Physiological Effects of Strength Training Incorporating Blood Flow Restriction Underwater

For who? Swimmers, water polo players, triathletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, recovery, KAATSU Aqua

Experienced KAATSU Master Specialists and coaches from California (Dave Carlson) to Massachusetts (Chris Morgan) have long incorporated KAATSU Aqua in the training of their athletes for speed, strength and stamina. They also use KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua for rehabilitation of muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons when required. It is used often for recovery, especially after intense workouts and in post-competition situations.

Like KAATSU, KAATSU Aqua is the original BFR for use by aquatherapists, trainers and physical therapists with aquatherapy pools, and competitive aquatic athletes and older people who do aquarobics and aquawalking in shallow pools.

Standard protocols for KAATSU Aqua is the same as KAATSU regarding the Base SKU Pressure and Optimal SKU Pressure.

But it is important for the KAATSU Aqua pressure to be lower on both the arms and the legs than what is normally used on dryland with standard KAATSU. The other protocols such as proper CRT (Capillary Refill Time) and restricting use no longer than 15 minutes are strictly adhered to by these coaches and their athletes that range from high school students to people in their mid-80's.

This year, the World Health Organization posted a paper by Hiroshi Kawano, Teruhiko Kondo and Atsushi Takeda called Physiological Effects of Strength Training Incorporating Blood Flow Restriction Underwater that was published in The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine (see here).

The abstract reads, "Strength training performed while restricting blood flow is believed to cause the secretion of growth hormones under low load intensities and allow for muscle hypertrophy and increased muscle strength. This has potential clinical applications for elderly individuals and people with existing conditions. However, previous research has been performed on land, with hemodynamics and growth hormone secretion trends for training performed underwater unclear. Against this background, we investigated the effects of blood flow restriction training underwater on hemodynamics and plasma growth hormone (GH) levels. Twelve healthy university students were divided into two groups a localized immersion group where only the upper limb of the dominant hand was submerged, and a whole-body immersion group where participants were submerged to the xiphoid process. Immersed according to respective group protocols, both groups performed flexion and extension of the shoulder joint for 10 minutes with a pressurized cuff at the base of the upper arm under both 0 mmHg and 50 mmHg cuff pressures. Measured hemodynamics were heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. Plasma GH levels were measured from blood samples. This study revealed that underwater blood flow restriction strength training induced plasma GH level secretion under 50 mmHg conditions. In addition, high levels of GH secretion were shown in the localized immersion group for strength training even when the cuff was not pressurized. Conversely, no significant differences were evident in any measured hemodynamic categories. Results suggest that, in addition to cuff pressure, blood flow restriction training is affected by the body part immersed in water."

High school, club and national level water polo coach Dave Carlson from Los Alamitos, California and 2008 Olympic swim coach Chris Morgan of Danvers, Massachusetts discussed different way to recover from competitions and games with the KAATSU Aqua Bands and the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 device in this podcast:





KAATSU Master Specialists like Dr. Cory Keirn have long talked about KAATSU Aqua:

* Dr. Cory on KAATSU Aqua Arms in Deep Water
* Dr. Cory On KAATSU Aqua Arms
* Dr. Cory on KAATSU Aqua Legs in Deep Water
* Dr. Cory on KAATSU Aqua with a Noodle

Various KAATSU Aqua applications for competitive aquatic athletes are demonstrated below:









Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Stroke Survivors Do KAATSU, The Original BFR

For who? Stroke survivors
For what? Cardiac rehabilitation, mobility, functional movement



Rehabilitation and a positive mindset are critical to recovering from a stroke.

Strokes can vary in type and severity, and recovery from a stroke is difficult and often seems overwhelming. There are many stroke patients who incorporate KAATSU the original BFR in their rehabilitation.

Al is one example. The Southern Californian experienced a stroke in 1999 and he began KAATSU in June 2020 - and saw immediate improvement in his pain management and mobility.

These are the standard KAATSU protocols that he, his KAATSU Master Specialist Dave Carlson, and other stroke survivors follow:

1. Only use the KAATSU Cycle mode. Do not use the KAATSU Constant mode.
2. Use conservative (i.e., low) pressure in the beginning and at the start of each KAATSU Cycle session. This would be Low on the KAATSU Cycle 2.0, KAATSU C3, and KAATSU B1.
3. Be able to put a single finger between the KAATSU Air Bands on your skin.
4. Your skin should have a pink or red tone to it with your KAATSU Air Bands on; your skin should not appear blue, gray or white. The goal is to have blood engorged in your limbs; the goal is not to prevent blood from going into your limbs.
4. Put your KAATSU Air Bands over your clothing.
5. Be well hydrated before and during each KAATSU session.
6. After you become accustomed to KAATSU over a period of 2-4 weeks, you can use KAATSU frequently (1-2 times per day) for optimal and quick improvement.
7. Do 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets per session. For example, you can do:
(a) 3-6 sets of the Low pressure, or
(b) 3-6 sets of Progressive KAATSU Cycle sets where you do a few sets on Low pressure, 1-2 sets on Medium pressure, and if you wish, then 1-2 sets on High pressure
8. First, do KAATSU on your arms. Then, do KAATSU on your legs. But never wear the KAATSU Air Bands on both your arms and legs together.
9. Do simple movements with your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms in the KAATSU Cycle mode (e.g., Hand Clenches, Biceps Curls, Triceps Extensions, Ball Squeezes, Holding and Writing with a Pen). Do not attempt push-ups or lift weights with your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms.
10. Do simple movements with your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs in the KAATSU Cycle mode (e.g., Toe Curls, Toe Raises, Sitting Heel Raises, Standing Leg Curls, Quadriceps Contractions, Easy Walking). Do not attempt to lift or press weights with your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs.
11. In the beginning, you can place the KAATSU Air Bands only on your affected limbs. That is, if your right arm is affected by the stroke, use the KAATSU Air Bands only on the right arm.

These protocols have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and its use should be evaluated by your own physician before use.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

Dave Carlson On The KAATSU Cycle 2.0 For Performance And Recovery

For who? Swimmers, water polo players
For what? Functional movement, strength, speed, stamina, KAATSU Aqua





Dave Carlson teachees Military History and Financial Literacy at Los Alamitos High School in the City of Los Alamitos in Southern California. He is a water polo coach who has seen several dozens of his players go on to college and compete in the Olympic Games, both men and women.

Carlson has seen all kinds of personal gains from KAATSU the original BFR including reducing the amount of time he needs to spend in a gym to reducing his back pain. But he has also incorporated KAATSU Cycles and KAATSU Aqua nto the off-season, pre-season, mid-season and championship season training and rehabilitation regimen for his high school athletes.

In a KAATSU podcast, Carlson explains how he utilizes KAATSU for the teenage athletes who he coaches.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU Recovery And Rehabilitation With Aquatic Athletes

For who? Swimmers, water polo players, triathletes
For what? KAATSU Aqua, rehabilitation, recovery



High school, club and national level water polo coach Dave Carlson from Los Alamitos, California and 2008 Olympic swim coach Chris Morgan of Danvers, Massachusetts discussed different way to recover from competitions and games with the KAATSU Aqua Bands and the KAATSU Cycle 2.0 device.

They described their athletes' applications of KAATSU the original BFR after water polo games, during high school dual meets, and after competitive swimming competitions.

They also discussed their own rehabilitation journeys with KAATSU when they were recovering from bone breaks, sore backs, inflamed gums, and broken ribs.

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

KAATSU Skin Care: Using KAATSU Before And After Getting A Tattoo

For who? Tattoo artists
For what? Tattoo recovery






























Tattoo on arm after 3½ hours.






























Tattoo on arm after 5 hours.

KAATSU Cycles, properly applied, has always been good for pre-surgery preparations and post-surgery recovery, especially with sutures on the skin [see here and below].

Dave Carlson, a renowned water polo coach in Los Alamitos, California and a regular user of the KAATSU Cycle 2.0, came up with the KAATSU the Original BFR tattoo protocol (the "Carlson Protocol").

Carlson has several tattoos and he understands very well the inflammation and pain that comes with a new tattoo.

But one hour before his most recent tattoo session, he used his KAATSU Cycle 2.0 to do 3 progressive KAATSU Cycle sets on his legs followed by 4 progressive KAATSU Cycles on his arms. He had the tattoo above inked on his arm.

Then he did 3 KAATSU Cycle sets (Low, Medium, High) after the session was over. Then he went to his local gym and worked out with 3 additional KAATSU Cycles on Group Low (the lowest setting possible on the KAATSU Cycle 2.0).

He then took off the bandage 1½ hours after he got his new tattoo, washed with soap and water, and applied Aquaphor. To his surprise, he then took the photo above 3½ hours after the tattoo session was over.

He explained his impressions, "What is unusual is that there was very little or no swelling, my skin is not sensitive to the touch, and my skin under and near the tattoo is not sure or inflamed. My skin is normally sensitive and hurts to touch after I get a tattoo. The area around the tattoo normally rises for a few days after I get it. But with the KAATSU Cycle protocol, this is the least amount of swelling and pain that I have ever had after removing the bandage.

I mean, there is ZERO swelling. It looks like someone drew a picture with ink on my arm. My tattoo is usually puffy and the skin around it is red. But there is no inflammation - and ZERO pain.

Zero swelling and zero pain. I am not exaggerating when I say zero pain."

The photo on left was taken 6½ hours after the tattoo session. Carlson's arm is engorged in blood in the middle of the 4th KAATSU Cycle. His first KAATSU Cycle was done at Pro Low level (with 250 maximum SKU); the second KAATSU Cycle was done at Pro Medium level (with 350 maximum SKU), the third KAATSU Cycle was done at Pro High level (with 400 maximum SKU), and the fourth KAATSU Cycle was done at Pro High level (with 400 maximum SKU).

KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato explained the mechanism behind this phenomenon that KAATSU users can experience. "We have found that KAATSU leads to a decrease in CRP, C-reactive protein which is a blood test marker for inflammation in the body. CRP levels increase in response to inflammation.

This is why people who have arthritis or are experiencing different kinds of pain - including getting a tattoo - report feeling significant relief after bouts of KAATSU.

While there is also an increase in HGH (Human Growth Hormone), nitric oxide, IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), KAATSU also has shown to decrease CRP.

Typically with pain comes inflammation and the CRP increases. But with KAATSU, the decrease in CRP and production of EPC (endothelial progenitor cell) help. EPC are cells that help regenerate the endothelial lining of your blood vessels."

Repeated KAATSU Cycles has repeatedly shown to enhance the body's natural healing process, especially when the skin is cut, torn, broken or inked.

Copyright © 2014 - 2020 by KAATSU Global