold to and distributed by Dr. Sato in Japan including the latest KAATSU Master 2.0, KAATSU Cycle 2.0, KAATSU C3, KAATSU M3, and KAATSU B1.

KAATSU Future

Future applications and the third generation of KAATSU products are currently being explored in the military, medical, sports performance and corporate wellness markets in the United States with plans for further expansion in Asia, South America, Europe, and Oceania.

While KAATSU has expanded to 47 countries as of 2020, there are also an increasing number of knock-offs and imitators that use KAATSU copyrighted materials and attempt to design products around KAATSU patents as the global market continues to grow.

Summary Timelines

1966: Dr. Sato developed the concept of KAATSU when he was sitting on his heels during a Buddhist ceremony.
1966-1972: Dr. Sato experiments on himself and develops the basic KAATSU methodology through years of trial and error.
1973: Dr. Sato breaks his ankle during skiing and uses KAATSU Cycle to rehabilitate himself quickly.
1973-1982: Dr. Sato begins to offer KAATSU to others.
1983-1994: Dr. Sato continues to improve know-how to apply KAATSU through increasingly wider application to people and basic research.
November 1993: Dr. Sato applies for first patent of KAATSU in Japan (Patent No. 2670421).
June 1994: Dr. Sato applies for first patent of KAATSU in the United States (Patent No. 6149618).
August 1994: Dr. Sato applies for first patent of KAATSU in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy (94306403.0).
1995: KAATSU receives recognition after being used on the Japanese bodybuilding champion Toshio Konuma.
1996-1999: Dr. Sato begins joint research with Professor Naokata Ishii, Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
1997: Various research results are released at academic conferences in Japan.
2000: Research results are published in various academic journals.
2001: Research results are announced by the Japanese Society of Clinical Sports Medicine.
September 2001: KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua are tested at Golden West College in California, first time outside of Japan.
2004: Japan KAATSU Training Society is established.
June 2004: The study of KAATSU is initiated in the University of Tokyo Hospital's 22nd Century Medical and Research Center.
June 2004: Research results are published by the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine.
October 2004: KAATSU Training and ischemic circulatory physiology course is established at the University of Tokyo Hospital.
April 2005: Joint development agreement is signed with the Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation.
August 2005: Advanced medical research & development cluster is launched at the University of Tokyo Hospital.
October 2005: KAATSU Master Mini is developed and launched in Japan.
April 2006: The University of Tokyo offers a course in Sport and Exercise Biometrics at its Graduate School of Frontier Science.
August 2006: Joint research begins with JAXA and the University of Tokyo into KAATSU implementation into space.
December 2006: KAATSU Training Research Institute Co., Ltd. is launched.
July 2007: Research on KAATSU begins at Rutgers University, University of Oklahoma, West Point, University of Texas and Indiana University Purdue University.
May 2008: KAATSU Master is launched.
August 2008: American College of Sports Medicine signs co-research project with Dr. Sato.
April 2009: Dr. Sato is appointed as Knight Commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
September 2009: Joint development agreement is signed with Jilin University and the State General Administration of Sports in China.
April 2010: Genetic research starts at the Research Institute of Sports Science of the State General Administration of Sports in China. December 2013: Dr. Sato starts to work with United States Ski & Snowboard Association in Park City, Utah.
February 2014: KAATSU Global, Inc. is established in California by Steven Munatones, Richard Herstone and Dr. Sato.
February 2014: KAATSU is used by American Olympic Nordic combined skiers at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
September 2014: New KAATSU Master and KAATSU Nano are launched in the United States.
2016: Drs. Sato, Ishii, Nakajima and Abe publishes the book, KAATSU Training: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives, in English.
2016: KAATSU is widely used by Olympic athletes at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2017: KAATSU is used by personnel in the Department of Defense and Special Operations Command in the United States military.
2018: KAATSU is used by athletes in the NFL (National Football League), NBA (National Basketball Association), MLB (Major League Baseball), NHL (National Hockey League), MLS (Major League Soccer) and NCAA Division I, II and III institutions in the United States.
2018: KAATSU is used by personnel in the Israeli Defense Forces.
2018: KAATSU is used by paraplegics and quadriplegics for the first time outside of Japan.
2019: KAATSU is distributed in 47 countries and 50 American states including at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
June 2019: Robert Heiduk publishes the book, KAATSU – The Pressure Training From Japan – New perspectives in sport, therapy and health promotion, in English and German.
June 2019: Dr. Nakajima and Dr. Sato publishes the book, University of Tokyo Hospital 22nd Century Medical and Research Center KAATSU Training & Ischemic Circulatory Physiology Course Summary from 2004 - 2014, in English.
July 2019: Next-generation KAATSU Master 2.0 is launched in the United States, Europe, and Middle East.
October 2020: Next-generation KAATSU Cycle 2.0 is launched in the United States, Europe, and Middle East.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

No Big Pool, No Problem

For who? Swimmers, triathletes
For what? Functional mobility, stamina, strength, KAATSU Aqua






























Track & field, gymnastics, beach volleyball, triathlon and swimming are among the most popular sports during the Summer Olympics.

Olympic heroes like Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz, Don Schollander and Johnny Weissmuller have long enthralled American swimming fans.

In this era of lockdowns, quarantines and shelter-in-place regulations, most dryland athletes can find alternatives to their temporarily closed training facilities. Runners can run in a park or around their neighborhood while cyclists can ride around on public streets (if not in a complete lockdown).

In contrast, competitive swimmers are in a quandary. Most, if not all, competitive pools are shut down. It is hard to train to be a competitive swimmer - especially an elite one - without a 25-yard or 50-meter pool.

But there are alternatives. Small backyard pools and Jacuzzis present a useful alternative in these trying times, especially with KAATSU equipment and FINIS gear like Agility Paddles, Swim Parachute, and Slide Trainers.

Aerobic Training
Set #1: Forward KAATSU Aqua Walking
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Do 10 sets of 15 seconds of walking at a comfortable place, followed by 30 seconds fast walking or walking-in-place.

Set #2: Backward KAATSU Aqua Walking
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Do 10 sets of 15 seconds of walking backwards at a comfortable place, followed by 30 seconds fast walking backwards or walking-in-place.

Set #3: KAATSU Aqua Lateral Jumps
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Jump off your left leg as far as you can to your right. Then jump off your right leg as far as you can to your left. Do sets of 10 jumps, then rest 15-30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

Set #4: KAATSU Aqua Kicking (butterfly + backstroke + breaststroke + freestyle)
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Place hands on the side of pool and kick against the wall.
Kick butterfly hard against the wall for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
Turn over on your back and kick backstroke hard against the wall for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
Kick breaststroke hard against the wall for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
Kick freestyle hard against the wall for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.



Set #5: KAATSU Aqua Bosu Ball Kicking (butterfly + breaststroke + freestyle)
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Balance on a large Bosu Ball and kick to the other side of the pool. If you fall off, jump back on the Bosu Ball and continue.



Set #5: KAATSU Parachute Swimming
Place a FINIS Slide Trainer or FINIS Swim Parachute or stretch cord or Therabands or surgical tubing around your hips (or ankles) and tie to either a pool ladder or have a coach/friend hold you in place. Swim hard for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times.

Strength Training
Set #1: KAATSU Aqua Pulling
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and put on FINIS Agility Paddles or any kind of hand paddles. Stand in place and do 30 triceps extensions. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat 5-10 times.

Set #2: KAATSU Aqua Push Downs
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and hold onto a water polo ball or volleyball. Stand in place and push the ball under the water 10 times. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times.

Set #3: KAATSU Aqua Core - Arms
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and jump on top of a large Bosu Ball. Try to stay on top of the Bosu Ball as long as possible.

Set #4: KAATSU Aqua Core - Arms
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and jump on top of a large Bosu Ball. Try to stay kick to the other side of the pool and turn around. Repeat 5 times after falling off the Bosu Ball, alternating freestyle and breaststroke kicking.​

Set #5: KAATSU Aqua Core - Legs
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs and jump on top of a large Bosu Ball. Try to stay on top of the Bosu Ball as long as possible.

Set #6: KAATSU Aqua Core - Legs
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs and jump on top of a large Bosu Ball. Try to stay kick to the other side of the pool and turn around. Repeat 5 times after falling off the Bosu Ball, alternating freestyle and breaststroke kicking.

Set #7: KAATSU Aqua Core - Core + Arms
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and place the Bosu Ball on the surface of the pool. Try to climb on top of the Bosu Ball in one smooth move and repeat 5-10 times.



Set #8: KAATSU Aqua Core - Core + Arms
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and hold a water polo ball or volleyball under the water straight under your body with one hand. Swim with the other arm and switch where you get to the other side.



Set #8: KAATSU Aqua Twists
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and hold a medicine (weighted) ball on - or better yet, just under - the surface of the pool. Twist from one side to the other 10-20 times. Rest and repeat 3 times.

Set #9: KAATSU Aqua Push & Pull
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and hold a medicine (weighted) ball on - or just under - the surface of the pool. Push the ball out from your chest by extending your arms straight, then pull the ball ball back towards your chest 10-20 times. Rest and repeat 3 times.

Speed Training
Set #1: KAATSU Aqua Sprinting
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms. Place head underwater take 25 fast arm strokes as quickly as possible. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat 5-10 times.

Set #2: KAATSU Aqua Breakouts and Turns (if possible)
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Push off the wall of the pool to the other side. Do 10 fast turns and breakouts if the pool is longer enough. Rest for 20 seconds between sets of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle turns.

Set #3: KAATSU Aqua Vertical Kicking
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your legs. Lift hands above water and kick in the vertical position for 30 seconds, alternating freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke kick. End the last 5-10 seconds with your arms straight above your head with your hands in the streamlined position. Rest for 20 seconds and repeat 5-10 times.

Stretching
Set #1: KAATSU Aqua Stretching - Arms
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your arms. Stand in place and stretch your triceps, deltoids, pecs, biceps and forearms.

Set #2: KAATSU Aqua Stretching - Legs
Place KAATSU Air Bands on your Legs. Go slightly underwater or stand in place and stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Hip Flexor Dynamic Stretching

For who? Work-at-home employees, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT uses the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 for tactical stretching that can be done anywhere anytime. KAATSU At Home is effective, efficient, and easy.

In the video, Dr. Keirn demonstrates the following exercises:
Hip Flexor Dynamic Stretch – Leg Bands
1. ½ kneeling with stick
2. Switch sides – ½ kneeling with stick
3. Kneeling reach back quad stretch
4. Child’s pose cat and camel
5. 45 degree groiner
6. Switch – 45 degree groiner
7. 90 degree groiner with upper T opener
8. Switch – 90 degree groiner with upper T opener

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Basic Pushing And Pulling For The Upper Body

For who? Work-at-home parents, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT shows basic KAATSU push and pull exercises for the upper body that can be done anywhere anytime. KAATSU the original BFR can be performed at home is an effective, efficient and easy modality.

Dr. Keirn demonstrates and explains the following Basic Push Pull exercises with Upper Body Bands (15 repetitions of each):

1. Long sitting rows
2. Repeat – long sitting rows
3. Pushups
4. Long sitting row
5. Close grip push-up
6. Standing bicep curls
7. Standing kickbacks
8. Detach into Training mode: (a) Bicep curls, (b) Close grip pushups, and (c) Bicep curls

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On Using KAATSU Cycle 2.0 + TRX Straps for Lower Body and Core

For who? Work-at-home employees, competitive athletes, retirees, Crossfitters
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT does a variety of exercises for your legs and core utilizing pneumatic KAATSU leg bands, the KAATSU Cycle 2.0, and TRX Straps at home.

Dr. Keirn demonstrates and explains the following exercises for the Basic TRX Leg and Ab Cycle – Upper bands with KAATSU the Original BFR:

1. TRX bench squats
2. TRX deep squats – wide base
3. Squat – Deep squat with heel raise
4. Still squatting – TRX row and curl
5. Jump squats x 20 repetitions
6. TRX rollout x 15 repetitions
7. Continue TRX rollout
8. Jump rope

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Cycle 2.0 + Spyder 360™ + Vasa SwimErg

For who? Swimmers, triathletes, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



The Spyder 360™ was called 'The Swiss Army Knife of Ab Rollers' by the Los Angeles Times. But Dr. Lyle Nalli took the Spyder 360™ one step further with KAATSU.

His workout in Huntington Beach, California started with a KAATSU Power Walk.* Walking around his neighborhood, he did 6 consecutive KAATSU Cycles with his KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit. He started with a light pressure of 80 SKU and eventually built up to the maximum of 400 SKU in pressure.

After he walked, he continued a series of 50-meter runs alternatively with 100m recovery walks on the streets near his home.

With the aerobic part of his workout over, Dr. Nalli continued with the standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises where he did Hand Clenches, Biceps Curls and Triceps Extensions using his KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit.



After the KAATSU Power Walk and the KAATSU 3-Point Exercises, Dr. Nalli did several sets of KAATSU Swim on his Vasa SwimErg. He used the KAATSU Training mode on the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit, putting the 250 SKU pressure on his pneumatic arm bands.



KAATSU Swim Protocol on the Vasa Trainer
* KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit with pneumatic KAATSU Bands
* Descending distance set: 1 minute on + 1-minute off, 45 seconds on + 45 seconds off, 30 seconds on + 30 seconds off, 15 seconds on + 15 seconds off, 15 seconds on + 15 seconds off
* Middle-distance set: 5 x 30 seconds on + 30 seconds off

Dr. Nalli said, "A KAATSU workout with an experienced KAATSU Master Specialist is also very helpful in order to fine tune the use of the KAATSU equipment. The philosophy of training where KAATSU enables incremental changes in gradual pressure, and therefore, in intensity, is very important. The old-school training of no-pain-no-gain is inferior to this kind of incremental increases in physiological stress - that catalyst ultimately leads to hormonal and metabolite secretion that is one critical end game. I am looking forward to seeing the results when it comes to a competition.

I am still following my regular morning workout, albeit only dryland training. I workout at home on my Vasa SwimErg - and get inspired by world-class athletes like Paralympian Robert Griswold who also trains with his own KAATSU equipment [shown below].

Robert is so strong right now in all his events, using KAATSU the Original BFR. When I see him working out so diligently despite having the Paralympics pushed back a year. But he continues to train hard and look forward to winning a handful of gold medals in 2021 at the postponed Tokyo Paralympics. He remains motivated and so do I
."



=========================================
* The U.S. Air Force special operators participated in a research project where the test subjects did 20-minute bouts of treadmill speed of 50 meters per minute.**

Dr. Bill 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.

The researchers found benefits and changes among the 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 is a useful method for promoting muscle hypertrophy for a wide range of people including the frail and elderly.

After three weeks of lower extremity 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 - like Dr. Nalli.

For 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.

** 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 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Friday, March 20, 2020

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Spinal Rotational Mobility

For who? Work-at-home employees, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT shows how KAATSU can be utilized if you want to play golf, tennis, baseball or anything where you have to rotate your body. You can do these KAATSU the Original BFR exercises anywhere anytime including in the comfort of your own home.

Dr. Keirn demonstrates and explains the following Spinal Rotation Mobility exercises with his Leg Bands:

1. Sidelying windmill
2. Switch – sidelying windmill
3. Rotation pec stick stretch
4. Repeat - Rotation pec stick stretch
5. Supine piriformis stretch
6. Switch – supine piriformis stretch
7. Hammy tugger
8. Switch – hammy tugger

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Yoga Legs

For who? Mothers, student-athletes, competitive athletes, retirees, work-from-home employees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, yoga, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT, using the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 and KAATSU Air Bands on his legs, shows how KAATSU the Original BFR can be used including doing yoga at the beach.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Shoulder Mobility And Strengthening

For who? Work from home employees, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT uses the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 to show how KAATSU the Original BFR can be used to help improve shoulder mobility and strength in the comfort of your own home.

His Basic Shoulder Mobility exercises with the KAATSU Air Bands on his arms include:

1. Shoulder blade circles with deep breathing
2. Shoulder blade up and downs
3. Shoulder blade forward and back
4. Shoulder blade key turns
5. Shoulder blade depressions
6. Shoulder Taps
7. Child’s pose rock
8. Upper trunk reach through and open

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Cory On KAATSU Yoga Arms

For who? Work from home employees, competitive athletes, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility, yoga, KAATSU At Home



Cory Keirn DPT, using the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 and KAATSU Air Bands on his arms, shows how KAATSU the Original BFR can be used including doing yoga at the beach.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Thursday, March 19, 2020

When Swimmers Cannot Swim During Shelter-in-Place Quarantines

For who? Work from home employees, swimmers, water polo players, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, strength, KAATSU Aqua



Dr. Lyle Nalli and his masters swimming group in Seal Beach started to miss their early morning workouts because all the pool and fitness gym are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the local pools closed in Southern California, swimmers have no choice but to do dryland workouts in their home in the quarantined shelter-in-place locations.

So they gathered at their normal time (5:30 am) and did circuit training ... with a twist. They used the pneumatic Original BFR bands, or the KAATSU Aqua Bands, and included sets on Dr. Nalli's Vasa Trainer in his garage.

After warming up with KAATSU Cycles on their arms and legs using the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit, the swimmers did 45-60 second sets with the KAATSU Air Bands inflated to 250 SKU.

"The reason why KAATSU on Vasa Trainers is so effective and efficient is because the recruitment of muscle fibers skyrockets with KAATSU Training when the limbs are engorged in blood," explains Steven Munatones, a teammate of Dr. Nalli'. "The Japanese sports scientists and coaches have understood this since before 2000 when a paper titled Effects of resistance exercise combined with moderate vascular occlusion on muscular function in humans was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

While the pneumatic bands around the upper arms - or upper legs - appear to be some kind of tourniquet, it is not. There is no occlusion or cutting off with blood as you would expect with a tourniquet or blood pressure cuff. With gentle pressure, the bands serve to allow arterial flow from the torso to the limbs to continue, but the rate of venous return - or the blood return back from the limb to the torso - is modified or slowe
d."


The ultrasound image on left shows the brachial artery and brachial veins at 300 SKU during KAATSU of a 21-year-old collegiate athlete remains unobstructed without occlusion.

One of the findings and subsequent understandings of the benefits of KAATSU is that there is an increase in muscle fiber recruitment that has significant implications for athletes and older people. The moderation of blood circulation and the hypoxia and acidic intramuscular environment during KAATSU also leads to additional motor-unit recruitment.

This increase of muscle fiber recruitment with KAATSU means that Dr. Nalli is effectively training more vigorously than normal, but he can avoid the usual fatigue and muscle soreness than comes with intense sustained exercise because there is no microtrauma in his muscles.



Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Shelter-in-place Workouts - KAATSU At-home Training

For who? Work from home employees, competitive athletes, swimmers, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, strength, KAATSU At Home





Coach Dave Carlson gives daily shelter-in-place workouts to 15-16 year old freshmen and sophomores from Los Alamitos High School in Southern California including Sydney Munatones and her twin sister Sofia Munatones. They all log in via their laptops or smartphones and are able to hear and see each other and their coach online.

All high schools are closed and all sports practices and competitions are cancelled throughout Southern California in an attempt to limit the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) to the local population - a strategy that is becoming more and more widespread throughout the United States and many other countries.

Carlson gives his student-athletes a series of upper body sets, lower body sets, core sets, and a technical skill workout - virtually as they participate on their smartphones and laptops. The entire workout is enhanced with KAATSU equipment in order to make their workouts as effective and efficient as possible.

The students gather online in the early afternoon and have 5 minutes to catch up with together as they see everyone on the Google Meet platform. They laugh, share stories, and make each other smile.

The virtual shelter-in-place workouts start with stretching exercises. Then Carlson goes through a series of upper body sets to strengthen the forearms, biceps, triceps, deltoids and lats. The entire workouts are done with either their KAATSU arm bands or KAATSU leg bands on.

He also does some core work including balancing exercises and lower body exercises including squats and lunges with the KAATSU bands.

He even adds in technical skills sets that teach the fundamentals of shooting a water polo ball. The students end the shelter-in-home workouts by themselves, laughing and enjoying each other's company...virtually...with no end in sight as they adapt to their new normal.













Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Dr. Cory On Doing KAATSU Anywhere Anytime

For who? Work from home employees, parents, retirees
For what? Functional mobility, strength, rehabilitation stress relief



KAATSU Master Specialist Cory Keirn DPT explains how and where KAATSU the Original BFR can be used...anywhere anytime, including in your car while waiting for your children.

You can use KAATSU for exercise or rehabilitation while...

* typing an email in your office
* waiting for an airplane or the train
* sitting in the passenger seat on a long drive
* doing the dishes or folding clothes
* watching TV
* doing homework or reading a book
* walking your dog
* stretching
* packing your bags or tidying up your room

Once you understand that exercise and rehabilitation can be done anywhere anytime, your efficiency and effectiveness in getting things done goes way up. And exercise is transformed to simple movement - that you constantly do during the course of your day - with KAATSU equipment.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

China Institute of Sport Science KAATSU Research

For who? Coaches, trainers, researchers, physicians
For what? Functional mobility, recovery, strength, mobility

























In order to develop and promote the science and technology of athletics within China, the China Institute of Sport Science researches scientific and technological issues in fitness, athletic competitiveness, and sport engineering and technology.

KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato published a paper with Doctors Y. Chang, T. Yu, JP Liu, XL Gao, J. Zhang, and F. Wang at the China Institute of Sport Science in September 2014 called Effects of KAATSU Training on Human Mitochondria-related Factors and Comprehensive Effects on Cardiovascular System.

The objective of their research was to develop an understanding of KAATSU on mitochondria metabolism and investigate its comprehensive influences on the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular indexes, metabolism indicators, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondria-related factors such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK4), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), nitric oxide (NO), and other relevant factors were studied in this study.

With this information, the China Institute of Sport Science can better understand the positive effects of KAATSU on the cardiovascular system, explore energy metabolism after KAATSU from the organelles level, and provide the possibility to improve cardiovascular quality.

They randomly divided 40 healthy adults into a control group (no KAATSU) and experimental group (KAATSU) for 8 weeks. The subjects’ level of body composition and the anaerobic power of their lower extremities were measured by a body composition analyzer and the Wingate method. The endothelium-derived relaxing factor (NO, VEGF) and mitochondrial-related factors (AMPK, SOD, LPL and PDK4) were determined by the ELISA method. Routine blood tests and glucose and lipid from blood were analyzed before and after KAATSU.

The subjects used light dumbbells to perform 3 sets of biceps curls to muscular fatigue.

They found the following:

1. As compared with the control group, the experimental group decreased their maximum heart rate after KAATSU.
2. As compared with the control group, the plasma VEFG in the experimental group significantly increased (P<0.05).
3. After 8 weeks of KAATSU, the plasma LPL (P<0.05) and PDK4 (P<0.01) in the experimental group significantly increased.
4. As compared with the control group, the average values of serum total cholesterol decreased significantly (P<0.05).
5. After 8 weeks of KAATSU, the peak of upper limb anaerobic power frequency laps significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, there were significant increases in the peak and the relative peak of upper limb anaerobic power (P<0.01).
6. After 8 weeks of KAATSU, the average value of blood lactic acid significantly increased in both the control group and experimental group.
7. After 8 weeks of KAATSU, the average body age (P<0.01), BMI, body fat percentage in the experimental group significantly decreased (P<0.05).
8. After 8 weeks of KAATSU, the average relaxed upper arm girth (P<0.05) and thigh girth (P<0.01) significantly increased.

The researchers concluded the following:

1. The experimental group significantly reduced body weight, BMI and body fat percentage that benefitted optimization of body composition, controlling body weight, and prevention of obesity.
2. The experimental group increased the secretion of vascular endothelial group factor (VEGF) and NO that benefitted promotion of the vascular tone and improvement of the endothelial function.
3. In term of lipid metabolism, after 8 weeks of KAATSU, the average value of serum total cholesterol and triglyceride significantly decreased while the plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK4) synergistic increased which promotes fat decomposition. This infers that KAATSU could improve blood lipid metabolic disorders and prevent cardiovascular disease.
4. There was no significant difference in AMPK expression between the experimental group and control group, maybe KAATSU did not activate PGC-1a signaling by increasing AMPK. It also provided some experimental evidence for further research on the perspective of mitochondrial Akt/mTOR signaling.
5. The 8 weeks of KAATSU could increase the upper anaerobic power peak and anaerobic power relative peak, benefitted to promoting human upper limb muscle explosiveness and speed endurance. Meanwhile, resistance training could significantly improve the body’s tolerance to lactic acid and enhance the ability of anaerobic metabolism.
6. Inflammatory factors such as high-sensitivity c-reactive, IL-6, TNF-a were very close to each other before training. It showed that KAATSU did not cause a surge of inflammatory cytokines and the emergency of muscle injury, but the result of this study could not confirm the mechanism of muscle thickening caused by increasing IL-6.

Table 1. Resting Heart Rate with pre and post resistance training
Resting heart rate (beats per minute)
Pre: 82.1 ± 12.0 Post: 80.3 ± 13.7 N: 7

Table 2. Resting Heart Rate with pre and post KAATSU training
Resting heart rate (beats per minute)
Pre: 85.0 ± 14.42 Post: 83.25 ± 10.74 N: 8

Table 3. Resting Heart Rate compared with Control Group and KAATSU Group
Resting heart rate (beats per minute)
Control Group pre/post: 7.57 ± 3.1 N: 7
Resting heart rate (beats per minute)
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.43 ± 8.24 N: 8

Table 4. Heart Rate with pre and post anaerobic exercise of upper extremities in Control Group
Resting heart rate
Pre: 113.9 ± 15.2 Post: 105.3 ± 14.0 N: 7
Instant heart rate
Pre: 183.9 ± 6.7 Post: 188.3 ± 17.4 N: 7
Maximum heart rate
Pre: 184.9 ± 6.7 Post: 189.0 ± 17.0 N: 7
1 minute post heart rate
Pre: 146.6 ± 15.1 Post: 155.1 ± 20.0 N: 7
2 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 133.6 ± 13.4 Post: 141.3 ± 20.2 N: 7
3 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 127.3 ± 12.3 Post: 130.9 ± 19.2 N: 7
4 minutes pot heart rate Pre: 122.9 ± 12.6 Post: 126.0 ± 17.1 N: 7
5 minutes pot heart rate Pre: 120.0 ± 11.9 Post: 126.1 ± 18.1 N: 7
6 minutes pot heart rate Pre: 120.6 ± 11.4 Post: 122.7 ± 18.7 N: 7
7 minutes pot heart rate Pre: 121.9 ± 10.0 Post: 122.6 ± 17.8 N: 7

Table 5. Heart Rate with pre and post anaerobic exercise of upper extremities in KAATSU Group
Resting heart rate
Pre: 109.6 ± 3.3 Post: 96.5 ± 11.6** N: 8
Instant heart rate
Pre: 188.3 ± 6.9 Post: 184.4 ± 5.0 N: 8
Maximum heart rate
Pre: 189.5 ± 7.3 Post: 185.0 ± 4.8 N: 8
1 minute post heart rate
Pre: 159.6 ± 12.4 Post: 159.6 ± 5.8 N: 8
2 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 137.5 ± 6.4 Post: 143.6 ± 7.2* N: 8
3 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 126.4 ± 7.2 Post: 133.9 ± 6.9* N: 8
4 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 123.0 ± 3.4 Post: 125.8 ± 7.2 N: 8
5 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 118.6 ± 5.2 Post: 121.0 ± 6.6 N: 8
6 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 117.8 ± 5.8 Post: 118.6 ± 5.7 N: 8
7 minutes post heart rate
Pre: 118.6 ± 10.0 Post: 117.4 ± 4.8 N: 8
P<0.01
P<0.05

Table 6. Heart Rate on anaerobic exercise of upper extremities in Control Group and KAATSU Group
Resting heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 14.29 ± 11.1
KAATSU Group pre/post: 13.13 ± 11.54 N: 8
Instant heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 5.57 ± 4.97
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.38 ± 7.15 N: 8
Maximum heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 6.14 ± 5.34
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.25 ± 5.90 N: 8
1 minute post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 7.71 ± 6.32
KAATSU Group pre/post: 14.00 ± 9.58 N: 8
2 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 7.71 ± 4.92
KAATSU Group pre/post: 11.38 ± 9.27 N: 8
3 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 9.29 ± 6.68
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.50 ± 8.14 N: 8
4 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 7.14 ± 3.34
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.50 ± 6.44 N: 8
5 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 6.86 ± 5.18
KAATSU Group pre/post: 8.50 ± 9.43 N: 8
6 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 6.00 ± 4.16
KAATSU Group pre/post: 10.00 ± 8.05 N: 8
7 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 6.29 ± 6.68
KAATSU Group pre/post: 8.63 ± 6.78 N: 8

Table 7. Heart Rate on pre and post anaerobic exercise of lower extremities in Control Group
Resting heart rate
pre: 111.9 ± 23.2 post: 101.7 ± 15.5 N: 7
Instant heart rate
pre: 191.0 ± 13.8 post: 187.0 ± 15.8 N: 7
Maximum heart rate
pre: 193.3 ± 14.3 post: 189.0 ± 15.4* N: 7
1 minute post heart rate
pre: 171.1 ± 16.9 post: 189.0 ± 15.4** N: 7
2 minutes post heart rate
pre: 158.7 ± 18.9 post: 145.7 ± 23.1* N: 7
3 minutes post heart rate
pre: 141.6 ± 17.4 post: 137.6 ± 20.5 N: 7
4 minutes post heart rate
pre: 138.4 ± 20.4 post: 126.3 ± 17.7 N: 7
5 minutes post heart rate
pre: 128.9 ± 18.0 post: 128.6 ± 14.3 N: 7
6 minutes post heart rate
pre: 127.4 ± 18.4 post: 122.3 ± 16.8 N: 7
7 minutes post heart
rate pre: 122.9 ± 17.6 post: 122.3 ± 14.9 N: 7
** P<0.01
* P<0.05

Table 8. Heart Rate on pre and post anaerobic exercise of lower extremities in KAATSU Group
Resting heart rate
pre: 103.8 ± 7.7 post: 99.0 ± 8.4 N: 8
Instant heart rate
pre: 185.4 ± 7.1 post: 183.9 ± 6.5 N: 8
Maximum heart rate
pre: 187.1 ± 6.3 post: 185.4 ± 6.4 N: 8
1 minute post heart rate
pre: 167.5 ± 12.3 post: 164.4 ± 8.2 N: 8
2 minutes post heart rate
pre: 151.4 ± 13.2 post: 148.4 ± 11.1 N: 8
3 minutes post heart rate
pre: 134.4 ± 9.8 post: 133.5 ± 9.6 N: 8
4 minutes post heart rate
pre: 126.9 ± 8.9 post: 125.0 ± 9.8 N: 8
5 minutes post heart rate
pre: 116.1 ± 12.8 post: 118.5 ± 10.0 N: 8
6 minutes post heart rate
pre: 112.5 ± 23.9 post: 105.8 ± 23.0 N: 8
7 minutes post heart rate
pre: 110.0 ± 21.4 post: 109.3 ± 16.9 N: 8

Table 9. Heart Rate on anaerobic exercise of lower extremities in Control Group and KAATSU Group
Resting heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 15.0 ± 7.37 N:7
KAATSU Group pre/post: 10.00 ± 5.4 N: 8
Instant heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 5.57 ± 3.05 N:7
KAATSU Group pre/post: 5.25 ± 3.96 N: 8
Maximum heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 6.71 ± 2.56 N: 7
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.63 ± 3.58 N: 8
1 minute post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 6.71 ± 2.56
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.63 ± 9.78 N: 8
2 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 14.14 ± 11.82
KAATSU Group pre/post: 11.00 ± 9.09 N: 8
3 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 8.57 ± 4.86
KAATSU Group pre/post: 11.38 ± 6.67 N: 8
4 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 11.43 ± 10.39
KAATSU Group pre/post: 9.38 ± 8.29 N: 8
5 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 5.94 ± 4.26
KAATSU Group pre/post: 7.13 ± 5.94 N: 8
6 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 41.54 ± 75.47
KAATSU Group pre/post: 12.25 ± 24.04 N: 8
7 minutes post heart rate
Control Group pre/post: 7.46 ± 5.55
KAATSU Group pre/post: 12.25 ± 11.56 N: 8

Table 10. Blood pressure on pre and post resistance training in Control Group
SBP (mmHg)
Pre: 125.6 ± 26.6
Post: 134.1 ± 17.1 N: 7
DBP (mmHg)
Pre: 85.3 ± 17.3
Post: 92.9 ± 11.9 N: 7

Table 11. Blood pressure on pre and post resistance training in KAATSU Group
SBP (mmHg)
Pre: 128.12 ± 8.008
Post: 118.25 ± 4.334** N: 8
DBP (mmHg)
Pre: 85 ± 5.398
Post: 79.75 ± 7.246 N: 8
** P<0.01

Table 12. Blood pressure compared with Control Group and KAATSU Group
SBP (mmHg)
Control Group
pre/post: 9.43 ± 14.29 N: 7
KAATSU Group
pre/post: 13.29 ± 12.84 N: 8
DBP (mmHg)
Control Group
pre/post: 8.14 ± 8.75 N: 7
KAATU Group
pre/post: 12.00 ± 14.61 N: 8

Table 13. ET, NO and VEGF on pre and post resistance training
ET
pre: 40.08 ± 21.24
post: 46.23 ± 17.71 N: 7
NO
pre: 16.61 ± 7.12
post: 17.18 ± 7.52 N: 7
VEGF:
39.08 ± 13.48
post: 48.49 ± 13.58 N: 7

Table 14. ET, NO and VEGF on pre and post KAATSU training
ET
pre: 41.41 ± 22.37
post: 42.32 ± 18.83 N: 8
NO
pre: 18.83 ± 16.14
post: 21.00 ± 12.89 N: 8
VEGF:
pre: 49.77 ± 18.47
post: 65.19 ± 29.80* N: 8

Table 15. Mitochondrial indexes on pre and post resistance training
SOD
pre: 109.586 ± 52.497
post: 91.249 ± 48.890 N: 7
LPL
pre: 203.542 ± 121.250
post: 221.320 ± 161.551 N: 7
AMPK
pre: 82.178 ± 55.754
post: 73.162 ± 54.077 N: 7
NO
pre: 16.61 ± 7.12
post: 17.18 ± 7.52 N: 7
PDK
pre: 47.685 ± 47.133
post: 50.274 ± 52.196 N: 7

Table 16. Mitochondrial indexes on pre and post KAATSU training
SOD
pre: 162.943 ± 62.033
post: 156.479 ± 81.737 N: 8
LPL
pre: 112.381 ± 36.801
post: 286.428 ± 151.234** N: 8
AMPK
pre: 119.722 ± 90.634
post: 118.901 ± 83.733 N: 8
NO
pre: 18.83 ± 16.14
post: 21.00 ± 12.80 N: 8
PDK
pre: 9.177 ± 5.789
post: 57.646 ± 50.624* N: 8

Table 17. Mitochondrial indexes on pre and post training in Control Group and KAATSU Group
SOD
Control Group
pre/post: 140.045 ± 86.359 N: 7
KAATSU
pre/post: 83.372 ± 50.450 N: 8
LPL Control Group
pre: 286.428 ± 151.234
N: 7
KAATSU
pre/post: 221.320 ± 161.551 N: 8
AMPK
Control Group
pre: 118.901 ± 83.733 N: 7
KAATSU
pre/post: 73.162 ± 54.077 N: 8
PDK Control Group
pre: 57.646 ± 50.624
KAATSU pre/post: 50.274 ± 52.196 N: 8

Table 18. TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and BS on pre and post resistance training
TC
pre: 4.679 ± 0.628
post: 5.541 ± 1.035**
N: 7
TG
pre: 1.429 ± 0.839
post: 2.240 ± 2.316
N: 7
HDL-C
pre: 1.264 ± 0.213
post: 1.476 ± 0.400*
N: 7
LDL-C
pre: 2.573 ± 0.641
post: 3.633 ± 1.156**
N: 7
BS
pre: 5.286 ± 0.77
post: 6.086 ± 2.294
N: 7

Table 19. TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and BS on pre and post KAATSU training
TC
pre: 4.743 ± 0.688
post: 4.671 ± 0.561
N: 8
TG
pre: 2.895 ± 3.065
post: 2.355 ± 1.570
N: 8
HDL-C
pre: 1.474 ± 0.456
post: 1.291 ± 0.306
N: 8
LDL-C
pre: 2.421 ± 0.416
post: 3.014 ± 0.681**
N: 8
BS

pre: 5.188 ± 0.491
post: 5.225 ± 0.597
N: 8
** P<0.01>

Table 20. TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and BS on post Control Group and KAATSU Group
TC Control
pre/post: 5.541 ± 1.035
KAATSU pre/post: 4.671 ± 0.561**
N: 8
TG Control
pre/post: 2.240 ± 2.316
KAATSU pre/post: 2.355 ± 1.570
N: 8
HDL-C Control
pre/post: 1.476 ± 0.400
KAATSU pre/post: 1.291 ± 0.306
N: 8
LDL-C Control
pre/post: 3.633 ± 1.156
KAATSU pre/post: 3.014 ± 0.681
N: 8
BS Control
pre/post: 6.086 ± 2.294
KAATSU pre/post: 5.225 ± 0.597 N: 8
** P<0.01>

Table 40. Girth indexes on pre and post resistance training
Flexed upper arm girth
pre: 33.057 ± 3.249
post: 33.343 ± 3.227
N: 7
Relaxed upper arm girth
pre: 30.800 ± 3.800
post: 31.157 ± 4.197
N: 7
Forearm girth
pre: 28.171 ± 1.952
post: 27.914 ± 1.869
N: 7
Thigh girth
pre: 58.057 ± 4.770
post: 59.000 ± 5.099
N: 7
Calf girth
pre: 39.643 ± 3.181
post: 38.700 ± 3.536*
N: 7
** P<0.01>
* P<0.05

Table 40. Girth indexes on pre and post KAATSU training
Flexed upper arm girth
pre: 33.750 ± 2.596
post: 33.813 ± 2.521
N: 8
Relaxed upper arm girth
pre: 31.775 ± 3.050
post: 32.425 ± 2.846*
N: 8
Forearm girth
pre: 27.088 ± 1.776
post: 27.475 ± 2.006
N: 8
Thigh girth
pre: 56.125 ± 3.712
post: 57.350 ± 3.724**
N: 8
Calf girth
pre: 38.088 ± 2.594
post: 38.238 ± 2.441
N: 8
** P<0.01
* P<0.05

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Friday, March 13, 2020

Dr. Cory On KAATSU, The Original BFR

For who? Retirees, Baby Boomers, competitive athletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home

Cory Keirn, DPT, OCS, CSCS, TSAC-F, XPS is a Doctor of Physical Therapy located in Tampa, Florida. He is a former Strength & Conditioning Coach with the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and the Philadelphia Phillies, a Major League Baseball professional team. He did his residency in orthopaedics with a focus on complex orthopaedic cases and advanced physical therapy integration for tactical athletes.

KAATSU Master Specialist Keirn explains how to use the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 from many perspectives and for various applications. These videos summarize the information that he shares with his patients who regularly use KAATSU, the original BFR for their rehabilitation and recovery.

Introducing KAATSU


How Does KAATSU Work?


KAATSU, The Future of Exercise


Unboxing the KAATSU Cycle 2.0


KAATSU Full-Body Warm-up, Part 1


KAATSU Full-Body Warm-up, Part 2



KAATSU Published Research [shown with KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato]


KAATSU Cycle and Warm-up


Doing KAATSU on Your Arms






Putting KAATSU Air Bands On Your Legs


Using The KAATSU Cycle 2.0 On Your Legs


Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Implications For The Elderly And Competitive Athletes

For who? Retirees, Baby Boomers, competitive athletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, stress relief, KAATSU At Home

























































A 76-year-old woman in Southern California was looking to maintain her health.

Her use of KAATSU, the original BFR, very pleasantly surprised her and her family.

She started doing KAATSU Cycles on her arms and legs twice a day on her new KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit while doing stretching and the standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises (see here for arms and here for legs).

"Not only did she see a nice visual improvement in her overall muscle tone [see top photo above], but she also realized a significant decrease in her triglyceride levels* from 327 to 144," observed Steven Munatones.

"She achieved these results without changing her diet or changing the amount or intensity of exercise she normally did over a 2-month period. But what she did new was simply do KAATSU Cycles on her arms and legs twice a day on a KAATSU Cycle 2.0 unit while doing stretching and the standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises in the comfort and convenience of her home (see here for arms and here for legs)."

KAATU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato has long seen these kinds of results with his older patients in Tokyo, Japan.

One of his early studies on the effects of KAATSU was published in 2000 in the Journal of Applied Physiology (titled Effects of resistance exercise combined with moderate vascular occlusion on muscular function in humans).

Background

KAATSU inventor Dr. Sato discovered throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s that KAATSU is extremely effective for training of everyone from elite athletes to older people facing sarcopenia.

During the 1980s, his Japanese clients and athletes started to incorporate this new training and rehabilitation modality, but it took until the mid-1990's before Dr. Sato found an inquisitive collaborator in Professor Naokata Ishii of the University of Tokyo (Department of Life Sciences) began to conduct formal research studies on KAATSU.

Their first major peer-review paper was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

KAATSU Vernacular

The results were not surprising to Dr. Sato, but Professor Ishii knew that the findings were difficult for the journal editors to accept because the word "KAATSU" was unknown in the research and sports world outside of Japan. After discussions with the journal editors, KAATSU was described in the literature as vascular occlusion - even though Dr. Sato and Professor Ishii wanted to steer away from the word occlusion.

They know there is no arterial limb occlusion of the brachial artery and brachial veins even at high pressures with the pneumatic KAATSU Air Bands. The ultrasound image on left shows the brachial artery and brachial veins at 300 SKU (mmHg) of a 21-year-old collegiate athlete.

Study and Findings

24 women (ages 47-67 years) did a 16-week training program (3 sets of single-arm dumbbell curls in the sitting position with non-dominant arm and a 1-minute rest between sets, performed twice per week) comparing KAATSU exercise (at 110 SKU pressure) with low-intensity exercise without KAATSU and high-to-medium intensity exercise without KAATSU.

Percent changes in cross-sectional area and isokinetic strength were compared: the KAATSU Group increased more than the low-intensity non-KAATSU Group and were similar to the high-intensity non-KAATSU Group.

Before and after exercise, arterial blood flow and plasma lactate concentration were measured; during exercise, the electromyographic activity of the biceps muscle was recorded. The average SKU (mmHg) pressure was 110.

GH concentration, electrical activity in the working muscles, muscular hypertrophy (in both the biceps and triceps), muscular strength, and number of muscle fibers recruited increased with the KAATSU Group as it did with the high-intensity non-KAATSU Group.

Implications for the Elderly Population and Competitive Athletes

The increase in muscle fiber recruitment with KAATSU has implications for elite athletes and older people. The moderation of blood circulation and the hypoxia and acidic intramuscular environment also leads to additional motor-unit recruitment.



For example, repeated KAATSU without any exercise during bed rest effectively prevents muscle atrophy.

Furthermore, when the leg muscles of older people gradually weaken, the inability to stand up and walk increase and serious problems with falling occur. Although resistance exercise can improve muscular strength and size and bone mineral density, KAATSU presents the opportunity to achieve their beneficial results without large mechanical stress. Additionally, when KAATSU is applied with simple resistance exercise, an increase in energy consumption is also seen.

For competitive athletes undergoing a season-long vigorous training program, recovery days or less-than-highly-intense training days are built into their training regimen.

For these athletes, they can train as normal during their intense workouts during hard sessions, but also with the increase of muscle fiber recruitment with KAATSU on their recovery days, the athletes are effectively training vigorously every session with the usual fatigue and muscle soreness than comes with intense sustained exercise.

* A high triglyceride level combined with high LDL (bad) cholesterol or low HDL (good) cholesterol is linked with fatty buildups within the artery walls, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. The 76-year-old woman's triglyceride level fell over an 8-week period from 327 mg/dL (high) to 144 mg/dL (normal).

Normal levels of triglycerides is less than 150 mg/dL
Borderline high is 150 to 199 mg/dL
High is 200 to 499 mg/dL
Very high is 500 mg/dL or above

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dr. Mercola Talks KAATSU

For who? Retirees, Baby Boomers, competitive athletes, work-at-home parents
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home

Courtesy of Briana Mercola and Dr. Joseph Mercola.

Dr. Joseph Mercola is an alternative medicine proponent and osteopathic physician.

Dr. Mercola is a member of the political advocacy group Association of American Physicians and Surgeons as well as several alternative medicine organizations.

In a recent interview with Dr. Joseph Mercola, former retired Navy SEAL Captain John Doolittle and Steven Munatones discuss some of the many benefits of KAATSU the Original BFR.

Listen to the 1 hour 13 minute podcast with Dr. Mercola here.

For more information on Dr. Mercola, visit here.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Siim Land Discusses KAATSU, The Original BFR

For who? Retirees, Baby Boomers, competitive athletes, work from home employees
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home

Estonian biohacker Siim Land is an author, public speaker, high performance coach, and content creator who has a popular podcast about optimizing health, performance, longevity, and well-being with many different biohacking techniques.

Land's latest podcast is Slow Down Aging and Build Muscle With Kaatsu Training that can be heard here with KAATSU Global executives Steven Munatones and John Doolittle, a retired Navy SEAL Captain, who talk about KAATSU the Original BFR.

Both Munatones and Doolittle use KAATSU equipment daily, either on dryland, in the water, or in airplanes on frequent business trips.























Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Monday, March 9, 2020

Home Workouts During Mandatory Lockdowns & Quarantines

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, competitive athletes, work-at-home employees, study-at-home students
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, warm-up, recovery, KAATSU Cycle









As schools, universities, cities, organizations and governments close in unprecedented numbers around the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic and fears about infection from COVID-19, some individuals find themselves limited to their homes and neighborhoods.

While precautions are prudent and wisely followed, people still need to work and eat, and many want to rehabilitate and exercise as usual.

Telecommuting enables people to work from home together with their far-flung co-workers. Eating is certainly not an issue (if local residents are not stockpiling food and water), but rehabilitating and exercise can be more problematic for many people.

A walk outside, a jog around a local park, bodyweight exercises or yoga indoors can be done during temporary lockdowns and mandatory telecommuting policies set by corporations or governments. But going to a physical therapy clinic for rehabilitation or heading to a fitness gym that is located further away may not be a conveniently easy option.

This is where the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 can help.

The KAATSU Cycle 2.0 is compact (handheld) and can be done anywhere anytime by anyone doing anything. From stretching and doing therapeutic movements to walking upstairs and doing push-ups with the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 is effective and efficient. Even the standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises on your arms or legs [shown above] are tremendously beneficial and provide a great stress relief in these times of the unknown.

In times of stress, especially while being forced to limit outdoor activities and travel, simple leg and easy-to-do core exercises with KAATSU equipment are a great way to stay fit and not gain weight.

KAATSU Walking can provide the same effect as significantly longer (in duration and distance) runs, jogs and walks. Simply put the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs and walk in or around your home or stretch [see photo on left].

Advanced KAATSU 3-Point Exercises for the legs (i.e., Standing Heel Raises, Leg Curls, and Quarter Squats) are a great finisher to the KAATSU Walking.

The KAATSU Air Bands on your upper legs will result in healthful systemic effects that are felt and seen throughout your body, including your core and upper body.

But if you want to focus on your core, you do not have to do planks, crunches and other forms of abdominal work. Instead, KAATSU users can do a number of simple KAATSU exercises to strengthen their lower back and tighten their core.

Core and lower back exercises can comprise of your entire KAATSU training session for the day. Alternatively, core and lower back exercises can be an addition to your typical KAATSU sessions.

Core & Lower Back #1 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to your Optimal SKU.
3. Stand on one foot, balancing only on your other leg for as long as possible.
4. When your balance is lost, rest for 10-20 seconds and repeat two more times.
5. After 3 times, balance on your other foot.
6. This act of balancing will create instability in your core and will help strengthen your stomach and lower back.

Core & Lower Back #2 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to the Optimal SKU.
3. Place a book on your head and walk slowly until the book falls off.
4. Rest 10-20 seconds and repeat the walk again two more times with the book on your head.
5. Walking straight slowly, especially on an uneven surface like a sandy beach, will create instability in your core and will help strengthen your stomach and lower back.

Core & Lower Back #3 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to your Optimal SKU.
3. Stand on one foot while holding a water bottle in each hand.
4. Hold the water bottle in your outstretched arms and stand as long as possible on one leg.
5. When your balance is lost, rest 10-20 seconds and repeat two more times.
6. After 3 times, balance on your other foot.
7. In order to make this exercise more difficult, move your outstretched arms left and right, and up and down in an asymmetric manner while balancing on one foot.

Core & Lower Back #4 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your Optimal SKU.
3. Do planks as usual.
4. Alternatively, tighten the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms at your Optimal SKU and do planks as normal.

Core & Lower Back #5 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your Optimal SKU.
3. Lie on your back and slowly bring one leg one up to your stomach and hold. Grab your knee with your arms to stretch your back.
4. Repeat as desired.
5. Continue to lie on your back and slowly pull both your legs up to your stomach and hold. Grab your knees with your arms to stretch your back.
6. Repeat as desired.

Core & Lower Back #6 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your Optimal SKU.
3. Lie on your back and slowly lift your hips off the floor and hold. Bring your hips to the ground and repeat as desired.

Core & Lower Back #7 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your Optimal SKU.
3. Lie on your back and slowly lift both your feet off the ground and hold. Repeat as desired.
4. Lie on your back, lift both your feet off the ground, and kick your feet slightly off the ground. Repeat as desired.

Core & Lower Back #8 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU.
2. Inflate your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your Optimal SKU.
3. Lie on your back and slowly pandiculate (i.e., stretch and stiffen your trunk and limbs, extending your toes, feet, arms and hands as you do upon waking).
4. Repeat as desired.

Core & Lower Back #9 Exercise
1. KAATSU Aqua Sit-ups are used by competitive aquatic athletes with a Bosu Ball. 2. Start horizontal in the water while grabbing onto a Bosu Ball; then climb on top of the Bosu Ball. Do 3 sets to failure.

KAATSU Master Specialist Cory Keirn DPT explains how and where KAATSU can be used...anywhere anytime, including in your car while waiting for your children.



You can use KAATSU for exercise or rehabilitation while...

* typing an email in your office
* waiting for an airplane or the train
* sitting in the passenger seat on a long drive
* doing the dishes or folding clothes
* watching TV
* doing homework or reading a book
* walking your dog
* stretching
* packing your bags or tidying up your room

Once you understand that exercise and rehabilitation can be done anywhere anytime, your efficiency and effectiveness in getting things done goes way up. And exercise is transformed to simple movement - that you constantly do during the course of your day - with KAATSU equipment.



Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global