Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Enjoying the Outdoors with KAATSU

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



BFR trainers, coaches, users and advocates are often shown working hard sweating in a gym, lifting weights, and pushing iron. They work hard in order to build muscle. That is also entirely possible with KAATSU - but is not necessary.

KAATSU equipment can lead to all the physiological benefits of BFR (Blood Flow Restriction), but you can also have fun and enjoy the outdoors too. Or, simply watch a TV show or do homework or housework with your KAATSU Air Bands and equipment. Especially with the new KAATSU C3, the third-generation BFR product from KAATSU Global.

Use a Hula Hoop, play Frisbee, thrown a baseball, throw football, kick a soccer ball, play pickleball or beach volleyball. Hike or take your dog on a walk.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Friday, March 26, 2021

Quarantined? Do KAATSU At Home - Lower Back Exercises

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



All the exercises and movements above are performed regularly by Tina Newman, a 56-year-old aesthetician from Costa Mesa, California. She uses the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 model and her KAATSU Air Bands, set usually on the lowest possible SKU pressure to help strengthen her lower back.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Waist Workouts With KAATSU

For who? Work-at-home employees, student-athletes, retirees, Baby Boomers
For what? Functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home

As we age, fat especially around the waistline seems to be more easily and quickly accumulated. It also becomes increasingly difficult to lose this fat.

But KAATSU can be effectively and efficiently used to tone your waist in your 40's, 50's, 60's, and beyond.

Some typical waist-slimming and waist-toning exercises are ideally performed after a KAATSU warm-up. A warm-up consists of the KAATSU 3-Point Exercises performed in the KAATSU Cycle mode.

The KAATSU 3-Point Exercises with the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs includes Toe Curls + Toe Raises + Heel Raises while sitting for weaker users or Toe Curls + Toe Raises + Standing Leg Curls + Quarter Squats for stronger users.
Waist-slimming exercises include the following:

1. Sit-ups

* Snugly place the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms.
* Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your toes flat on the ground.


* Concentrate on your abdominal muscle and slowly raise your body while exhaling.
* Lift your body as high as possible 5 - 20 times using only your abdominal muscle while your arms are relaxed.

2. Side Bends

* Snugly place the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms.
* Stand with your legs slightly wider than your shoulders.
* Hold a plastic water bottle or light dumbbell in one hand.
* Relax your shoulders and place your other hand on your hip.
* Slowly lean toward the side with your hand on your hip and then return to the standing position.
* Repeat 5 - 20 times on one side.
* Then repeat the same exercise on the other side after you switch the water bottle to your other hand.
* Repeat this exercise daily or, optimally, twice per day (both in the morning and afternoon or evening).

3. Trunk Twists

* Snugly place the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms.
* Stand with your legs slightly wider than your shoulders.
* Relax your shoulders and place both hands on your hips.
* Slowly twist your body to one side, return to the original position, and then slowly twist to the other side.
* Repeat 5 - 20 times on both sides.
* Then repeat the same exercise on the other side after you switch the water bottle to your other hand.
* Repeat this exercise daily or, optimally, twice per day (both in the morning and afternoon or evening).

Key Point

* The KAATSU Air Bands should be place snugly on your arms. Snugly means that you can put one finger between the KAATSU Air Bands and your skin - but not two or three fingers. If you can put two or three fingers between the bands and your skin, the bands should be manually tightened a bit more.








































































































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Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Halli Balli, Silk Aerialist - Hula Hooper - Fire Dancer, With KAATSU

For who? Competitive athletes, acrobats, dancers, extreme athletes, climbers, martial artists
For what? Strength, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, warm-up, recovery



Halli Balli is an aerialist and fire dancer who grew up in Hawaii and is currently working in Colorado. She worked out with her pink KAATSU Air Bands and the KAATSU Cycle and KAATSU Constant modes on the original KAATSU Nano device.

Her creativity, passion and energy is showcased in her visual entertainment productions - and her KAATSU workouts with her pink KAATSU Air Bands were absolutely grueling.

For more information on Balli, visit RAW Artists, an international, independent arts organization in 70 cities worldwide focused on aiding independent artists - like Balli - in their creative careers.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Quarantined? Do KAATSU At Home - Lower Body Exercises

For who? Baby Boomers, older individuals, retirees, competitive athletes, runners, ice hockey players, soccer players, dancers, stay-at-home employees
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, warm-up, recovery, KAATSU Cycle



All the exercises and movements above are performed regularly by Tina Newman, a 56-year-old aesthetician from Costa Mesa, California. She uses the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 model and her KAATSU Air Bands, set usually on the lowest possible SKU pressure.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Michael + KAATSU: Recover Faster, Rehab Stronger, Perform Better

For who? Swimmers, water polo players, divers, stand-up paddlers, kayakers, triathletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, warm-up, recovery, KAATSU Cycle, KAATSU Aqua

Michael Andrew has been living the American dream for a number of years already.

Now in this postponed Tokyo Olympic year, one of the most visible and popular swimmers on the planet, is on the verge of living his Olympic dream.

Michael and his family, coach-father Peter, mother-manager Tina, and younger sister Michaela have road tripped to swim meets across the country - and now they often travel internationally as the 21-year-old Michael has developed into one of the fastest swimmers on the planet.

Michael, a 2016 world champion and 2018 Pan Pacific champion, specializes in the 200m individual medley, 100m breaststroke and 50m freestyle. He is renowned for his innovative training methods and currently serves as the vice-captain for the New York Breakers in the International Swimming League.

Michael and Peter have spent years identifying, testing, and using the most innovative and convenient modalities to train effectively and recover efficiently. Their aim has been to utilize an array of cutting-edge technologies that enable Michael to constantly improve - which he has achieved.

One of the technologies that Michael has used for the last few years is KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua, both in the pool for speed and strength and on dryland for recovery, especially before and after his grueling training sessions and during competitions. Michael originally used the KAATSU Nano and KAATSU Cycle 2.0, but now uses the KAATSU C3, portable, handheld devices that are conveniently used at home, in the pool, at the gym, on an airplane, and in hotel rooms during his away meets and travel.

Steven Munatones, a former USA Swimming national team coach, explains, "Michael uses KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua similarly to applications used by Navy SEALs, professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS, and Olympians from track & field to rugby. KAATSU can be used to build strength, improve stamina, increase speed, and range of motion. But its most convenient application is, frankly, recovery after intense workouts and between races during multi-day competitions - like the Olympics will be [see here and here].

KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua works because it naturally increases the elasticity of the vascular tissue throughout our bodies with a significant release of hormones and metabolites. Capillaries and veins are ubiquitous throughout our bodies. If these capillaries and veins were laid end-to-end, the collective length would circle the globe more than two times.

With KAATSU equipment, our capillaries and veins are naturally made more elastic and resilient. Even slight movement of our limb is a catalyst for a hormonal response. So, for example, just sitting down in the bleachers and playing on your phone with the KAATSU bands is sufficient to help efficiently remove lactate after a race. This is what Michael has discovered – the same thing that other professional and tactical athletes have long known.


One example of his innovative use of KAATSU was when Michael had three big swims in 47 minutes at the FINA World Junior Championships [see here]. There was not enough time to do a normal warm-down, go to the awards ceremony, and return to the blocks with that kind of schedule. So his recovery relied on his handy KAATSU equipment.

Michael was the first world-class athlete – anywhere – to use the new KAATSU C3, the third generation KAATSU equipment that will be released in April. This device was developed with input from Navy SEALs and Olympic athletes. The KAATSU C3 includes customizable functions that are well-suited and invaluable to give athletes that competitive edge
.”

Prior to the Tokyo Olympics, Michael will also be the first in the world to use the KAATSU B1, a next-generation device that not only works with the KAATSUfit app on smartphones, but also incorporates the functions of the Masimo MightySATTM Finger Pulse Oximeter [see here], another leading technology that Michael utilizes.

KAATSU was invented in Japan in 1966 and is the world’s leading automated BFR system for exercise, rehabilitation, and recovery. The patented pneumatic bands and algorithms improve blood circulation in the arms and legs which results in a natural cascade of physiological effects and significant hormonal release. The proprietary technology is supported by decades of research at top academic institutions from the University of Tokyo Hospital to Harvard Medical School as well as hundreds of peer-reviewed published studies.

Michael has used the original KAATSU Master, KAATSU Nano, and KAATSU Cycle 2.0 to date. The pneumatic KAATSU Bands are interchangeably used with any of the KAATSU devices.

He will start using the KAATSU C3 in April and the KAATSU B1 later in July, with KAATSU AI later. Other swimmers can learn about and tap into the same technology and protocols by visiting www.kaatsu.com or downloading the KAATSUfit app on iOS and Android.

Use discount code SWIMMERMICHAEL for US$50 off on the KAATSU C3 and KAATSU B1 products - good until July 23th, the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremonies.

Learn more about KAATSU and purchase here with US$50 discount code SWIMMERMICHAEL.

For more information on Michael, visit @swimmermichael and www.swimmermichael.com. For more information on KAATSU, visit www.kaatsu.com.





To support Andrew's focus on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and beyond, use SWIMMERMICHAEL code to purchase KAATSU equipment at www.kaatsuglobal.com.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Monday, March 22, 2021

Single-limb KAATSU With The KAATSU C3, KAATSU B1, KAATSU AI

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, busy executives, competitive athletes including runners, ice hockey players, soccer players, basketball players, stay-at-home employees
For what? Rehabilitation, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery, KAATSU Cycle

Decades ago since 1973, KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato has performed and taught single-limb KAATSU for a variety of purposes.

Single-limb KAATSU is when KAATSU Air Bands are used only on one limb as opposed to the more commonly used dual-limb KAATSU (when KAATSU Air Bands are simultaneously placed on both limbs with the same pressure). Single-limb KAATSU is most often used during physical therapy, rehabilitation or post-surgery recovery.

However, single-limb KAATSU is also used for limited KAATSU athletic performance drills under low pressures when one limb is notably weaker than the other limb.

This photo on left shows Dr. Sato teaching single-limb KAATSU to coaches and trainers for use by elite athletes for specific athletic performance drills, correcting imbalances in limb strength and functional movement, and for single-limb recovery (e.g., when a baseball pitcher uses KAATSU Cycles for recovery after intensely pitching in a game.

The photo on left shows Dr. Sato doing single-limb KAATSU on Harvard Medical School Professor of Neurology Peter Lansbury. Users always start with low-pressure KAATSU Cycles and incrementally increases the pressure.

In the photo on left, Dr. Sato is doing single-limb KAATSU with an older Japanese woman who is recovering from knee surgery.

In both cases with Dr. Lansbury and the women, the standard single-limb KAATSU protocol is to start KAATSU Cycles at very conservative (low) pressures.

Depending on level of recovery and the range of motion of the limb, the user can move the limb in the KAATSU Constant mode, but only after several sets of KAATSU Cycles.

With the newest KAATSU models (i.e., KAATSU C3, the KAATSU B1, or the KAATSU AI), there is an option that enables Single-limb KAATSU for individuals undergoing rehabilitation or in need of recovery of a single limb (e.g., like with baseball pitchers).

A simply KAATSU Plug enables this option on the new KAATSU C3 model.

In the KAATSU B1 model to be launched before the Tokyo Olympic Games, or the KAATSU AI to be released after the Tokyo Olympics, the KAATSU app can simultaneously direct different pressures to different limbs, and can also completely turn off pressure on one band in order to do single-limb KAATSU.



Single-limb KAATSU has been used since 1973 when KAATSU inventor Dr. Sato developed the protocol to help his broken ankle heal. 2010 Olympic silver medalist Todd Lodwick used single-limb KAATSU to rehabilitate from a ski jump accident and recover fast enough to heal and not only serve as the USA Olympic Team flag bearer, but also to compete in the Nordic Combined event.



Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Thursday, March 18, 2021

KAATSU Supple Launches In Japan

For who? Baby Boomers, stay-at-home mothers, retirees, stay-at-home employees
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, warm-up, recovery, stress relief, KAATSU Cycle



















































When Japanese KAATSU Instructor Ayumi Oikubo visited the United States before the COVID-19 pandemic, she noticed that KAATSU Global was encouraging its users to do KAATSU anywhere and anytime.

Upon her return to Tokyo, Oikubo launched her new service called the KAATSU Online Studio (www.kaatsu-supple.com) that is designed for women. She explains, "They can do KAATSU anywhere and anytime in a short time. They like to improve their lack of exercise, their poor blood circulation, and any disease specific to women.

Our mission is to enable Japanese women to become more healthy and more beautiful. We would also like to improve the Japanese gender gap (Japan’s gender gap is ranked 121st among 153 countries). Many Japanese women have to raise their children without any help from their husband in Japan. Frankly, it is so difficult to get any free time for themselves. And it is difficult to return to work, so they can't help but feel they aren't needed by society. We want to indirectly improve this situation by our KAATSU Supple service that enables these women to efficiently receive KAATSU guidance in short time periods while they are able to communicate with adults.

This way, they become better at improving their health, losing weight, and improving their mental frame of mind. Our clients are getting better, becoming more positive, and feel happier because of this service. I want them to be strong as a woman.

Our customers can select either a one-time payment or separate payments. The price of ¥18,000/month plus the cost of the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 enables them to do 4 personal training sessions with an online KAATSU Instructor
."



















































For more information, visit KAATSU Supple on Instagram, Twitter and a variety of media here.

Oikubo's KAATSU Studio is SuAi (スアイ)with an Instagram account here.

The KAATSU Instructors in the SuAi KAATSU Studio clude Oikubo Ayumi (おいくぼ あゆみ), Iwasa Kaori (岩佐 香), Kuwahara Hazuki (桑原 葉月), Maeda Mai (前田 舞), Asari Miku (浅利 未来), Dewa Rika (出羽 理画), Ishida Manami (石田 愛美), Kaiko Miyu (開高 みゆ), and Onodera Shoko (小野寺 祥子).

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Quarantined? Do KAATSU At Home - Core Exercises

For who? Stay-at-home employees, mothers, competitive athletes
For what? Core, core strength, functional movement



All the exercises and movements above are performed regularly by Tina Newman, a 56-year-old aesthetician from Costa Mesa, California. She uses the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 model and her KAATSU Air Bands set usually on the lowest possible SKU pressure.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Demographic Shifts Lead To Implementation Of KAATSU

For who? Baby Boomers, older individuals, retirees, older athletes, runners, walkers, stay-at-home employees
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, warm-up, recovery













































































Never before in the history of mankind has the world had to deal with the current phenomenon of prolonged and continuous aging of the human species. Smaller families with fewer children and an increasing number of older people are causing massive demographic shifts around the world.

While governments and society have been dealing with an aging population in countries like Japan and South Korea, even the fertility rates in Muslim countries and Sub-Saharan Africa are decreasing faster than ever before.

Countries are looking for solutions to these major demographic shifts — including technological alternatives like automation or telemedicine — in order to ease this unprecedented transition. But KAATSU presents a simple, easy-to-implement BFR solution now.

Models like the KAATSU C3 can be used anywhere anytime by anyone.

The benefits and outcomes include muscle toning, strength building, improved balance and increased stamina. Older people do not need to go to the fitness club or a gym to workout; they can achieve all these goals by simply working around the house or their yard or garden and reap the benefits.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

The KAATSU Smile

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, competitive athletes, injured athletes, injured stay-at-home employees
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, KAATSU Cycle




































































































One of the most important objectives that Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, the inventor of KAATSU the Original BFR, teaches KAATSU Instructors and KAATSU Master Specialists around the world is both surprising - and not surprising.

Dr. Sato teaches KAATSU so the users can recover faster, rehabilitate stronger, and perform better. This is a purely psychological reaction and hormonal response. But he has an overarching fourth objective, a goal at once more profound and immediately apparent.

He wants to see KAATSU users smile. Their KAATSU smile is the concrete goal of the KAATSU users, KAATSU Instructors, and KAATSU Master Specialists.

This is true even if the athlete has just completed a vigorous workout or a physical therapy session.

Dr. Sato teaches that user's smiles are the most obvious and genuine human expression of sincere joy, pleasure, amusement, approval and relief (from pain or stress or frustrations).

At the U.S. Olympic Committee Training Center in Chula Vista, California, the USA Rugby national women's team (called the Women's Eagles) uses a KAATSU Master, mostly for rehabilitation.

When one of their athletes, All-World Cup Team member Hope Rogers-Dellermann (@ihope38), had been undergoing rehabilitation for several weeks, it was a tough period. But she was finally able to use the KAATSU Master unit under the tutelage of KAATSU Master Specialist David Tawil.

After a few gentle KAATSU Cycles while using a simple resistance band, the Penn State graduate and two-time NCAA Most Valuable Player, felt a muscular sensation that made her smile broadly and immediately. Her countenance brightened when she felt pressure on her muscles with apparently simple movements. Her demeanor became even more friendly and laughter filled the training room.

The KAATSU smile ended another KAATSU session. Mission accomplished.

To follow Hope and her teammates, visit here and @ihope38 on Instagram, and here on Twitter. Before the pandemic, Hope was one of three USA Women's Eagles who made the Dream Teams for #SuperSeries2019.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Friday, March 5, 2021

Finding A Way With Diana Nyad and Dr. Sato

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, swimmers, extreme athletes, adventurers
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility

Author, journalist, motivational speaker, and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer Diana Nyad completed a 177 km 52 hour 54 minute swim from Cuba and Florida in 2013.

Then 64 years old, Nyad came out of the salty waters of the Florida Straits in a physically traumatic condition and was taken straight to the hospital.

After she emerged with many jellyfish stings, Nyad later told her story in a popular book Find a Way. The New York Times Book Review described the autobiography as “life-affirming...a story about refusing to accept, or be defined by, defeat.”

Find a Way tells the backstory of how Nyad completed the unprecedented swim from Cuba to Florida, one of her life dreams. The book was adapted for a film, appropriately called Nyad that will star Annette Bening.

Bening has been nominated for four Academy Awards throughout her career and is best known for roles including American Beauty, The Grifters, The Kids Are All Right, 20th Century Women, The Seagull, and The Report.

Production is scheduled to begin this summer with Academy Award, BAFTA and Emmy Award winning Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (of Free Solo) set to direct Nyad. Vasarhelyi and Chin won the Academy Award for ‘Best Documentary Feature’, and a BAFTA for ‘Best Documentary’ for their 2018 documentary Free Solo, which also nabbed two Emmy Awards.

I was very fortunate and humbled to be on Diana’s failed crossings,” said Steven Munatones of KAATSU Global. “She went through so much over those years: failure, doubt, endless training, storms, box jellyfish, uncooperative weather and conditions. But in the end, she found a way. It was not easy and not inexpensive. But she ultimately saw her dream to fulfillment and got the job done. I am excited to see her life and story depicted by Annette Bening on the big screen.”

KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato met Nyad years ago [shown above] to explain how she could incorporate KAATSU into her rehabilitation from an injury and include ongoing exercise regimen.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

KAATSU For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

For who? Baby Boomers, white collar employees, blue collar employees, aestheticians, dentists, drivers, carpenters
For what? Rehabilitation, recovery, relief, functional movement, mobility





Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that leads to numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hands and arms. It often occurs because of repetitive hand motions (e.g., typing) and can be painful and certainly disconcerting and uncomfortable.

There are no proven strategies to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, but according to the Mayo Clinic, those who are afflicted with this condition can try:

* Reducing your force and relaxing your grip at work
* Take short, frequent breaks and gently stretch and periodically bend your hands and wrists.
* Alternate tasks whenever possible.
* Modify the movement of your fingers, wrist and hand.
* Improve your posture.
* Change to a more comfortable computer mouse.
* Keep your hands warm.

KAATSU presents an additional and alternative solution that have been appreciated by many.

Frequency
KAATSU Cycles on the KAATSU Master 2.0, KAATSU Cycle 2.0, KAATSU Nano, KAATSU C3 or KAATSU B1 models can be done up to 3 sessions per day. An ideal schedule would be to do in the morning before going to work and while you prepare for work as you get ready, drink coffee, eat breakfast or catch up on the daily news. Also, later in the afternoon and once again in the evening before going to bed.

Duration
During each of your KAATSU sessions, you can do up to 6 KAATSU Cycles on your arms - and a similar number of KAATSU Cycles on your legs.

Intensity
There is no need to do vigorous exercises or work intensely with KAATSU Air Bands on in order to help alleviate your carpal tunnel syndrome.

Movement
Movement and specific exercises are optional. However, wearing KAATSU Air Bands while doing KAATSU Cycles and moving gently is optimal - including going for a simple walk or doing stretches. But movements that your physical therapist recommends, while using the KAATSU Air Bands, are best.

Tips
* Be well hydrated before and during KAATSU.
* Start off with very low (conservative) SKU pressures and very gradually increase pressure (SKU).
* There is no need to push yourself too hard or use too high pressure in the beginning. Take it easy and take it slowly.
* Always have a pinker or redder tone to your skin than normal - this indicates blood pooling in your limbs during KAATSU which is one of the key goals.

Similar to individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome, the same protocols can be used with those individuals with similar discomfort, paralysis, lack of movement, or painful movement in their fingers, hands and wrists.



Copyright © 2014 - 2021 by KAATSU Global