Improvements In Speed, Strength, Stamina At Gator Swim Club

Courtesy of Chris Morgan [see video below], Head Coach, Gator's Swim Club (2015 New England Senior Swimming Championship Team).

We work on speed, strength and stamina every workout at the Gator's Swim Club in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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

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

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

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

Our secret…?

KAATSU the original BFR.

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

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

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

Invented in 1966 and perfected by 1973 by Dr. Sato of Tokyo, the KAATSU inventor was honored by the Japanese Olympic Committee in 1992. Word eventually leaked out from Japan about KAATSU beginning in the 1980s and throughout the 1990s, but it was mostly adopted without knowledge of the Base SKU and Optimal SKU by the bodybuilding community. These bodybuilders, looking to achieve muscle hypertrophy, never understood the importance of using pneumatic bands or identifying Base SKU or Optimal SKU. Eventually, the bodybuilding community referred to using knee wraps and other sorts of restrictive bands as occlusion training or tourniquet training. But acceptance of the thick postage rubber bands or knee warps never took off in amateur or professional sports in the West. So for years, American and European bodybuilders simply tied knee wraps and other bands around their arms to build bulk based on 2D photos they saw of the KAATSU bands.

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

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

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

We now use KAATSU in three fundamental ways:

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

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

Recovery
We use the KAATSU Cycle modality between races and between the preliminary and final events in a multi-day event (e.g., the 2015 Winter Junior National Championships in Atlanta, Georgia).

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

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

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

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

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

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

*

Copyright © 2014 - 2016 by KAATSU Global

Bode Miller Talks About KAATSU With Onnit's Aubry Marcus

Olympic champion Bode Miller has used the KAATSU Master (both original version and current generation), KAATSU Nano and the KAATSU Air Bands during his rehabilitation and training.

Miller talks about his use of KAATSU with Onnit CEO and founder Aubry Marcus who established Onnit in 2010 as a nutritional supplements brand based on a holistic health philosophy he calls Total Human Optimization.

For more information on KAATSU, visit here.

Copyright © 2014 - 2016 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU In The News - Outside Magazine

For the full article in Outside Magazine by Devon Jackson ( You Should Probably Try This Japanese Blood-Flow Routine. Footballers of both kinds have caught on. Here’s what you need to know.), click here.

Copyright © 2015 by KAATSU Global

The Radical Reconditioning Of Baby Boomers

As 75.8 million American Baby Boomers either transition from the end of their careers or are in full or partial retirement, many of them have spent their most recent years raising children, financing college educations, paying for weddings, and culminating their careers. These pressures have played havoc with their fitness levels.

Previously over-stressed, overworked, and under-exercised, the Baby Boomers are now facing much more free time. But with their higher body fat percentages, lowered muscle mass, and lessened aerobic capacities, getting back into shape is not easy. A change of lifestyle and a change in mindset are required. But this is easier said than done.

KAATSU, a revolutionary form of blood flow moderation training developed in Japan, is used daily by hundreds of thousands of individuals over the age of 50 in Japan. "KAATSU can present an easy-to-implement catalyst for individuals over the age of 50 to return to their former selves," says Paul Grzymkowski, the former president of Gold's Gym Franchising and now an avid fan of KAATSU. "10,000 Baby Boomers in America will celebrate their 65th birthday every day for the next 2 decades (3,650,000 new Baby Boomers per year). This is a huge market for every fitness professional to consider."

A 65-year-old man or women sees the rest of their life much differently than they did at the age of 25 or 35. The quality of life is their focus, but it is at this time that their muscles have faded and various ailments have begun.

"We must recondition the 26% of the total U.S. population in innovative ways, using modalities that are self-sustaining and much more low-impact than what we used to do in our youth or even mid-age," added Grzymkowski. "Heavy barbells and dumbbells are not necessary ideal equipment to serve as a catalyst to whipping Baby Boomers into shape. Aerobics, spinning, and elliptical machines are also not for everyone. We have to look for something even more revolutionary."

Grzymkowski, a 67-year-old veteran of the fitness industry, has spent his lifetime around barbells, dumbbells, and spinning bikes. But he has substituted the iron of his youth for the pneumatic bands used by his counterparts in Japan. "I have not changed - I love feeling pumped when I exercise. When I feel my biceps bulge or my quads burn, it recalls my strength of former years. But I am doing this and changing my body shape without heavy weights. I am doing it with pneumatic bands and the KAATSU equipment that are used so effectively by senior citizens in Japan and elite athletes around the world. When I do use weights during my KAATSU workout I tend to use light dumbbells or weight plates of no more than 5-pounds."

KAATSU is a Japanese word that means 'additional pressure' in English.

KAATSU is done with pneumatic bands that are inflated to safe levels by a mobile electronic touch panel device. The bands are a proven means to safely modify the blood flow in the limbs during exercise. This modification leads to pooling of blood in the muscles that leads to significant human growth hormone secretion and a literal tricking of the brain into thinking the body into building muscle.

KAATSU athletes of all ages – from 14 to 104 - and abilities, including Olympians and professional athletes, perform simple exercises to generate a muscle pump: hand clenches and bicep curls with or without light weights or heel raises or leg curls while standing up.

Photos shows 66-year-old marathon swimmer and author Diana Nyad and 67-year-old Paul Grzymkowski working out with KAATSU.

Copyright © 2015 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU At Medica Medicine & Sports Conference

The primary objective of the 3rd MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE in Düsseldorf, Germany is to offer an interdisciplinary exchange between international sports medicine experts, professional athletes, and the sporting goods and healthcare industries.

KAATSU equipment and KAATSU protocols will be exhibited and explained in Messe Düsseldorf.

"We will have two locations present in Medica," explains Sean Whalen, the founder of AlterG and head of KAATSU's European operations. "We will exhibit the latest KAATSU gear together with our German partners Pullsh Active in the K-Active Europe booth in Medica's Main Hall 4, B29 between November 16th and 19th.

People can see demonstrations and learn about the latest developments and technology in the field of blood flow moderation training.

KAATSU has over 40 years of research and experience in this field, being the inventors of the technique 4 decades ago. Scientists, academics, coaches, physios and physicians can learn how to bring KAATSU to the market and their clients, athletes and customers. With hundreds of thousands of people per day using KAATSU, it is the only truly proven safe and effective implementation for this revolutionary technique."

Additionally, Dr James Stray-Gundersen will present a detailed talk at the Congress Center South, Conference Room 2, Messe Dusseldorf called “Blood Flow Moderation Training in High-performance Sports Therapy and Recovery” on November 18th between 2:25 and 5:00 pm.

Whalen continues, "KAATSU will also be exhibited in the Sports Medicine private section where demonstrations of the latest KAATSU protocols ad equipment will be held inside Conference Room 2."

For more information and registration, visit here.

Copyright © 2015 by KAATSU Global

Olympic Coach's Journey To KAATSU

Copyright © 2015 by Christopher Morgan, 2008 Olympic Swim Coach

My coaching career has allowed me to chase my dreams and realize them; travel the world and learn new languages. Most importantly, and through a twist of fate, my travels inadvertently guided me to meet my best friend, my soul mate...my wife. I am fortunate and humbled by the athletes who I have worked with and the amazing mentors who have taught me invaluable lessons and bestowed upon me treasures of information and knowledge.

When I started coaching under the late Richard Quick at Stanford University in the 1990’s, I was nervous about making mistakes, yet comforted by Richard and his preacher-like aura.

Richard was a swimming genius and a magician of motivation. I remember someone once told me Richard “could make a rock swim…” I believe that to be true.

One thing that Richard was always keen about was new and innovative toys and tools that could help athletes get better. I am sure that some of that passion for new information was implanted in my 'swim coach' genetic code.

One of my more vivid memories of Richard and Stanford Swimming was when a young swimmer by the name of Misty Hyman came to join the legendary swimming family at Stanford University. One training tool that was traditionally associated with Misty was the monofin. However, some people might not have ever know that back during her training under Bob Gillett at AFOX in Arizona, and continued through a collaboration with Richard at Stanford, Misty would wear multiple large rubber bands around her thighs and upper arms.

Though it seemed strange, I was totally captivated by this unique way of restricting blood flow to the extremities while raising the heart rate through training. I did not think much about it...at least not for 15 years.

Jump ahead to 2013...

After a very successful coaching career in Switzerland, I returned to Stanford for a brief coaching opportunity in 2012 and then relocated to Boston in the spring to take on the assistant coaching position at Harvard University. My fortune continued while at Harvard, most importantly one day while sitting in my office and observing 2012 Olympian Alex Meyer dive into the pool for an early swim with Olympic coach Tim Murphy. On this particular day, someone else accompanied Alex and Tim and they seemed to be testing some kind of equipment. My curiosity had never waned and I was drawn to the pool deck where I met their guest, Steven Munatones.

I was no stranger to Steven and his passion for swimming. I had read one of his books about Open Water Swimming while coaching some open water swimmers in Europe. I had also seen him at some meets and events many years prior. Coach Murphy and Steve were observing Alex swim a series of 50’s and I noticed some kind of bands wrapped around his upper arms as he trained. Alex was/is a true glutton for punishment, so when I saw his grimace after only a handful of 50’s at a moderate speed, I asked myself, 'What are these crazy arm bands?' I continued to watch as they switched to legs…OUFF, Alex maintained the same facial result.

I introduced myself to Steve and I think he immediately felt my enthusiasm for this interesting way of creating a 'race pain' without the need for a time-consuming test set. I asked many questions and requested Steve to come back and test the bands on me. He obliged and I was blown away. Steve and I talked about the rubber bands that I had seen Misty use so many years prior…he said the science was almost identical. He called these bands KAATSU the original BFR. He explained that the equipment and protocols and concepts were developed in Japan.

This was when KAATSU first entered my life and I will forever be indebted to this moment.

I followed this up by introducing the Head Women’s Coach at Harvard to this very interesting training tool. She believed in my philosophy and passion for 'outside of the box' training techniques and we steadily grew a relationship with Steve and some others who were practitioners of KAATSU. In order to safely and successfully implement the KAATSU Aqua Bands into our training, all parties agreed that the coaches should undertake some formal training in KAATSU and become KAATSU-certified. It was incredibly interesting, though I struggled with how exactly we would begin with the team.

Then, because of an injury, the how and why became crystal clear.

In early 2013 I had made a pack with myself to get fit. I needed and goal, so I set me eyes on a Tough Mudder obstacle race. It was a perfect event to get myself motivated to train and be ready. I even used the KAATSU Master to improve my fitness level. On the day of the event, at mile #10, I slipped on a log and smashed my side. The result was 2 broken ribs.

I continued to use the KAATSU Master and both arm and leg bands during my recovery. I was shocked at how fast the pain and sensitivity were diminished. I decided to see what was really happening. So 10 days after the x-rays revealed the broken ribs, I requested a second look. The doctor was in disbelief at how fast I had healed. This was all I needed to believe that KAATSU was the only reason for my quick recovery. I was TOTALLY IN and wanted the athletes that I work with to be able to benefit in any and all ways possible from a clear and methodical use of KAATSU.

I have never been so amazed at the results of anything in the sport of swimming as I am with a continued use of KAATSU Aqua Bands in everyday training. My athletes are not only healing pre-existing injuries, they are preventing injuries and making BIG time drops...this is HUGE!

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

Reconditioning from Quadriceps Atrophy with KAATSU

Many athletes significantly atrophy due to injuries sustained in practice and gains. In order to quickly and effectively recondition with KAATSU from atrophy of the quadriceps, KAATSU recommendations are as follows using either the KAATSU Master or KAATSU Nano together with the KAATSU Air Bands (both arm and leg bands):

Preparation
*Be well-hydrated before starting KAATSU
*Always follow KAATSU protocols (i.e., always have good capillary refill within 2 – 3 seconds, no occlusion, no numbness)
*Always start with the KAATSU Cycle (i.e., 8 cycles of 20 seconds pressure on + 5 seconds pressure off)

Key Points
*KAATSU can be done daily, even twice per day during rehabilitation or recovery from injuries
*Use a high Base SKU and the highest Optimal SKU that is safe and falls within the standard KAATSU guidelines
*Always begin with at least 2-3 KAATSU Cycles on arms and legs
*Do not release the air in the KAATSU Air Bands throughout the entire reconditioning workout (unless, of course, you feel numbness or become lightheaded)
*Never have pain in the joint, tendon or bone while doing KAATSU
*Always sue the correct form in any movements
*The rest between sets and between exercises should be no more than 20 seconds maximum

Protocols
STEP 1: Start with the KAATSU Cycle on the arms at an average Base SKU and average Optimal SKU (e.g., if your Optimal SKU is 250 SKU, start with an SKU of 220-230). Do 1 – 2 more KAATSU Cycles on the arms as a warm-up.

STEP 2: Set the appropriate Base SKU and Optimal SKU on the arms and do either the KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the arms* or a specific upper body workout with the KAATSU Arm Bands on. If the KAATSU 3-point Exercises are done, do 3 sets each of (1) hand clenches (optionally with hand grips), (2) bicep curls (optionally with light resistance), and (3) triceps extensions (optimally with light resistance) until muscular failure.

STEP 3: Remove KAATSU Arm Bands and place KAATSU Leg Bands on to begin the KAATSU Cycle on the legs.

STEP 4: Do one normal KAATSU Cycle (i.e., 8 cycles of 20 seconds pressure on + 5 seconds pressure off).

STEP 5: Do 3 – 5 modified KAATSU Cycles of 60 seconds pressure on + 20 seconds pressure off at the highest Base SKU and Optimal SKU as possible.

STEP 6: Do the KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the legs or 3 sets of (a) heel raises, (b) standing hamstring curls, and (c) non-lock partial extension squats (both one-leg and two-leg if possible), and walking or other recommended movements as recommended by the physical therapist.

Reminders
*If you can do over 40 repetitions before reaching failure, then the Base SKU and Optimal SKU are too low. Increase the Base SKU or Optimal SKU so ideally the number of repetitions on the first set is 30 repetitions before failure.
*Always breathe throughout the KAATSU exercises and remain well-hydrated.
*Always go to muscle failure on each set. On the last set of each exercise, muscular failure should come quickly.
*A disturbance of homeostasis will occur and muscular discomfort will be significant, partly due to lactate build-up.
*KAATSU Aqua Bands can be used in a therapy pool or swimming pool to augment the recovery if aqua-therapy is also incorporated in the athlete’s rehabilitation program.
*Because KAATSU has systemic effects, it is recommended to also do KAATSU on the arms in addition to the legs.

Copyright © 2015 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU 3-point Exercises For Legs

KAATSU 3-point Exercises are a fundamental part of the standard KAATSU protocol for both the arms and legs.

Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, who invented KAATSU in 1966, first established the KAATSU 3-point Exercises in the 1970s. These simple exercises have been performed safely and effectively among millions of individual KAATSU sessions among people of all ages and abilities with myriad physical conditions or ailments.

The KAATSU 3-point Exercises can either be used to help determine the optimal SKU pressure or as a form of basic exercise for both the arms and legs. After the Base SKU (manually applied pressure) is established, then the KAATSU 3-point Exercises is a means to determine if the Optimal SKU (inflated pressure of the pneumatic bands) is appropriate (read a more detailed explanation here).

Alternatively, especially for Baby Boomers and adults who are being reconditioned back to a state of wellness through a simple exercise program, the KAATSU 3-point Exercises can consist of their entire KAATSU training program. When the KAATSU 3-point Exercises are performed, the exercises can be performed either on a KAATSU Master or a KAATSU Nano or a KAATSU Cycle unit. The KAATSU 3-point Exercises can be performed while the user is either tethered (connected) or untethered (disconnected) to the units.

KAATSU Leg 3-point Exercises [illustrations posted on left]

The KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the legs are either defined as Standard or Advanced.

The Standard KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the legs involves toe curls, toe raises, and heel raises. These are all performed while the user is seated comfortably with good posture on a chair. In general, these are preferred for older or less fit individuals or those just starting an exercise program or KAATSU.

The Advanced KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the legs are alternatively used by more fit or active individuals or for those individuals with more experience in KAATSU. These 3 basic exercises includes heel raises, leg curls and squats. The heel raises can be done while sitting or standing. The leg curls can be performed while standing and holding onto a chair or balancing against a wall. The squats (or "chair touches") can be performed while bending the knees to touch a chair and then popping back up.

Ideally, the squats are "non-lock" (partial extension) so that the muscles are constantly engaged and there is no rest while the knees are "locked" straight (in a full extension). This will build up fatigue and lactic acid more quickly.

Each set of exercises should be done 3-4 times each with a maximum of 20 seconds between each set. Ideally, the number of repetitions for each exercise decreases before the user reaches muscular or technical failure (or fatigues).

That is, an ideal set would be 25-30 repetitions on set #1, 10-15 repetitions on set #2, and 5-10 repetitions on set #3. Even if only 1-2 repetitions are completed on the last set, this failure signal sent to the central nervous system is one of the goals of KAATSU.

KAATSU Arm 3-point Exercises [illustrations posted here]

The KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the arms involves hand clenches, bicep curls and tricep extensions. Each set of exercises is done 3 times each with a maximum of 20 seconds rest between each set. Ideally, the number of repetitions for each exercise decreases before the user reaches muscular or technical failure*.

That is, an ideal set would be 25-30 repetitions on set #1, 10-15 repetitions on set #2, and 5-10 repetitions on set #3. Even if only 1-2 repetitions are completed on the last set, this failure signal sent to the central nervous system is one of the goals of KAATSU.

* Technical failure is defined when the individual starts to do improper technique (movement) due to an increasing sense of fatigue. At this point, the set is stopped.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU 3-point Exercises For Arms

KAATSU 3-point Exercises are a fundamental part of the standard KAATSU protocol for both the arms and legs.

Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, the inventor of KAATSU in 1966, first established the KAATSU 3-point Exercises in the 1970s. These simple exercises have been performed safely and effectively among millions of individual KAATSU sessions among people of all ages and abilities with myriad physical conditions or ailments.

The KAATSU 3-point Exercises can either be used to help determine the optimal SKU pressure or as a form of basic exercise for both the arms and legs.

When the KAATSU 3-point Exercises are performed, they can be performed either on a KAATSU Master or a KAATSU Nano or a KAATSU Cycle unit. The 3-point Exercises can be performed while the user is either tethered (connected) or untethered (disconnected) to the units.

KAATSU Arm 3-point Exercises [illustrations on left]

The KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the arms involves hand clenches, bicep curls and tricep extensions. Each set of exercises should be done 3-4 times each with a maximum of 20 seconds rest between each set. Ideally, the number of repetitions for each exercise decreases before the user reaches muscular or technical failure* (or fatigues).

That is, an ideal set would be 25-30 repetitions on set #1, 10-15 repetitions on set #2, and 5-10 repetitions on set #3. Even if only 1-2 repetitions are completed on the last set, this failure signal sent to the central nervous system is one of the goals of KAATSU.

KAATSU Leg 3-point Exercises [illustrations posted here]

The standard KAATSU 3-point Exercises for the legs involves toe curls, toe raises, and heel raises. Alternatively, for more fit or active individuals, the 3 advanced exercises includes heel raises, leg curls and squats.

Each set of exercises should be done 3-4 times each with a maximum of 20 seconds rest between each set. Ideally, the number of repetitions for each exercise decreases before the user reaches muscular or technical failure (or fatigues).

That is, an ideal set would be 25-30 repetitions on set #1, 10-15 repetitions on set #2, and 5-10 repetitions on set #3. Even if only 1-2 repetitions are completed on the last set, this failure signal sent to the central nervous system is one of the goals of KAATSU.

* Technical failure is defined when the individual starts to do improper technique (movement) due to an increasing sense of fatigue. At this point, the set is stopped.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

3 Levels Of KAATSU

There are 3 basic levels of KAATSU:

*Level 1: KAATSU Cycle
*Level 2: KAATSU 3-point Exercises
*Level 3: KAATSU Performance

LEVEL ONE:
The KAATSU Cycle is a convenient form of blood flow moderation activity that requires no physical movement. It can be done anywhere (e.g., office cubicles, airplane seats, sofas at home, desks at school) anytime (e.g., before or after workouts), on the arms and separately on the legs. Of course, physical movement during KAATSU Cycle can be done if desired.

During KAATSU Cycle, the KAATSU Air Bands remain connected to the KAATSU Master, KAATSU Nano or KAATSU Cycle units.

The full KAATSU Cycle on the KAATSU Master and KAATSU Nano is a 3 minute 20 second session and can be repeated as desired with an SKU pressure as appropriate for each individual. During the KAATSU Cycle the pressures in the arm and leg bands increases incrementally on each of the 8 cycles. So if the SKU pressure is inputted as 200 SKU on the arms, the 8 cycles are 130-140-150-160-170-180-190-200 in SKU pressure.

In contrast in the specialized KAATSU Cycle unit, there are 3 different levels of cycling at specific SKU pressures:

*CYCLE 20 is 20 seconds of 100 SKU in pressure followed by 5 seconds without pressure. The entire CYCLE 20 session is 3 minutes 20 seconds in duration and can be repeated as desired.

*CYCLE 40 is 40 seconds of 150 SKU in pressure followed by 10 seconds without pressure. The entire CYCLE 40 session is 6 minutes 40 seconds in duration and can be repeated as desired.

*CYCLE 60 is 60 seconds of 200 SKU in pressure followed by 20 seconds without pressure. It is 10 minutes 40 seconds in duration and can be repeated as desired.

KAATSU Cycle helps relieve stress and results in an elevated energy levels. It can be done in confirmed spaces (office cubicles or on a train) and done with or without movement.

LEVEL TWO:
The KAATSU 3-point Exercises are a highly-efficient form of blood flow moderation exercise for both the arms and legs. It can be done anywhere anytime and involves 3 sets of hand clenches, bicep curls and tricep extensions on the arms, and toe curls, toe raises, and heel raises on the legs.

Individuals of all ages and abilities can go to muscle exhaustion within minutes without use of weights.

The SKU pressures used during the KAATSU 3-point Exercises are dependent upon the appropriate Base SKU and Optimal SKU pressures.

After millions of KAATSU sessions in Japan, these are the basic guidelines for the Base SKU primarily based on age and general physical fitness. Of course, there are always individual exceptions, but these guidelines have proven safe and effective over the decades and among hundreds of thousands of users of all ages, abilities and physical abilities:

Base SKU for Arms on the KAATSU Master:
*10-20 SKU for older and middle age adults with less-than-average level of fitness
*20-30 SKU for older and middle age adults with an average level of fitness
*30-40 SKU for young and middle age adults with a good level of fitness
*40-50 SKU for teenagers, young adults and adults with a high level of fitness
*50+ SKU for elite athletes or those with extraordinarily high levels of fitness

Base SKU for Legs on the KAATSU Master:
*20-30 SKU for older and middle age adults with less-than-average level of fitness
*30-40 SKU for older and middle age adults with an average level of fitness
*40-50 SKU for teenagers, young adults and adults with a high level of fitness
*50-60 SKU for elite athletes or those with extraordinarily high levels of fitness

Base SKU for Arms on the KAATSU Nano:
*Less than 10 SKU for older and middle age adults with less-than-average level of fitness
*10-15 SKU for older and middle age adults with an average level of fitness
*15-20 SKU for young and middle age adults with a good level of fitness
*20-25 SKU for teenagers, young adults and adults with a high level of fitness
*25+ SKU for elite athletes or those with extraordinarily high levels of fitness

Base SKU for Legs on the KAATSU Nano:
*10-15 SKU for older and middle age adults with less-than-average level of fitness
*15-20 SKU for older and middle age adults with an average level of fitness
*20-25 SKU for teenagers, young adults and adults with a high level of fitness
*25-30 SKU for elite athletes or those with extraordinarily high levels of fitness

LEVEL THREE:
KAATSU Performance is the most intense form of full body blood flow moderation exercise. It can be done anywhere anytime and involves a full range of movements used in physical therapy, resistance training, or sports specific activities including throwing, agility drills or running.

Individuals of all ages and abilities, from beginners to professionals, can go to muscle exhaustion within minutes without use of weights or any resistance other than body weight.

In KAATSU Performance, individuals can do the movements of their choice as they overlay their exercise with KAATSU arm or leg bands on. Done properly, KAATSU Performance results in no soreness, immediate recovery, and elevated energy levels.

In summary, there are some important points to remember:

* The higher the Base SKU, the lower the Optimal SKU will be. It is the combination of the Base SKU and the Optimal SKU that is the critical pressure.
* There can and will be daily variations of up to +/- 20-30 SKU in the same individual.
* The anticipated Optimal Pressure is primarily a function of age, fitness and limb circumference.

Regarding age, the highest pressures generally occur between ages 20-30 and decrease for younger and older individuals. Dr Jim Stray-Gundersen, the Chief Medical Officer of KAATSU Global, explains, "There is an overlay of 'physiologic' age that modifies the chronological age. That is, with the elderly who may have stiff, damaged arteries, use relatively low pressures."

Regarding relative fitness, the fitter the subject is, the higher the optimal pressure from the same base pressure will be.

Regarding limb circumference/cross sectional area, the bigger the extremity is, the higher the pressure will be. So arm pressures are typically 50-100 SKUs lower than leg pressures. Also, if an individual has the more muscle versus fat in the extremity, they will generally be able to handle higher pressures.

As Dr Stray-Gundersen recommends, "Keep in mind what one is trying to do with KAATSU is find the optimal amount of venous outflow impediment so that otherwise easy exercises become unsustainable."

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

What Are The Differences Between KAATSU And BFR?

Many people ask about the differences between KAATSU and occlusion (tourniquet) training or BFR (Blood Flow Restriction) training.

Robert Heiduk, a sports scientist at the University of Bonn, Germany summarized differences between KAATSU and BFR in the chart above.

The first certified KAATSU Specialist in Germany, Heiduk will present his findings and recommendations of KAATSU training and about KAATSU equipment (including the KAATSU Master, KAATSU Nano, KAATSU Cycle and KAATSU Air Bands) at the strength and conditioning conference, Athletik-Konferenz on September 5th-6th 2015.

Heiduk's presentation will serve as the official KAATSU premiere in Germany.

He will also host a 90-minute pre-conference KAATSU introduction workshop on Friday, September 4th at the University in Bonn. Strength and Conditioning specialists, physios and speakers will also participate.

For more information, contact robert@eisenklinik.de and visit www.athletikkonferenz.de/.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

What Differs Between KAATSU And Traditional Strength Training?

Many people ask about the differences between KAATSU and traditional strength training.

Robert Heiduk, a sports scientist at the University of Bonn, Germany summarized the main physiological differences in the chart above.

The first certified KAATSU Specialist in Germany, Heiduk will present his findings and recommendations of KAATSU training and about KAATSU equipment (including the KAATSU Master, KAATSU Nano, KAATSU Cycle and KAATSU Air Bands) at the strength and conditioning conference, Athletik-Konferenz on September 5th-6th 2015.

Heiduk's presentation will serve as the official KAATSU premiere in Germany.

He will also host a 90-minute pre-conference KAATSU introduction workshop on Friday, September 4th at the University in Bonn. Strength and Conditioning specialists, physios and speakers will also participate.

For more information, contact robert@eisenklinik.de and visit www.athletikkonferenz.de/.


Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

Building Biceps With KAATSU

Some KAATSU male users want to know the best way to quickly increase their bicep size with KAATSU Air Bands and their KAATSU Nano or KAATSU Master units. Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, the 67-year-old inventor shown above, recommends the following:

Preparation
*Be well-hydrated.
*Understand the standard KAATSU protocols (i.e., always have good capillary refill within 2-3 seconds, no occlusion, no numbness).
*Always start with the KAATSU Cycle (i.e., 8 cycles of 20 seconds pressure on + 5 seconds pressure off).

Key Points
*Do KAATSU 2-3 times per week.
*Use a high Base SKU and the highest Optimal SKU that is safe and falls within the KAATSU guidelines (i.e., good capillary refill, no occlusion, no numbness).
*The entire bicep-focused workout is approximately 10 minutes.
*Do not release the air in the KAATSU Air Bands throughout the entire workout (unless, of course, you feel numbness or become lightheaded).


Protocols
*STEP 1: Start with the KAATSU Cycle at an average Base SKU and average Optimal SKU (e.g., if your Optimal SKU is 250 SKU, start with an SKU of 220-230).
*STEP 2: Use Hand Grips to do one set of hand clenches until muscular failure, enabling the lactic acid to being accumulating.
*STEP 3: Use light weights (e.g., 5 lbs./2.5 kg dumbbell) to do bicep curls slowly and deliberately until muscular failure to reached.
*If you can do over 60 repetitions before reaching failure, then the KAATSU Base SKU and Optimal SKU are too low. Increase the Base SKU or Optimal SKU so ideally the number of repetitions on the first set is 30-40 repetitions before failure.

*After the first set of 30-40 repetitions, set the dumbbells down and rest for approximately 15 seconds.
*Start the second set of bicep curls. It is ideal if muscular failure comes before 20 repetitions.
*Set the dumbbells down and rest for approximately 15 seconds.
*Start the third set of bicep curls. It is ideal if muscular failure comes before 10 repetitions.
*Set the dumbbells down and rest for approximately 15 seconds.
*Start the fourth and last set of bicep curls. Muscular failure should come quickly after only a few repetitions. The discomfort should be quite significant.
*STEP 4: Return to the hand grips and do one set of hand clenches until muscular failure. The discomfort should be extreme.

Post-Workout Sensations
*You will feel very pumped up after each KAATSU session.
*You may feel post-workout fatigue if the sessions are extraordinarily intense.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

KAATSU For Powerful Thighs And Hamstrings

Football or fútbol, speed skating or rowing, leg power and drive are what sometimes separates elite athletes from first and second, from gold and silver.

One example is the very intense KAATSU Training program that Olympic speed skaters used to develop their speed and power in their thighs and hamstrings. This workout was developed for Hiroyasu Shimizu (清水 宏保), a 1998 500m speed skating Olympic champion and 5-time world record holder from Japan. While only 162 cm in height (5'-3"), the power and size of his thighs are renowned.

The following 5 basic exercises with KAATSU Air Bands have proven successful:


6 Types of Exercises:
1. Squats
2. Leg Curls
3. Leg Lunges
4. Calf Raises
5. Slide Board

Key Points:
* Focus on doing "non-lock exercises" where the knees are never fully extended and the muscles are constantly engaged with the KAATSU Air Bands on.
* Keep the rest period between sets and between exercises to 20 seconds maximum.
* Build the lactate levels to the highest levels possible.
* Do 3-4 sets of each exercise to failure (maximum effort).
* Failure on each set should be reached earlier and earlier (i.e., 24-40 repetitions on the first set in each exercise; >20 reps on second set; >10 reps in his third set; 1-2 reps on fourth set.

Details:
1. SQUATS
Do deep, quick non-lock squats until failure where the knees are kept at less than 90° throughout the 4 sets.

2. LEG CURLS
Do quickly paced leg curls until failure where the legs were kept at less than 90° throughout the 4 sets.

3. LEG LUNGES
Do deep walking leg lunges where athlete "walks" forward with (or without) a bar bell resting on the shoulders (or dumb bells in his hands).

4. CALF RAISES
Do 4 sets of calf raises with weights on the shoulders and toes in a starting position elevated above the heels (i.e., while standing on a small step or a step board) so the calves are worked.

5. SLIDE BOARD
Skate back and forth on a slide board in a deep squat, occasionally with weights resting on his shoulders.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

Déjà Vu, Training Of Misty Hyman Redux

Courtesy of KAATSU Global, Huntington Beach, California.

In Arizona during the 1990's, two-time American High School Swimmer of the Year Misty Hyman started to put large rubber bands around her upper legs and upper arms under the guidance of her Hall of Fame coach Bob Gillette.

Gillette was innovative and came up with the idea of placing big, thick bands around Hyman's arms and legs in order to restrict the blood flow to her extremities.

After Hyman entered Stanford as America's most formidable high school star in 1997, she continued to use the rubber bands around her legs and arms during certain sets under the guidance of renowned Olympic coach Richard Quick.

A few of her teammates tried the bands around their legs, but Hyman remained a lone star in the revolutionary training modality.

Combined with her innate talents and hard work, her training regimen worked as Hyman graduated from Stanford University with 9 NCAA titles to her credit.


Most famously, Hyman put all those years of training to good use when she pulled off one of the greatest upsets in aquatic history when she defeated Susie O'Neill at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Defending Olympic champion Neill had not lost a 200-meter butterfly race in six years, but Hyman put it all together physically and mentally on swimming’s biggest stage in Sydney.

When Hyman retired in 2004, the close of her career spelled the end of those thick rubber bands.

But a young American coach, Christopher Morgan, was also on the pool deck helping Quick mold Olympic champions and NCAA record-holders at Stanford. He watched Hyman go from a high school star to Olympic champion. But he always wondered about those rubber bands. Why wasn't anyone using them? What exactly did the bands do physiologically? When the limbs are engorged in blood, what happens to the body?

Dial forward 18 years.

Hyman continues to be a role model for swimmers and people of all walks of life. Gillette currently serves as a USA Swimming Master Coach while Quick sadly passed away in 2009. Morgan found his own path to Olympics as coach of the Swiss team as well as a coach at Harvard University.

While at Harvard, Morgan met with a representative of an innovative Japanese doctor who had independently developed blood flow moderation exercise in the 1960s. “Dr. Sato created KAATSU which means ‘additional pressure’. It has been used by hundreds of thousands of Japanese for sports performance, fitness, and rehabilitation over the last several decades. When I first saw Dr. Sato’s sophisticated pneumatic KAATSU bands with sensors inside, it reminded me of Misty’s rubber bands. It was déjà vu in the pool with a highly sophisticated Japanese technological twist.”

Dr. Peter Lansbury, a former Princeton swimmer and currently a professor of neurology at the Harvard Medical School has been using KAATSU bands for several months. He explains, “Dr. Sato discovered the effects of blood flow moderation exercise that he calls KAATSU. He has shown remarkable results with Japanese Olympic medalists and pro athletes and is now working with the Chinese Olympic Committee. Fortunately, he also shared his knowledge with our colleagues here at the Harvard Medical School. But Chris has really run with KAATSU’s applications with his age-group swimmers at Northshore YMCA.”

Morgan describes his pioneering KAATSU training on dryland and KAATSU Aqua in the pool with three young swimmers on his team.

"Carson Christuk is a 16-year-old breaststroker. He has been using KAATSU Aqua 3 times per week after breaking his wrist and dislocating his kneecap during 2013. He says KAATSU has helped reduce and occasionally eliminate the lingering pain of his injuries. But it is the improvement in his best times that have been most satisfying. He was a 2:14 200 breaststroker in September 2013 and then dropped his time to 2:11 with a taper in December. After starting KAATSU Aqua in January, he pulled a 2:09 in February and then ripped off a 2:03 in April at the YMCA National Championships.

Jake Bennett is an 18-year-old freestyler. He had a bad rotator cuff injury since the summer of 2013. It would flare up under high stress or due to high volume. Initially, he used KAATSU every day for 2 weeks to see any improvement. During the first week, he only used the KAATSU Aqua bands on his legs, but then he started up with his arms on week 2. After 2 weeks, his pain was almost gone for the first time in 3 months. Like Carson, his performances skyrocketed. He was a 1:44.9 200 freestyler in September 2013 and did a 1:46.5 in October while he was in pain. But after starting KAATSU in November, he dropped to 1:44.5 in December and just did a 1:41.2 swimming pain free at the high school state championships.”

Morgan has also used KAATSU with four of his disabled swimmers including 3 Para-National Team swimmers and 1 world record holder. “The Japanese use KAATSU Aqua bands with individuals who are missing limbs or who have had strokes. We place the KAATSU bands on both limbs of our disabled athletes while we carefully identify and monitor the pressure. While it may look like simple bands on the arms and legs, there is a specific protocol that Dr. Sato developed. Like the American Olympic skiers and jumpers who use KAATSU, and the professional athletes in Japan, we look for a certain physiological state and then we work with our swimmers over intense, short periods with some pretty remarkable results."



Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen oversees KAATSU training with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association athletes where all the skiers and snowboarders incorporate KAATSU into their training regimen. The Sports Science Advisor explains how he has applied KAATSU at the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah. “When we have injured athletes, they can do both KAATSU and Alter-G in order to maintain their strength and aerobic conditioning as they recover. We are also starting to incorporate KAATSU training into the regime of our uninjured athletes. KAATSU allows safe (very light weights), maximal workouts to failure in short periods of time (about 15 minutes), with positive results coming in as little as 10 sessions."

What Bob Gillette and Misty Hyman were working on in the 1990’s may have been more profound that they may have initially realized.

“When the KAATSU bands are applied correctly with the optimal pressure which is different for everyone [using the KAATSU Nano unit shown below], the arterial in-flow to the limbs is restricted and the deep venous out-flow is impeded,” explains Dr. Stray-Gundersen.

“As the athlete moves, whether it is swimming or doing dry-land exercise, the capillary-venous space becomes distended and congested in the muscle distal to the KAATSU bands. Muscle contraction under these conditions of impeded blood flow and congested vascular space uses up intracellular phosphates energy stores and oxygen at a rate greater than the circulation can replenish them.

Metabolic waste products accumulate and homeostasis in the muscle is lost.”

As the athlete continue to exercise with the KAATSU bands, the intensity of effort rapidly increases. The discomfort they feel at the end of a race is quickly achieved during practice.

“Consequently, as the tissue becomes more hypoxic and energy stores depleted, anaerobic glycolysis attempts to compensate by increasing its rate, which produces some ATP, but also produces a marked disturbance in muscle homeostasis that ultimately leads to muscle failure, or in other words, not being able to continue the exercises,” says Dr. Stray-Gundersen.

The effects that have been seen in combative sports (boxing, wrestling, judo), baseball, rugby, and numerous winter sports in Japan and China are now beginning to be understood by Morgan and others in the aquatic world.

Dr. Stray-Gundersen describes his perspective. “We think, but have yet to prove, that there is a local effect and a systemic effect from KAATSU training. When blood flow is restricted and muscle is asked to exercise with a restricted, engorged circulation, homeostasis is lost in the exercising tissues below the KAATSU belt. The development of hypoxia, acidosis and various other metabolites outside their normal concentrations, stimulates a positive adaptive response in the local muscle and vasculature. Increasing concentrations of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors (VEGF), which has been shown experimentally, is an example of the "local" effect.

In addition, we think there is an important systemic response, where the loss of homeostasis is communicated to the brain (KAATSU practitioners are aware of the discomfort in their muscles) and the brain responds by increasing breathing and heart rate, as well as initiating an "anabolic" cascade. The release of growth hormone from the pituitary, which has been shown experimentally, is an example of this "systemic" response. This has the effect of causing muscle both distal to the KAATSU belts and proximal to the belts to adapt and get stronger.

In essence, KAATSU presents a very effective and highly efficient mechanism that coaches and trainers can implement with their athletes to get increasing circulating levels of growth hormone and VEGF, that is otherwise difficult and very taxing to do."

Essentially back in the 1990s, Hyman had a secret weapon in her training regimen that was far ahead of her time. While her strength off the walls, technique, stamina, and mental outlook all came together at the Sydney Olympics, Hyman had been uniquely developing her vascular system over the years.

At the same time half a world away, KAATSU began gaining a foothold among athletes in Japan. Based on his own research and patented concepts and equipment, Dr. Sato began conducting medical and scientific research with the University of Tokyo Hospital and other researchers and physicians in Japan. With a rapidly aging population, KAATSU started to gain adherents throughout Japanese society. KAATSU was even used with comatose patients and those with neurological diseases.

For every Japanese Olympic medalist who used KAATSU, there were many more individuals – from teenagers to their great-grandparents – who integrated the KAATSU in their fitness and rehabilitation programs. Last year, KAATSU has begun used by Chinese and American professional and Olympic athletes in various sports.

Its first use in the aquatics world in the U.S. was by Vanguard Aquatics in Huntington Beach, California. Coaches Uros Dzelebdzic and Sasa Branisavljevic have quickly developed one of the best age-group water polo programs in the country. They continue to refine KAATSU’s use with their age group and high school players.

Dzelebdzic summarized his first test, “KAATSU appears to be an effective short-term training method that improves performance significantly more than traditional high intensity training. Athletes who used KAATSU had almost a 4% increase in speed compared with athletes who did not use KAATSU.”

But like Gillette, Dzelebdzic may only be scratching the surface of KAATSU.

"Together with Dr. Sato, we established the Center for KAATSU Research at Harvard Medical School and the KAATSU Research Foundation,” says Professor Lansbury. “We base our research on the specific protocols for safe use that Dr. Sato discovered, researched, and confirmed over the past 40 years. Each athlete uses different KAATSU pressures that are appropriate to them; the coach confirms this pressure before workout which can differ from day to day.

KAATSU can be used widely in various realms, from corporate wellness to the NFL. Besides exploring different medical and therapeutic possibilities of KAATSU, the sports performance possibilities for this technology are obvious based on the research and practical applications at all levels of Japanese sports and medicine.”



KAATSU Aqua will be introduced at the 2014 American Swimming Coaches Association World Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida this week. For more information, visit www.kaatsu-global.com.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global

A Positive Mindset For Brain Surgery

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



























Dr. Lyle Nalli was surprised when his hearing went out after he hopped out of workout one day.

"I just couldn't hear with my left ear," said the 53-year-old podiatrist from Huntington Beach, California. "I got out of the pool and thought there was water in my ear. It would not go away. I thought there was wax in the ear, but there was nothing.

I took a hearing test that showed a loss of hearing, but the doctors did not know why."

After consulting his colleagues in the medical community, he went in for an MRI. "It was positive for acoustic neuroma (AN), a swelling of the nerve," he recalls. The tumor was 3 mm in diameter and located inside his cranium between the inner ear and his brain stem. "After consultation, there were 3 options: just observe and let it be, gamma knive, and a surgery to excise it. I decided on surgery at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles with Dr. Slattery who I cannot say enough positive things about." He decided on an immediate surgery because he felt he was healthy enough to get through the surgery, there was no chance of coming back after excision, and he could eliminate the worry for the rest of his life that the tumor was not getting bigger.

For a man who has been training and racing all his life as a competitive pool and open water swimmer, health was not an issue. Not only has Dr. Nalli been a regular at local events, he has placed at World Masters Championships and was on a world record-setting Catalina Channel relay with his Long Beach Swim Focus teammates. "The nurses and staff nicknamed me The Athlete because my resting heart rate was so low. In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), my resting pulse of 38 beats per minute kept on tripping the alarm."

Like his open water swims, Dr. Nalli knew the inherent risks, but he had prepared himself as best he could and left the preparations and guidance up to Dr. Slattery. "In surgery, he cut into my skill about the size of a quarter (24 mm) behind my ear. He drilled into my skull and then gave me a spinal tap and drained out the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). This caused my brain to recede and gave the doctor some slack to work with. Then he made a cut to excise the tumor around the brain stem where the facial nerves, hearing nerves, and balance nerves are located. He cut out the balance nerves and then shaved off a bit of the hearing nerve in order to save my hearing. Six hours later, the benign, slow-growing tumor was out and he patched me all up."

Dr. Nalli's story now becomes one of inspiration and shows the advantages of staying in shape as one ages.

"I was in ICU for 3 days and then I stayed in the hospital for a week total. For the first day and a half, I went in and out of sleep I had a throbbing headache and a sick, sour taste in my stomach for 4 days. It was hard to sleep and I had this strong sense of smell of cat urine and burnt eggs. This taste and smell did not go away for days and I immediately lost 15 pounds while I was in ICU. I lost my sense of balance and my head felt like it was spinning when I did things like try to walk or read or watch TV. Patience and time were what was needed. Even after 7 days, I wasn't able to walk upstairs and listening to music and reading was just tiring. I learned patience."

Fortunately, his healthy body built up over the decades through swimming got about to start healing itself quickly. "I just go around to waiting and watching. This was exactly the opposite from all my experiences in athletics and swimming. Imagine in swimming if a coach asked you to just do nothing in order to get better? But that is what I did."

But time means different things to different people. And Nalli was definitely different.

3 days in ICU, 7 days in the hospital, and on the 18th day after 6 hours of brain surgery, Dr. Nalli ventured back to the pool. He was weak and his muscles had atrophied. He started to use KAATSU and KAATSU Aqua to gain back muscle and recover to where he was before.

"After 2 weeks, Dr. Slattery was surprised at my recovery. I had to have help to walk and keep my balance. Once I got back in the pool, I was so elated to even kick. But I felt nauseous when I did a flip turn or even turned my head to breathe. I was very happy to be able to do 25 yards of freestyle, but I mostly did kicking. I was careful and couldn't do flip turns and even breathing side to side was tough. But day by day, I got better and used a swim snorkel. I started out doing 500 yards, then 1100 yards, then 1800 yards."

Remarkably, less than 4 weeks from his skull being cut open with a drill, Dr. Nalli had gradually upped his distance to 5000 yards and was regularly doing KAATSU Training on land and KAATSU Aqua in the water.

"I just got in and decided to do a 500-yard swim. Once I was able to do that, I decided to do 1000 yards total [40 laps of a pool]. It is just progression. I am happy that I was healthy before the surgery. The wobbling is getting less intense and the dizziness is going away sooner.

I entered U.S. Masters Swimming Nationals less than a month and competed in the 400 individual medley and distance freestyle."

Dr. Nalli continued to do KAATSU every day during his recovery. He further augmented his physical therapy with KAATSU Aqua training on a near daily basis as part of his overall rehabilitation in a quest to return to his former swimming speed.

Some of his post-surgery workouts included using KAATSU Aqua Bands on his upper arms and upper legs in the pool, swimming 1-2 laps slowly while building up lactic acid that would normally result if he swam intensely. As his limbs become engorged in blood, he did KAATSU Aqua sets of 25 yards and 50 yards. He did anywhere from 200 - 800 yards in total distance with the KAATSU Aqua Bands as he reached failure when the lactic acid in his arms precluded him from swimming further - and served as a catalyst for a significant hormonal response.

Looking at his sparkling blue eyes and wide smile, his joy in swimming was clearly evident and a credit to his positive mindset and a long life of healthful living.

Copyright © 2014 - 2015 by KAATSU Global