KAATSU blog posts testimonials, protocols, case studies, techniques and ideas about KAATSU for recovery, rehabilitation, functional mobility and athletic performance. Statements included in this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
"I can simultaneously track and archive the oxygen level in my blood, my pulse, the number of breaths per minute, a measure to understand how well hydrated that I am, and other data points that indicate changes in blood circulation and heart rate recovery.
We use the Masimo with the athletes of all abilities and individuals of all ages recovering from injuries who we work with."
The six specific parameters that can be tracked noninvasively include the following data points:
1. SpO2 or Oxygen Saturation is the oxygen level in your blood that indicates changes due to your heart or lung function, oxygen use by your body, or altitude. It is a percentage of hemoglobin in the blood that is saturated with oxygen. The unit of measure is percentage (%).
2. PR or Pulse Rate is the number of your heart pulses per minute that indicates your overall fitness or exertion levels at any time. The unit of measure is beats per minute (bpm).
3. RRp™ or Respiration Rate is the number of breaths per minute that indicates how well your heart and lungs function or how quickly you recover from exercise. It is a measurement of respiration rate based on changes in the plethysmographic waveform. The unit of measure is respirations per minute (RPM).
4. PVi® or Plethysmograph Variability Index is the variation in perfusion index over your breathing cycle, which may indicate changes in hydration, breathing effort, perfusion, or other factors. The Plethsymographic Waveform displays your real-time pulse pressure waveform. To properly measure your PVi®, you should lay down relaxed in a horizontal position and take it at the same time of the day in the same position.
5. PI or Perfusion Index is the strength of your blood flow to your finger that indicates changes in blood circulation. It is the ratio of the pulsatile blood flow to the non-pulsatile blood in peripheral tissue used to measure peripheral perfusion. The Perfusion Index values ranges from 0.02% for a very weak pulse to 20% for an extremely strong pulse.
6. The Heart Rate Recovery Calculator can track the heart’s ability to return to normal levels after vigorous physical activity. Fitness level and proper heart function are measured by the recovery phase. A heart that is fit will recover at a quicker rate than a heart that is not accustomed to regular exercise. The first minute of recovery is the most crucial. After exercise, your heart rate experiences an abrupt drop during the first minute. This recovery period can indicate cardiovascular fitness level.
The Masimo's Heart Rate Recovery Calculator is used by putting on the MightySat on your finger right after exercise and opening the Masimo mobile app. After 60 seconds, you will receive your percentage score.
As a general rule, a lower recovery heart rate following vigorous exercise is better.
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, women For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
If you Google the word KAATSU in English, many online sources focus on KAATSU applications as a muscle-building, physique-toning modality popular among younger men. Photos, videos and testimonials explain and show how KAATSU can help build biceps and quads for these males.
But the amount of KAATSU information on KAATSU Beauty applications in English is quite limited in its scope. Google only scratches the surface on ways that KAATSU is currently used by women in 47 countries around the world.
A vast number of people of all ages use KAATSU for physical therapy, rehabilitation and recovery from vigorous workouts. Muscle toning and general wellness among working adults and retired seniors are, in reality, much more widely used applications than target bulging biceps of young men. In fact, most KAATSU users are people over the age of 50.
There is a growing specialty use of KAATSU: for all kinds of skin care and beauty applications. These female-focused applications have been tested and perfected over the last 20 years by a number of KAATSU specialists in Japan.
One of the leading KAATSU beauty experts is Yasuko Kato of Studio Body Design in Tokyo. Her clientele reaches from her hometown of Tokyo to clients from Los Angeles to London.
She offers a wide variety of applications to her clients from a maternity KAATSU course for pregnant women and new mothers and KAATSU sessions for women over the age of 50. She and her staff also offer specialty KAATSU Skin Care sessions for brides preparing for and on their wedding day as well as KAATSU Pilates sessions and KAATSU Stretching courses.
But the skin care benefits are also appreciated by individuals who may have had accidents, injuries or surgeries.
While Studio Body Design offers many specialty courses, the standard KAATSU session is a multi-stage experience.
"It is a remarkably profound experience and a totally different type of KAATSU application compared to a training session in a gym or to build speed, strength and stamina," describes David Tawil, a KAATSU Master Specialist who offers the same experience throughout the United States from the East Coast to the West Coast.
"The standard session is 50 minutes and the entire goal is to refresh and rejuvenate the skin and really bring out one's energy, not a session that fatigues and challenges you physically."
The client starts off by changing into comfortable gym wear - short pants and a short-sleeve shirt and without shoes or socks. The Studio Body Design specialist then smoothly, comfortably massages the client's limbs in a downward movement as they sit. Starting from the shoulders, they rub different cremes into the skin as they move down towards the wrist and hand.
They do the same with the legs, starting from the feet and ankles and then moving up past the knees as they smooth on a pleasant-smelling creme. They do the same with the core, comfortably pressing on the stomach and lower back.
Then they wrap the skin with cellophane and then special warming sleeves. The wrapping of the arms starts at the wrist. The specialist continues to spiral the cellophane wrap around the forearms and upper arms towards the underarm. The cellophane is wrapped from the ankles up to the quadriceps and hamstrings. The cellophane is even wrapped around the abdomen if the client wants.
Then special warming sleeves are placed on both arms, both legs and around the core.
KAATSU Air Bands are then applied to the upper arms and the client starts doing standard KAATSU Cycles. Movement is quite simple from stretching to extending the arms and rotating the shoulders. More complex movement from Pilates to use of silk suspension ropes can also be requested by the clients.
After 10 minutes, KAATSU Air Bands are removed from the arms and the Bands are placed on the upper legs.
Movement on the legs with the KAATSU Air Bands is also relatively simple, from stretching and walking in place on special foam pads to standing up and twisting the torso. More complex movements can also be requested by the client if they so desire.
"Nothing is vigorous; the movements are not difficult," explains Tawil. "The clients are not exhausted; rather, they are invigorated. Their bodies start to perspire with all the rhythmic movements. But the perspiration is not dripping sweat, it is more like a glistening glow."
After the KAATSU movements are over, the clients then sit back down and the Studio Body Design specialists remove the warming wraps and cellophane and softly dry the skin.
They then re-apply a moisturizing creme to the body and spray the body with various air spritzers.
"Then the real fun begins," Tawil recalls. "The specialists give a soothing face massage with bits of accupressure that really accentuate the benefits of the entire 50-minute experience.
The clients open their eyes after the session and they have these huge smiles that express a deeply felt gratitude for time very well spent."
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
In the emerging world of blood flow restriction (BFR), there are many hard questions, false allegations and mistruths disseminated by BFR manufacturers, sellers and users, especially vis-a-vis KAATSU.
Each of these questions, allegations and mistruths are addressed below:
Question: What is the difference between BFR and KAATSU as a modality?
Answer: KAATSU, in fact, is the original BFR. This was a term required by the editors of scientific journals who had reviewed the initial KAATSU studies that were submitted. But strictly speaking, BFR is based on the principle of occluding - or cutting off temporarily - the arterial flow from the torso to the limbs. That is, arterial blood flow is literally restricted or occluded when applying a tourniquet or occlusion bands in blood flow restriction equipment.
Most often, tourniquets are used that are the same or very similar to blood pressure cuffs that are used in the medical world. These tourniquets and blood pressure cuffs - used to take blood pressure readings - are specifically designed and engineered to occlude arterial flow. Due to their width, structure and inelastic material, the tourniquets are very effective at cutting off arterial flow.
That is, if you keep the tourniquets on long enough, the arterial blood flow is at first limited and then cut off. The palms of our hands go white and there is no pulse felt at your wrist. These tourniquets function exactly as they are designed and engineered and promoted.
In contrast, the KAATSU Air Bands are specifically designed and engineered to allow arterial blood flow to continue and to reduce the venous blood flow back from the limb to the torso. These pneumatic bands are flexible, much more narrow and are elastic that enable the arterial flow to continue and the venous flow to be slightly and safely reduced.
The KAATSU Air Bands were tested and used for 10 years at the University of Tokyo Hospital under the supervision and research conducted by cardiologists Dr. Nakajima and Dr. Morita and other exercise physiologists in collaboration with KAATSU inventor Dr. Sato. Many of the patients who used the KAATSU Air Bands were individuals undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.
These physicians in Japan coined the description BFM or blood flow moderation to describe KAATSU long before the current BFR equipment was conceived or marketed in the United States and Europe. But in the literature, KAATSU is understood to be BFR, and vice versa.
Question: What is the difference between BFR and KAATSU equipment?
Answer: BFR focuses on arterial flow because its core equipment is a tourniquet that is specifically designed and engineered to occlude arterial flow. KAATSU focuses on venous flow because its core equipment are pneumatic bands that are specifically designed and engineered to moderate venous flow and not occlude arterial flow.
Not only are the tourniquet materials, size (width), and structure are significantly different than KAATSU pneumatic bands, but also BFR and BFM protocols are dramatically different.
Question: What is the difference between BFR and BFM?
Answer: While the definitions of Blood Flow Restriction versus Blood Flow Moderation may first appear nuanced and vague, the actual protocols and applications are significantly different and important.
In concept and in application, BFR starts at the point of full occlusion and then held at a specific percentage (between 50-80%). Arterial flow is first occluded and then the limb occlusion pressure is reduced so allow a certain amount of natural arterial flow.
In contrast, BFM starts at a gentle pressure that is gradually increased in duration increments of 20 seconds and only very slight pressure increase so capillary, vein and artery distention and pressure are safely managed.
In concept and in application, BFM starts with normal arterial flow. The arterial flow continues as the venous flow is gradually and slowly reduced. This results in safe blood pooling in the limbs as the vascular walls gradually and slowly expand to accommodate the increased amount of blood in the limbs.
For this reason, KAATSU equipment is often used with the Masimo MightySat Finger Pulse Oximeter. The data from the Bluetooth-enabled pulse oximeter ranges from Pulse Rate to Perfusion Index and is stored on the KAATSU Performance cloud database. Users can measure, store and analyze a variety of their own circulatory information while doing KAATSU.
Allegation: Thin bands like KAATSU cause nerve damage and are dangerous.
Truth: While this rumor has long been promoted by BFR advocates about KAATSU, there has been no documented cases of nerve damage occurring after following standard KAATSU protocols after over 20 years in the marketplace. KAATSU users as old as 104 years have safely and repeatedly used KAATSU over the past few decades (see here).
This allegation and false rumor may be the result from some users feel a tingling in their fingertips when using KAATSU equipment. This tingling is caused by a few different phenomena:
1. An engorgement of blood in the small capillaries of the fingertips leads to a tingling sensation. If the sensation is uncomfortable, the easiest action is to either remove the KAATSU Air Bands. However, the best recommendation is to reduce the KAATSU Optimal SKU pressure and the tingling goes away.
2. A user is not well-hydrated before or during KAATSU. Standard KAATSU protocols always calls for all KAATSU users to be very well-hydrated before and during KAATSU use.
3. A user applies a too-high Base SKU pressure and places the KAATSU Air Bands too high up on their arms when first starting KAATSU. It is important to apply the KAATSU Air Bands snugly - but not overly tight. The standard recommendation is to apply the bands tight enough so no more than one finger can be placed under the bands between the skin and the band. If a finger cannot be placed under the bands, it is likely the bands are on too tightly. Also, the bands should be placed above the biceps muscle, but below the deltoids.
There are two major players in the market created by KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato in Tokyo: the devices designed and manufactured by KAATSU Global, Inc. (e.g., KAATSU Nano, KAATSU Master 2.0, KAATSU Air Bands) and the Delfi Portable Tourniquet System for Blood Flow Restriction.
There are misunderstandings in the marketplace about these two products and approaches.
The Delfi product identifies total occlusion pressure and then applies a specific percentage of that pressure during its applications. In contrast, the KAATSU products are not designed to even remotely approach occlusion pressure or do Blood Flow Restriction.
This fact was identified by Professor Alyssa Weatherholt of the University of Southern Indiana, Professor William VanWye of Western Kentucky University, and Johnny Owens of Owens Recovery Science (the exclusive distributor of the Delfi Portable Tourniquet System for Blood Flow Restriction equipment) who recently presented a study called Pressure Needed to Achieve Complete Arterial Occlusion: A Comparison of Two Devices Used for Blood Flow Restriction Training [see above].
The researchers concluded a wider cuff of the Delfi Portable Tourniquet System for Blood Flow Restriction is able to restrict arterial blood flow at significantly lower pressures compared to the narrow cuff [KAATSU Air Bands] using the KAATSU Master. The key finding of this study is as follows:
“We were unable to achieve complete arterial occlusion in any participant with the KAATSU cuff.”
The KAATSU equipment was designed and is specifically manufactured to avoid arterial occlusion in the limbs. This fact is precisely why KAATSU was originally defined by Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, the KAATSU inventor, and leading Japanese cardiologists at the University of Tokyo Hospital as a Blood Flow Moderation (BFM) device. KAATSU equipment is specifically not a BFR (Blood Flow Restriction) device.
While the vernacular nuance between BFM and BFR may be overlooked by many (venous flow modification versus arterial flow restriction), the modification of venous flow is critical to understanding the safety and goal of KAATSU as certified KAATSU Specialists understand.
"There is no part of the KAATSU protocols that includes as part of its protocols - or tries to achieve - arterial occlusion. This is why KAATSU is definitely not BFR, occlusion training, tourniquet training, O-training, or any kind of blood flow restriction modality," explains Steven Munatones. "This is why KAATSU equipment does not use cuffs or bands that are specifically designed to occlude or manufactured to restrict arterial flow. KAATSU Air Bands are not tourniquets or blood pressure cuffs. Rather, the stretchable bands are designed with flexible, elastic air bladders that inflate inwards towards the limb at very moderate pressures to minimally modify venous flow.
This pressure is gentle on the body and uniform because the limb is evenly and safely compressed by a bed of air. This principle and practical engineered solution leads to blood pooling in the limb - not arterial occlusion. This fact was independently determined by researchers and the leading Delfi proponent of BFR.
Furthermore, the patented KAATSU Cycle allows normal arterial and venous flow every 20 seconds which means it is safe, effective and gentle for people of all ages (including up to 104 years - see here).
In summary:
1. The purpose of KAATSU equipment and its protocols is a reduction in venous flow via blood flow moderation, a term first coined in the 1990s by Dr. Sato and Doctors Nakajima and Morita, cardiologists at the University of Tokyo Hospital. But the initial definition of KAATSU as BFR stuck and continues to this day.
2. The pneumatically controlled KAATSU Air Bands is designed to achieve a reduction in venous flow is a very different approach from BFR and its widely-promoted use of blood pressure cuffs that are specifically designed to achieve limb occlusion.
3. When the KAATSU equipment is used, its users agree to follow the specific protocols as defined by its inventor, Dr. Sato. Specifically, KAATSU protocols and equipment are designed not to occlude.
4. The stretchable, pneumatically controlled KAATSU Air Bands are not (blood pressure) cuffs. A cuff is a term that refers to devices specifically engineered for limb occlusion.
5. KAATSU Specialists understand the importance of users to know both their Base SKU pressure and their Optimal SKU pressure while using in the KAATSU Cycle and KAATSU Training modes. To refer to KAATSU pressure without reference to both Base SKU and Optimal SKU pressures is misleading.
There is another paper written by Jeremy P. Loenneke, Christopher Fahs, Lindy Rossow, Robert Thiebaud, Kevin T. Mattocks, Takashi Abe, and Michael G. Bemben (Blood flow restriction pressure recommendations: a tale of two cuffs) that addresses this subject from another perspective.
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes, women For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
After a year of training, Leidy Weinstein entered three National Physique Committee Bikini Class bodybuilding competitions: finishing 5th, 4th, and finally winning the National Physique Committee Florida Gold Cup Open division to qualify for the U.S. national championships.
Her achievement is certainly admirable, but it pales in comparison to her life journey, her drive to overcome adversity, and the unique training protocol she developed in the process.
Leidy grew up in the slums outside of Cali, Colombia where food was scarce, the roof leaked, and her dreams of becoming a competitive athlete were far from anything remotely possible. The food that was available was mostly corn based or fried meat. As a result, she was overweight as a child. Leidy was raised by her grandmother and did graduate from a local school at 16 years old, but she became pregnant that year.
At 17, she found herself sharing a room with a relative in Cali and raising a newborn child. With help from relatives, she worked two jobs to make ends meet.
Then, two years later, Leidy was shot by robbers. Her right arm was shattered and had to be reconstructed with metal plates. The future seemed bleak.
The next year she met her first husband who was visiting Colombia. They married and moved to Florida. Her life was still tough. She worked 10 hours a day cleaning houses and gyms including the home of the gym owners. While cleaning the owners' house, she noticed many trophies for bikini body sculpting and dreamed of winning competitions. During her off time, she began to work out at a local gym.
After getting divorced six years ago, Leidy met her soul mate David Weinstein who she eventually married. En route to delivering their baby, Leidy gained a lot of weight – over 100 pounds (45 kg). When their baby Natasha was born, Leidy tipped the scales at 250 pounds (113 kg). To make matters even worse, the plates in her arm - from her gunshot wounds - broke during the pregnancy and she could not use her left arm as a result.
The surgeons said that there was a 75% chance she would never be able to use her left hand again and she would only have limited use of the arm. After a seven-hour surgery, they were able to reconstruct her nerves and put in new plates. Her husband recalls, "We waited, but an hour after she awoke, Leidy was able to move her hand. She needed yet one more surgery 3 months later before she would be allowed to exercise."
One day in the summer of 2016 while she was recovering, Leidy proclaimed that she wanted to help women lose weight and take control of their health. She decided the best way to help others was to lead by example. She embarked on a path that day with a vision – to lose 100 pounds, sculpt her body, and win a bikini championship. "It was a nice dream in search of an action plan," says David, an entrepreneur in the fields of medicine and biotechnology, who established a new company called LifeForceIQ in Boca Raton, Florida [see below].
Her original plan came from LifeForceIQ. David explains, "LifeForceIQ takes a radically different approach to optimizing health and vitality. It approaches each person by transforming their health biologically, one cell at a time. The equipment and training protocol combines the Japanese blood flow modification system called KAATSU with TRX, light weights, infrared sauna, and LiveO2. Additionally, she ran blood tests for food allergies and then grew organic vegetables, bought grass-fed beef from Montana, and wild salmon from Alaska."
David describes her typical daily training. "Upon waking at 5:30 am, Leidy spends the first 30 minutes in prayer, thanking God for all she has and asking him to assist her in helping others. Then she takes LifeForceIQ supplements to increase nitric oxide and oxygen delivery to her muscles and physique in order to gain lean muscle mass, reduce body fat, and increase strength as well as Rejuvenation to selectively reduce oxidation.
She washes them down with Fat Transformer which provides and energy boost and increases metabolism. The power of these supplements in that they work synergistically with a KAATSU circuit, TRX, and cycling with LiveO2.
We wanted to learn from the inventor of KAATSU so we traveled to Tokyo in order to learn from Dr. Yoshiaki Sato [see photos below]. Our initial session was intense."
Leidy was ready.
"She listened to Dr. Sato's advice and followed his protocols to the letter," observed KAATSU Master Specialist David Tawil who participated in the initial session with Leidy. "Leidy was pumped psychologically and became so physiologically toned - ripped - it was unbelievable."
Dr. Sato started Leidy with several KAATSU Cycles, gradually increasing her Optimal Pressure from 150 SKU to 300 SKU on her arms. "Leidy's skin gradually started to get pink and then became a healthy glow of red by the end of several KAATSU Cycles," said Tawil. "Then Dr. Sato went from the KAATSU Cycle modality right into KAATSU Training when he untethered Leidy and did a variety of short exercises from isometric exercises to triceps extensions on a bench."
Leidy then went into the recovery mode with a finishing KAATSU Cycle. She recalled the experience, "I felt great - like I just had an hour-long workout in the gym. But KAATSU got me to muscular failure within minutes. It is so efficient and effective when the blood is pooled in your limbs."
In her morning regimen, Leidy hits the bike first. Leidy likes to alternate between climbing and riding her Schwinn Blue stationary bike while using the LiveO2 system. The system let her perform a high intensity interval training (HIIT) program while breathing highly oxygenated air to saturate her tissues with oxygen. Every other sprint, she will down regulate the oxygen to high altitude hypoxic training. In this way, her circulatory system expands and contracts. This allows her cells to detox and increase metabolism simultaneously.
After 30 minutes, she will do some stretching or a spend a few minutes on the inversion table. She wraps up the cardio portion of the workout with a Tabata set either with kettle bells of jumping on a mini trampoline.
Then it is time to do an upper body cycle of KAATSU. By running a squeeze and release warmup KAATSU Cycle, the blood vessels begin to vasodilate. Then Leidy fixes her optimal pressure and begins to run three sets of different exercises addressing her biceps, triceps, shoulders, back and pecs.
Both the KAATSU and Blood + Physique supplements increase nitric oxide production which allows oxygen to nourish the body and carry away waste products. Additionally, due to KAATSU, lactic acid is produced and trapped in the veins as the venous flow (blood return to the torso) is modified. Signals are sent from the veins through the central nervous system to the pituitary gland and the brain is alerted that human growth hormone is needed. Growth hormone production increases which optimizes her physique and uses increased energy which burns fat.
On alternate days, Leidy will do KAATSU on her legs either with TRX or weight machines.
Following the morning workout, Leidy takes a 45-minute infrared sauna with red light therapy applied at the end. She alternates the sauna programs for weight loss and pain relief. When finished, it is time for a 5-minute cold shower with aromatherapy. Following this, she downs a green juice cleanse. She rotates her diet between ketogenic protocols and paleo plans that are combined with intermittent fasting.
Her husbands summarizes her day and training, "By the time the morning has started for most people, Leidy has already cooked lunch for the family which is followed by cleaning the house, training clients, and preparing dinner. The evening will be filled with stories about what happened at school, why is the world the way it is, and what can we do about it.
At the end, each day is a blessing and Leidy embraces each day as precious."
For who? runners, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
KAATSU users follow a variety of KAATSU protocols in order to (1) avoid shin splints or (2) recover from the inflammation and reduce the pain levels of shin splints, and (3) strengthen the calves, quadriceps and glutes.
Safety Protocols
* Be very well hydrated (at a level where your urine is nearly clear)
* Always and only do KAATSU Cycle sets before and after exercise (e.g., running)
* Start off with conservative (low) SKU pressures on the KAATSU Cycle mode and gradually increase the SKU pressures on subsequent KAATSU Cycle sets
* Start off by doing KAATSU on your arms and then move to your legs - and never do KAATSU simultaneously on both the arms and legs
* Hands and legs should have a pink or rosy appearance when doing KAATSU
* Limit time duration of band inflation to 20 minutes
Systemic effects with KAATSU Air Bands on Arms
* Do KAATSU Cycle sets on your arms while doing the KAATSU 3-Point Exercises: slowly do hand clenches + biceps curls + triceps extensions while contracting the muscles in both the negative and positive direction
* Do the KAATSU Cycle sessions twice daily, if possible
* Do the first KAATSU Cycle set at a low SKU pressure (e.g., 100 SKU). This level of pressure may not seem to be too difficult, but the first Cycle sets should be seen as a warm-up. Then do the next 2-4 sets at increasingly higher pressures (e.g., 120 SKU, 140 SKU, 160 SKU, 180 SKU) if the pressure feels comfortable.
* Nothing should be done vigorously and everything should feel comfortable. It is a possible addition to do up to 10 minutes of KAATSU Constant on a low SKU pressure after the KAATSU Cycle sets are completed - but not necessary.
KAATSU Legs and/or KAATSU Walking
* Do 1-3 sets of KAATSU Cycle sets on your legs while simply sitting and relaxing. Follow the same protocol with the legs as with the arms; that is, start with a low, conservative pressure (e.g., 150 SKU) on the legs and then increase the SKU levels on the subsequent sets.
* Stretch or simply walk (if capable) at a comfortable pace (or pace back and forth in a room or office) for 5-15 minutes doing the next 2-5 KAATSU Cycle sets at an increasingly higher pressure. For example, start off with 150 SKU, then move to 170 SKU on the next Cycle set, then 190 SKU and 210 SKU if those pressures feel comfortable.
* KAATSU Walking will greatly help with improved circulation and generate a hormonal response which will help. If walking is uncomfortable, then simply stretch or do the 3-Point Exercises on the legs (sitting heel raises + standing leg raises + quarter non-lock squats).
* There is no need to do squats or any vigorous movements if you are comfortable. If you cannot walk comfortably, then you can simply contract his quadriceps and hamstrings or do heel raises while sitting. But always stop if you do not feel comfortable.
* Over time, you should feel comfortable at increasing the SKU pressure.
For who? swimmers, cyclists, student-athletes For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
A growing number of athletes from professional MMA fighters to high school swimmers in Louisiana and college swimmers at the University of Alabama use KAATSU before, during and after their workouts and performances.
The KAATSU Nano offers these athletes the opportunity to safely and effectively improve blood circulation before intense competitions.
For who? gymnasts, student-athletes For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
Wednesday, Day 1: Roy, a young gymnast, hurt his thumbs, especially his [discolored] right thumb, during his gymnastic practice. He was in pain and worried about his upcoming gymnastic event.
Thursday, Day 2: With a gymnastic competition scheduled the next day, the 13-year-old did several KAATSU Cycle sets both before and after his practice.
Friday, Day 3: On the day of his wrestling match, he did KAATSU Cycle sets again on the Friday morning of his match. His discoloration went away, his pain level fell significantly, and he performed well in his competition.
His KAATSU Cycle sets included the following protocol:
1. KAATSU Arms performed once at 20 SKU Base Pressure and 100 SKU Optimal Pressure.
2. KAATSU Arms performed once at 20 SKU Base Pressure and 120 SKU Optimal Pressure.
3. KAATSU Arms performed once at 20 SKU Base Pressure and 140 SKU Optimal Pressure.
"He could have probably used higher (SKU) pressures, but this was the first time the young athlete used KAATSU, so we used very conservative pressures. He works out 4 hours on weekdays and 3 hours on Saturday, so he is in excellent physical shape," explained Steven Munatones.
"With the KAATSU Cycle sets, our aim was to reduce his pain levels, regain his range of motion and grip strength as soon as possible.
So multiple KAATSU Cycle sets done twice per day was our recommended protocol and it worked not surprisingly."
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, elderly For what? functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
Time and time again, male and female users of KAATSU have seen their varicose veins either go away or be minimized.
While eliminating or reducing their varicose veins was not their original goal, the cosmetic effect of this outcome has been greatly appreciated by many - including women who have just given birth and older retirees of both ages.
To understand why this improvement occurs, it is important to understand how and why varicose veins appear in the first place.
Varicose Vein Causes
Blood flows into your legs through arteries and returns back to the heart in your veins. Veins have valves inside them to stop the blood from flowing the wrong direction. These valves can lose their elasticity, stop working properly or otherwise become weak or damaged.
Weak or damaged valves in your legs can lead to varicose veins. While your heart is strong enough to efficiently pump blood through your torso, it needs help to enable blood to flow to and from your lower body. To return blood to your heart, the veins in your legs must work against gravity.
Muscle contractions in your lower legs act as pumps and the elastic vein walls help blood return to your heart. Tiny valves in your veins open as blood flows toward your heart. The valves then close to stop blood from flowing backward. If these valves are weak or damaged, blood can flow backward and pool in the vein, causing the veins to stretch or twist.
Aging causes the valves in your veins to become weaker and eventually that leads to the valves allowing some blood to flow back into your veins where it collects instead of flowing up to your heart.
Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins. The veins that most commonly affected are veins in your legs because standing and walking upright increases the pressure in the veins of your lower body.
For many people, varicose veins and spider veins — smaller, thinner, more mild variation of varicose veins that can also be found on your face — are more of a cosmetic worry. For some people, varicose veins causes pain and discomfort and sometimes lead to more serious problems that should be addressed by your personal physician.
So if you have veins in your legs that are dark purple or blue in color, look like they are twisted and bulging, people are often advised to ;
exercise, elevate their legs or wear compression stockings that can help you ease the pain of varicose veins and may prevent them from getting worse.
Recommendations
Medical professionals understand that individuals cannot completely prevent varicose veins, but it is widely know that improving blood circulation and muscle tone can reduce the risk of developing varicose veins and getting additional ones. This self-treatment can include exercise, proper nutrition, avoiding obesity, frequently changing your sitting and standing position if you have a tendency to not move much at work or home.
KAATSU Benefits
This is how KAATSU can useful and effective.
There are two primary outcomes and mechanism: (1) Improved blood flow and (2) Increased vascular elasticity. Both which help the valves in your legs function normally and eliminate or reduce the backed-up blood near these areas.
Improved Blood Flow
Research at the University of Tokyo Hospital showed that regular intermittent modification of venous flow (from your limbs back to your torso) with the KAATSU Air Bands and KAATSU equipment on the legs leads to blood shifting to the lower part of the body while blood flow is temporarily decreased in the parts of the body above your heart. Your brain perceives this minor shift and, as a result, directs your heart to increase blood flow. The increased blood flow improves blood circulation throughout the entire body and the blood in the peripheral arteries flows more smoothly.
Increased Vascular Elasticity
As we age, the natural elasticity of our capillaries, veins and arteries is reduced. When blood vessel walls lose its elasticity, the smooth circulation of blood is reduced. When the venous flow is intermittently modified with KAATSU equipment on your legs, the blood flow is temporarily reduced in your upper body and the blood vessels throughout your body attempts to supply an increased amount of blood.
This is a natural phenomenon and is what the human body and brain have evolved to do.
When the KAATSU Air Bands are released (every 20 seconds in the KAATSU Cycle mode), this mechanical modification (alternately creating constriction and dilation) stimulates the blood vessels and enhances blood vessel elasticity - even if you are sitting down and relaxing. When venous flow is modified, blood must be pushed harder to bring sufficient amount of blood to each cell in your body.
In addition, there are two other natural physical phenomena that occur: (1) vascular endothelial cells generate nitric oxide that helps to restore your natural vascular elasticity, and (2) new blood vessels are formed to efficiently supply a limited amount of blood.
These effects lead to the improved valve function and elimination or significant reduction of varicose veins.
How to Use KAATSU with Varicose Veins
* Always start slowly and gently with your KAATSU equipment.
* Always be well hydrated before and during your KAATSU sessions.
1. There are 3 different ways to improve your varicose veins. All the protocols should be performed with relatively low SKU pressure and not done with vigorous exercises. Slow and gentle movements are best, but people who are de-conditioned due to a sedentary lifestyle or injuries can also simply sit while doing the KAATSU Cycles.
2. The easiest and most convenient exercise is to simply sit and do several (3-6) KAATSU Cycles with the KAATSU leg bands on. You can do this anytime you are working in your office, watching TV or relaxing anywhere. The KAATSU Cycle pressure can start conservatively (i.e., a low SKU) and then gradually increase with each subsequent KAATSU Cycle (from KAATSU LOW to KAATSU MEDIUM pressure settings).
3. The next best and more effective exercise is to do the standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises with the KAATSU leg bands on while using the KAATSU Cycle mode: (1) Heel Raises done slowly while sitting, (2) Leg Raises while standing, and (3) Non-lock Partial Squats. See videos above for ideas and suggested exercises that can be done in your home or office. You can also do a variety of other exercises [see video below].
4. The best and most optimal exercise is KAATSU Walking. With the KAATSU C3 or next-generation KAATSU B1, you can walk with the KAATSU leg bands on while using the KAATSU Cycle mode. The KAATSU Walking can also be on a treadmill or outside anywhere or indoors in your home or office.
Contraindications
If you have cardiac issues or serious vascular issues, consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.
However, the KAATSU Cycle mode has been used safely and without contraindications with over 7,000 individuals with documented cardiac issues (heart bypass, heart attack) or who have survived strokes.
It is important and strictly recommended to only use the KAATSU Cycle mode with anyone with health concerns. All of the standard KAATSU protocols are essential to follow: use conservative pressure, be well hydrated before and during KAATSU sessions, always start with the KAATSU Cycle mode to help warm-up the body and vascular system, and move slowly and conservatively (i.e., not vigorously).
The standard KAATSU core and lower back exercises with the KAATSU Cycle mode can also be useful for individuals with varicose veins.
Core & Lower Back #1 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Sit straight up in a chair or couch with your hips near the edge.
4. Slowly exhale and slowly lean forward, tightening your abdominal muscles as strongly as possible until your stomach is close to your legs.
5. Hold and then slowly inhale air on your return to a sitting position with good posture.
6. Repeat as you desire - up to a maximum of 6 sets of KAATSU Cycles.
7. If comfortable, you can increase to MEDIUM or HIGH pressure settings after the initial set in the LOW pressure setting.
Core & Lower Back #2 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Stand on one foot, balancing only on your other leg for as long as possible.
4. When your balance is lost, rest for 10-20 seconds and repeat two more times.
5. After 3 times, balance on your other foot.
6. This act of balancing will create instability in your core and will help strengthen your stomach and lower back.
7. If comfortable, you can increase to MEDIUM or HIGH pressure settings after the initial set in the LOW pressure setting.
Core & Lower Back #3 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Place a book on your head and walk slowly until the book falls off.
4. Rest 10-20 seconds and repeat the walk again two more times with the book on your head.
5. Walking straight slowly, especially on an uneven surface like a sandy beach, will create instability in your core and will help strengthen your stomach and lower back.
6. If comfortable, you can increase to MEDIUM or HIGH pressure settings after the initial set in the LOW pressure setting.
Core & Lower Back #4 Exercise
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Stand on one foot while holding a water bottle in each hand.
4. Hold the water bottle in your outstretched arms and stand as long as possible on one leg.
5. When your balance is lost, rest 10-20 seconds and repeat two more times.
6. After 3 times, balance on your other foot.
7. In order to make this exercise more difficult, move your outstretched arms left and right, and up and down in an asymmetric manner while balancing on one foot.
Core & Lower Back #5 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Lie on your back and slowly bring one leg one up to your stomach and hold. Grab your knee with your arms to stretch your back.
4. Continue to lie on your back and slowly pull both your legs up to your stomach and hold. Grab your knees with your arms to stretch your back.
5. Repeat as desired - up to a maximum of 6 sets of KAATSU Cycles.
6. If comfortable, you can increase to MEDIUM or HIGH pressure settings after the initial set in the LOW pressure setting.
Core & Lower Back #6 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Lie on your back and slowly lift your hips off the floor and hold. Bring your hips to the ground and repeat as desired.
Core & Lower Back #7 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Lie on your back and slowly lift both your feet off the ground and hold. Repeat as desired.
4. Lie on your back, lift both your feet off the ground, and kick your feet slightly off the ground.
5. Repeat as desired - up to a maximum of 6 sets of KAATSU Cycles.
6. If comfortable, you can increase to MEDIUM or HIGH pressure settings after the initial set in the LOW pressure setting.
Core & Lower Back #8 Exercise
1. Tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your legs at your appropriate Base SKU (i.e., with One-finger Tightness).
2. Start with 1 set of KAATSU Cycles on your legs in the LOW pressure setting.
3. Lie on your back and slowly pandiculate (i.e., stretch and stiffen your trunk and limbs, extending your toes, feet, arms and hands as you do upon waking).
4. Repeat as desired - up to a maximum of 6 sets of KAATSU Cycles.
5. If comfortable, you can increase to MEDIUM or HIGH pressure settings after the initial set in the LOW pressure setting.
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes For what? mobility, flexibility, recovery
KAATSU users often ask how KAATSU can be safely used as part of their rehabilitation of a broken limb, especially when the injured arm or leg must be keep immobilized as it heals.
Similar to what Olympic silver medalist Todd Lodwick accomplished in the 28 days prior to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games when he came back in an unprecedented time from a broken humerus and torn ligaments in his left arm, KAATSU users can perform KAATSU two or three per day if they primarily use the KAATSU Cycle mode on their other three healthy limbs. Surgeon Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen, the then attending US Ski & Snowboard Association physician responsible for Lodwick's recovery said, "His recovery was unheard of with the incorporation of KAATSU."
The standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises in the KAATSU Cycle mode can be used: Hand Clenches + Biceps Curls + Triceps Extensions on the arms plus Heel Raises + Leg Curls + Non-lock Partial Quarter Squats on the legs. KAATSU Walking or KAATSU Aqua Walking can be performed as one very effective alternative in the injury is in the arms. The KAATSU Cycles, ideally, should be performed in the mornings and then within one hour of bedtime.
The effects are best if the movement of the healthy limbs is slow and steady. Ideally, the muscles in movement should be contracted in both the positive and negative directions.
The reason why KAATSU on the healthy limbs is effective is because KAATSU has systemic effects all over the body, including in the injured limb - even if KAATSU is not done on that limb.
At the Indiana University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Center for Translational Musculoskeletal Research and the University of Indianapolis Department of Kinesiology, Dr. Alan Mikesky and his research team researched the crossover effects of KAATSU [see Modified KAATSU Training: Adaptations and Subject Perceptionshere]. In his research, Professor Mikesky was looking to confirm the systemic effects of KAATSU.
The researchers applied KAATSU Air Bands on only one arm of subjects and tested the strength, girth, tomography scans along with RPE (Rated Perceived Exertion scale) of both arms of the subjects.
The research team correctly did KAATSU and measured both the Base SKU (which they called “Cuff Tightness Pressure in mm Hg"and Optimal SKU (which they called “Cuff Inflation Pressure in mm Hg”) levels.
It should be noted that the SKU levels were conservative for relatively young subjects. The subjects started at 10 Base SKU in Week 1 and increased to 30 Base SKU by Week 8; they started at 90 Base SKU in Week 1 and increased to 180 Base SKU by Week 8. Both the KAATSU arm and the non-KAATSU arm girth increased (measured in cm between Week 0 and Week 8):
Non-KAATSU Arm (cm) girth:
Week 0: 22.7 cm
Week 2: 24.3 cm
Week 4: 24.9 cm
Week 6: 25.7 cm
Week 8: 26.1 cm
KAATSU Arm (cm) girth:
Week 0: 23.0 cm
Week 2: 23.2 cm
Week 4: 24.5 cm
Week 6: 25.4 cm
Week 8: 26.1 cm
The research showed how doing KAATSU on one limb can have crossover (systemic) effects on the other limb - a very important goal for individuals with one injured limb who is trying to recover.
In the video above, this effect was practically demonstrated was with 2010 Olympic silver medalist Todd Lodwick who broke his left arm and torn his ligaments 28 days before the 2014 Winter Olympics. With KAATSU done on his non-injured limbs, he was able to compete admirably well in both the ski jumping and the Nordic combined events after only 5 weeks of KAATSU.
During his rehabilitation, the staff at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association noted that Lodwick was getting too muscular after a few weeks of KAATSU - despite his broken bone and torn ligaments and doing no weights or traditional strength training exercises. In response, his SKU levels was reduced and he stretched more and did low-pressure, post-workout KAATSU Cycles so his muscle hypertrophy was not accelerated (see above). Personally, Lodwick liked the effects and ultimately was able to compete.
In summary, doing KAATSU on healthy limbs can have direct crossover benefits to the recovery, strength and girth of an injured limb or core.
Another previous study conducted in Japan is entitled Cross-Transfer Effects of Resistance Training with Blood Flow Restriction (see here).
Silver medalist Todd Lodwick is shown above doing similar KAATSU training after his skiing accident and was able to rehabilitate and recover quickly enough to compete in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
For who? researchers, scientists, Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
Research on the effects of KAATSU has been conducted with men and women of all ages, abilities and conditions. An interesting variety of research has also included equine subjects (i.e., horses), mice, rats, and goats from Japan to the United States.
Research has been conducted at the University of Tokyo Hospital and Osaka University in Japan, at Peking University and Jilin University in China, at the Harvard Medical School, University of Missouri, University of Oklahoma and Rutgers University in the United States, at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo, Brazil, and dozens other universities and academic research institutions.
The photos above show Chinese scientists attaching standard KAATSU Air Bands on the hind legs of goats in northern China under the auspices of China's State General Administration of Sports, the government agency responsible for sports in China that also administers the Chinese Olympic Committee.
Kenneth McKeever, Ph.D., FACSM serves as the Associate Director of Research and is a Professor of Animal Sciences at The Rutgers Equine Science Center. The Center is part of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and is dedicated to better horse care through research
and education to advance the well-being and performance of horses and the equine industry.
Since 1995, Professor McKeever has proceeded to build, develop, and coordinate one of the most active Equine Exercise Physiology laboratories in the USA. One of the most interesting studies that Professor McKeever conducted in collaboration with his colleagues Professors Abe, Kearns, Filho and Sato of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the Tokyo Metropolitan University and the Department of Ischemic Circulatory Physiology at The University of Tokyo in Japan.
The researchers delved into the efficacy of KAATSU that has been demonstrated in human athletes, both as a therapeutic method as well as a training aid. The purpose of their study was to investigate the effects of slow walk training combined with restriction of muscle blood flow (KAATSU) on muscle and tendon size.
They studied 6 healthy, unfit Standardbred mares performed walking (240 meters/minute for 10 minutes and then a 5-minute recovery) with KAATSU, and 6 mares performed walking without KAATSU. A specially designed elastic band (manufactured by KAATSU Japan using the original KAATSU Master device) was placed at the most proximal position of the forelegs and inflated to a pressure of 200-230 mmHg throughout the walking and recovery sessions. [Note: the KAATSU Air Bands were the same model and type that were used by humans and with the goats in China).
The training was conducted once a day, 6 days/week for 2 weeks. Skeletal muscle thickness and tendon thickness were measured using B-mode ultrasound at baseline and after 2 weeks of training. Venous blood samples were obtained before the first acute exercise and 5, 15 and 60 minutes afterwards. Serum somatotropin concentration was determined using a commercially available equine-specific ELISA kit.
The professors found that the acute increase in plasma somatotropin was 40% greater (P<0.05) in the KAATSU-walk group than in the Control-walk group 5 minutes after exercise and remained elevated (P<0.05) at 15 and 60 minutes post exercise compared with the Control-walk group. After 2 weeks of training, muscle thickness increased (P<0.05) 3.5% in the KAATSU-walk group, but did not change in the Control-walk group (0.7%). Tendon thickness did not change (P>0.05) in either group.
They concluded that these data demonstrate that KAATSU can induce muscle hypertrophy in horses and suggest that KAATSU may provide significant therapeutic/rehabilitative value in horses, as has been shown in man.
Dr. Ursprung utilized the KAATSU Nano device (a smaller, more portable equivalent of the KAATSU Master that Professor McKeever used) and the same KAATSU Air Bands that were used on the Standardbred mares in Rutgers.
Dr. Ursprung used the KAATSU Air Bands to safely maintain arterial inflow to the leg muscles while preventing venous outflow. He writes, "Blood flow restriction training with resistance has been shown to improve muscular power, sprinting speed, strength, hypertrophy and endurance. Non-resistance training methods using [KAATSU], such as walking, may increase strength and hypertrophy however the effects on aerobic capacity are less uncertain and the research in this area is limited.
Using 10 young, fit, well-trained male military personnel, Dr. Ursprung evaluated the effects of 3 weeks of [KAATSU Walking] on VO2max, 1.5-mile run times, and muscular size. He recorded the pre- and post-measurements of VO2max, 1.5-mile run times, and thigh muscle cross sectional area and found that KAATSU Walking resulted in significant improvements in VO2max (p=.034), significant decreases in 1.5-mile run time (p=.024) and significant increases in thigh muscle cross sectional area (p=.016).
So while Professor McKeever found that limited KAATSU Walking can induce muscle hypertrophy in horses and concluded that KAATSU may provide significant therapeutic/rehabilitative value in horses, Dr. Ursprung concluded that similarly limited KAATSU Walking can improve the aerobic capacity, endurance and muscular size at low training volumes and intensities among humans.
Follow-up to the posting regarding KAATSU the original BFR and its application to enhance the healing of a cracked calcaneus (heel) bone: see here.
Olympic swim coach Chris Morgan recently fractured his right calcaneus bone (heel). The injury resulted in a crack about 75% through the entire bone.
Morgan did KAATSU Cycles on both his arms and legs while in a boot, on crunches and taking pain medications for the last two weeks at his home. The doctor instructed him not to walk or apply pressure on the healing bone until he cleared him. "It was painful and there is no way to walk on it, but I could sit up and do KAATSU on my arms and legs."
After doing KAATSU Cycles in the morning and evening every day, he was able to stand and walk on this cracked - but healing - heel after 10 days. And walking fully without a boot or crutches within 15 days. According to the standard prognosis, this kind of healing is unheard of.
"In the emergency room, the doctor said to me, 'Oh that must be so painful. You cracked 75% of heel.' He was right. But I knew that I had to start rehabbing with KAATSU as soon as I got home," Morgan recalled.
"But after only 10 days, I surprised my doctor by being able to stand and walk on my heel. He asked what I was doing. Admittedly, standing and walking is not yet completely pain-free, but I was able to reduce his estimate from 6 weeks to 10 days."
Morgan's rehabilitation includes two separate KAATSU sessions per day: a morning session and an evening session where he does several KAATSU Cycles on both his arms and legs.
Morgan explains, “The doctor told me to be completely off my injured foot for 6 weeks. I did KAATSU daily - twice daily. Based on my quick healing of my broken ribs, I guessed that my bone should be healed enough to start walking within 2 weeks with KAATSU.
Well, being able to walk only took 10 days of KAATSU Cycling – and every day feels even better."
Podiatrist Dr. Lyle Nalli explains, "The calcaneus is the most vascular bone in the foot and can crack easily, but with its thin cortex and sparse inner bone pattern, can heal the fastest off all the foot bones. KAATSU, as it regulates blood flow, etc., speeds up the bone's healing rate."
After 15 days of twice-daily KAATSU Cycles done in the morning and evening, Morgan was able to walk without crutches and without a walking boot, vastly increasing his mobility within 2 weeks while his physician had predicted he would be only able to stand on his heel after 6 weeks.
For who? stroke victims, Baby Boomers, retirees, veterans, soldiers For what? functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery
Before: Mitch's Timed Up & Go on 15 December 2018
After: Mitch's Timed Up & Go on 15 January 2019
Before Mitch started a KAATSU Cycle program at home on 15 December 2018.
After Mitch did 15 KAATSU Cycle upper body sessions over a 4-week period at home on 15 January 2019.
Overview
Mitch is a 61-year-old Marine veteran in Colorado who had an ischemic stroke 9 years ago at his home and 3 subsequent heart attacks. He is designated as a Do Not Resuscitate patient. His right side is nearly paralyzed, he has a torn right rotator cuff, he uses a wheelchair, his voice is significantly limited, but he remains overwhelmingly positive and is friendly with his neighbors. He has been treated by medical professionals and VA staff for the past decade. He regularly does a variety of physical therapy exercises and wheels himself around the neighborhood using his left arm.
KAATSU Usage
Mitch has used KAATSU 3-4 times per week for last 4 weeks (beginning on December 15th 2018) in the comfort of his home, while using the KAASTU Cycle mode with the help of his 62-year-old wife and performing a variety of standard physical therapeutic movements.
Benefits (see videos above)
1. Mitch’s fingers on his right hand are much more relaxed and flexible with a much looser grip.
2. Mitch can move his right arm with significantly greater range of motion.
2. Mitch feels significantly less pain in his right hand and arm.
3. Mitch can now feel human touch throughout his right arm that he could not feel before.
4. Mitch can complete a Timed Up and Go test 9% faster (1 minute 32 seconds vs. 1 minute 43 seconds).
KAATSU Recommendations
1. Mitch should continue the same exercises he currently does with the KAATSU Air Bands on.
2. Mitch can increase his use of KAATSU to twice per day: do KAATSU Cycle sets in the morning hours and do KAATSU Cycle sets as part of his 9:30 pm evening KAATSU sessions (currently doing evening only).
3. Due to his improvement and increased strength and balance, Mitch can add KAATSU Constant to his evening sessions (i.e., detach the tubes and walk or do upper body movements in the KAATSU Constant mode for no more than 5-10 minutes while untethered).
4. Mitch can practice handwriting with his right hand while conducting KAATSU Cycle sets on his arms.
5. In order to develop greater strength and range of motion in his legs, Mitch can start 'Prone Upper Leg Contraction and Leg Lift Exercises' while conducting KAATSU Cycle sets on his legs while in the horizontal position.
KAATSU Advantages versus Traditional Physical Therapy 1. Ease & Convenience of Use
Mitch and his wife are non-medical professionals who quickly learned how to safely use KAATSU in the comfort of their home where Mitch can experience the benefits and convenience of KAATSU.
2. Safety
Despite having a stroke and 3 heart attacks and a torn rotator cuff, KAATSU is safely used by a 61-year-old veteran. This record is consistent with KAATSU’s usage in 32 countries around the world by over 20 million users.
3. Cost Savings
Assume the cost of a home visit by a VA professional is $100 (salary + benefits + travel expenses) per visit. If Mitch does KAATSU twice per day for 300 days per year, the cost of a KAATSU Wearable device amortized over 2 years (1,200 sessions) is $0.50 per KAATSU session (i.e., $600 ÷ 1200 = $0.50 / session). $100 vs. $0.50 per session presents unprecedented cost savings.
4. Physical Improvement
Video provides visual evidence of physical improvement after 15 uses of KAATSU.
5. Psychological Boost
With improved physical strength, range of motion and muscle tone, and a greater hormonal response, the mental outlook of a paralyzed individual will improve. Being able to sign checks, move both arms at will, walk to the bathroom without a wheelchair, and other activities likely lead to greater confidence, greater motivation, and a greater self-belief to continue further physical improvement.
Most sports fans around the world know or have heard about the achievements and unprecedented Olympic record of Usain Bolt, the world's most successful sprint runner.
Most sports fans around the world also do not necessarily assign raw flat-out speed with Japanese runners who do not appear to have the natural body types for speed like their competitors in the Caribbean nations like Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, the United States, Canada and the African and European nations.
But many sports fans also do not know that the Japanese placed a solid second in the men's 4 x 100m relay in the track & field competition during the 2016 Rio Olympics (with Ryota Yamagata, Shota Iizuka, Yoshihide Kiryu and Asuka Cambridge) - a race that people do not equate with Japanese prowess.
"We have observed the most recent methodologies, strategies, technologies and analyses that the Japanese have incorporated into their Olympic preparations - for a number of sports and disciplines," observed Steven Munatones, a frequent visitor to Japan. "Instead of making excuses that they are not as tall, strong or powerful like most of their athletic competitors, it is interesting to see coaches, trainers and athletes accept their DNA as is and then fine tune their preparations through innovation, patience, hard work, incremental improvement (called kaizen), and KAATSU for athletic performance gains and KAATSU Cycle for recovery and rehabilitation."
It will be interesting to see the results of this preparation - supported and encouraged by the Japanese government and its technologically-oriented corporations like Mizuno - at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as the Japanese have done for their previous Olympic campaigns (see above).
"It will be very interesting because there will be some very visible, head-to-head races at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in various events between smaller, lighter, less powerful Japanese athletes who use KAATSU and their taller, stronger and more powerful foreign competitors from Canada, the United States and European countries who do not use KAATSU - or whose coaches do not accept the incorporation of blood flow moderation modalities into their training, commented Munatones.
"The proof of the benefits will be on the podium at the end of these races."
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes For what? sleep, insomnia, jet lag, recovery
Many KAATSU users, including those asked to travel internationally and who must cross several time zones, use their KAATSU equipment following the standard KAATSU protocols to reduce the effects of jet lag and battle insomnia.
These are the important points regarding KAATSU use before, during and after airplane travel:
›› Be very well-hydrated before doing KAATSU Cycles in the airplane or before takeoff at the airport in order to help reduce your jet lag.
›› Do KAATSU Cycles in your hotel room before going to bed on your first few evenings in your new location.
›› Always focus on doing KAATSU Cycles, starting in lower pressures and then gradually increasing.
›› You can be conservative with your pressure. The effects will still be evident despite a lower-than-normal pressure.
›› Rest at least 30 seconds between each set and each exercise.
›› There is no need to go to failure with these Jet Lag & Insomnia protocols; the goal is to become relaxed.
›› Always follow the standard KAATSU safety protocols (e.g., always have Capillary Refill Time faster than 2- 3 seconds with no occlusion and no numbness in your feet or legs, and a deeper/pinker/redder skin color than normal in your limbs).
›› Ideally, do your KAATSU Cycles before you board the airplane.
›› Never do the KAATSU Constant mode while flying.
Upper Body Jet Lag Exercises:
1. Place the KAATSU Air Bands on your upper arms.
2. Do 2-4 KAATSU Cycles, ideally within 30-60 minutes of boarding the airplane.
3. You can do all or any the following KAATSU exercises while sitting in your seat during flight:
* Forward Shoulder Rolls
* Backward Shoulder Rolls
* Head Rotations
* Tricep Muscle Stretches
* Deltoid Muscle Stretches
* Arm Rest Press Downs
* Isometric Contractions
4. Do 20-30 Forward Shoulder Rolls in a steady motion while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while your KAATSU Air Bands are deflated. Repeat as desired.
5. Do 20-30 Backward Shoulder Rolls in a steady motion while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while your KAATSU Air Bands are deflated. Repeat as desired.
6. Slowly roll the head forwards and backwards. Then slowly roll your head to the left and then to the right. Then slowly roll your head in a clockwise direction and then in a counterclockwise direction while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while the KAATSU Air Bands are deflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode.
Note: Skip this exercise if rolling your head forwards, backwards, left, right, clockwise or counterclockwise causes dizziness.
7. Stretch your triceps muscles on your left and right arms while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while the KAATSU Air Bands are deflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode.
8. Stretch your deltoid muscles on left and right shoulders while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while the KAATSU Air Bands are deflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode.
9. Do isometric exercises like placing both hands on your arm rests and press down for a few seconds while contracting your muscles. Rest and relax, then repeat.
10. Place the palms of your hands together and push your hands together for a few seconds. Then, rest, relax and repeat.
11. Grasp the fingers of your hands and pull your hands apart for a few seconds. Then rest, relax and repeat.
12. Stretch your upper body or torso as you desire and are able.
Lower Body Jet Lag Exercises:
Note: Doing KAATSU on your legs is much easier in a business or first class seat and most difficult - or frankly impossible - while in the middle seat in economy class.
1. Place the KAATSU Air Bands on your upper legs.
2. Do 2-4 KAATSU Cycles, ideally within 30-60 minutes of boarding the airplane.
3. You can do all or any the following KAATSU exercises while sitting in your seat during flight:
* Heel Raises
* Leg Extensions
* Inward Leg Squeezes
* Outward Leg Squeezes
* Isometric Contractions
4. Slowly do 10-20 Heel Raises in a steady motion while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while your KAATSU Air Bands are deflated. Repeat as desired.
5. Slowly do 10-15 Leg Extensions in a steady motion while your KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while your KAATSU Air Bands are deflated. Repeat as desired.
6. Place your hands on your inner thighs and slowly push outwards as you push your legs inwards against the force of your hands while the KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while the KAATSU Air Bands are deflated. Repeat the Inward Leg Squeezes as desired.
7. Place your hands on your outer thighs and slowly push inwards as you push your legs outwards against the force of your hands while the KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode. Breathe deeply. Relax while the KAATSU Air Bands are deflated. Repeat the Outward Leg Squeezes as desired.
8. Repeatedly contract and then relax your upper leg muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) while the KAATSU Air Bands are inflated in the KAATSU Cycle mode.
Some of these exercises are demonstrated below. These same exercises can be done in the airport, airport lounge or at your office or home before your flight. They also work to relieve stress and get some exercise during the day when you are sitting and being sedentary all day long.
Olympic swim coach Chris Morgan fractured his right calcaneus bone (heel) while unceremoniously falling from a height of 15 feet right on a concrete step.
"In the emergency room, the doctor said to me, 'Oh that must be so painful. You cracked 75% of heel.' He was right. But I knew that I had to start rehabbing with KAATSU as soon as I got home," Morgan recalled. "I did the same rehab doing KAATSU when I cracked my ribs during a mud run. The doctors and x-ray technicians at Harvard where I was coaching at the time could not believe how fast my ribs healed. Every since that time, I have been a huge KAATSU believer."
Morgan was given a boot, crunches and pain medications and told not to walk or apply pressure on the healing bone until he cleared him. "It was painful and there is no way to walk on it, but I could sit up and do KAATSU the original BFR on my arms and legs."
Morgan's rehabilitation includes two separate KAATSU sessions per day: a morning session and an evening session where he does several KAATSU Cycles on both his arms and legs.
Morning KAATSU Session:
* 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets on arms doing the KAATSU 3-point exercises (Hand Clenches + Biceps Curls + Triceps Extensions), performed slowly and steadily without weights or resistance bands
* 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets on legs while contracting the quadriceps and hamstrings and doing leg extensions while sitting, performed slowly and steadily
Evening KAATSU Session (ideally 1 hour before bedtime:
* 2-3 KAATSU Cycle sets on arms doing the KAATSU 3-point exercises (Hand Clenches + Biceps Curls + Triceps Extensions), performed slowly and steadily without weights or resistance bands
* 2-6 KAATSU Cycle sets on legs while relaxing and doing simple movements and stretching while sitting
Morgan explained his belief in KAATSU, "Dr. Sato [the KAATSU inventor] taught me that the more strongly muscle is exercised, the stronger the bones become. In other words, when there is less mechanical stress on our bones when you are bedridden or unable to move a body part that is in a cast or boot, the calcium that is stored in the bones is dissolved into your bloodstream, thus reducing bone strength.
We know through research that KAATSU changes - improves - levels of bone metabolic markers like BAP (bone alkali phosphatase). This research tells us that KAATSU elicits an acute response to suppress bone resorption and elicits a chronic effect in terms of encouraging bone formation - which was one reason why I believe my ribs healed so quickly and I expect my cracked heel will heal more quickly than my doctor expects.
The doctor told me to be off my injured foot for 6 weeks. I plan to be healed enough to start some walking within 2 weeks with KAATSU."
Podiatrist Dr. Lyle Nalli explains, "The calcaneus is the most vascular bone in the foot and can crack easily, but with its thin cortex and sparse inner bone pattern, can heal the fastest off all the foot bones. KAATSU, as it regulates blood flow, etc., speeds up the bone's healing rate."
