Friday, May 24, 2019

KAATSU For Groin Pulls, Tears & Strains

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



An 82-year-old woman experienced a painful groin strain and had trouble walking. She elected to follow a standard KAATSU protocol for such injuries. She explains the outcome of her KAATSU session.

The standard protocol for muscle injuries, including groin pulls and strains, is RICE (Rest + Ice + Compression + Elevation). Depending on the severity of the injury, individuals may want or need additional treatments to speed healing that can include: physical therapy, massage, heat and stretching, and electrotherapy.

But in the KAATSU community, KAATSU can play a significant role in healing and speeding up recovery from groin injuries (i.e., an injury or tear to the adductor (inner side) muscles of the thigh).

Whether a groin strain is experienced by a water polo player or an older adult, KAATSU is a very effective modality for significantly reducing the pain factor during recovery. For optimal results, KAATSU can be used as follows:

Key Points
o Do KAATSU Cycles on all four limbs for optimal systemic (overall) results [of course, separately doing your arms and your legs].
o Do KAATSU Cycles at least once per day, but ideally twice per day. Optimally, do KAATSU Cycles once in the morning and once again within an hour of going to bed. If there is time, doing KAATSU Cycles in the middle of the day can also be added - all of this can be done at your home, office or during travel.
o Do KAATSU only on the injured limb for the first few (or several) KAATSU Cycles for the first days. Later, you can simultaneously and use place the KAATSU Air Bands on both limbs (both healthy and injured limbs).
o During each KAATSU session, first do KAATSU Cycles on your arms. Then proceed with KAATSU Cycles on your legs.
o Always be very well-hydrated when you do KAATSU. Well-hydrated means your urine is clear or nearly clear.
o Consult with your personal physician before starting KAATSU, especially if you think you may have a Grade 3 strain that may need surgery to repair the torn muscle or tendon.

Arm Protocols
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 100 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 150 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.

o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. Each KAATSU Cycle on the KAATSU Nano includes 8 repetitions of 20 seconds of pressure followed by 5 seconds of no pressure in sequentially increasing pressures (e.g., 100 SKU on the first repetition, 110 SKU on the second repetition, 120 SKU on the third repetition, etc. to the 8th and last repetition).
o Note 1: on the KAATSU Wearables and KAATSU Cycle 2.0 units, there are 8 repetitions of 30 seconds followed by 5 seconds on no pressure.
o Note 2: on the KAATSU Master 2.0, there are five standard SKU Levels and one customizable SKU Level.

5. Do 3-6 of these KAATSU Cycles on your arms. This will take 9-18 minutes total. These are called Cycle 20 (indicating 20 seconds of pressure) or Cycle 30 indicating 30 seconds of pressure).

6. During these KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements.
o Note 1: You can also do isometric exercises or simply contract your arm muscles in the positive and negative direction during exercise.
o Note 2: You can also do the KAATSU 3-Point Arm Exercises (i.e., Hand Clenches if possible, followed by Biceps Curls, and then Triceps Extensions).

7. After the first 2-3 days, you can add longer KAATSU Cycles. This is called Cycle 60 (i.e., 60 seconds of pressure on followed by 20 seconds of pressure off). In order to do Cycle 60, go to the KAATSU Training mode and manually input 1 minute (60 seconds) and select an appropriate SKU level (e.g., 250 SKU for 60 seconds).

8. Constantly confirm your CRT (Capillary Refill Time) on the palms of the hands and make sure your CRT is faster than 3 seconds. Your palms should be pink or even a beefy red color. There should be significant blood pooling in your arms with your veins distended.
o Note 1: Never occlude blood flow to your arms. KAATSU Air Bands are not a tourniquet. Tourniquet or blood pressure cuffs keep blood out of your arms by restricting arterial flow. KAATSU Air Bands function as the opposite of tourniquets and blood pressure cuffs. KAATSU Air Bands modify the venous flow - or blood flow from your limbs back to your torso.
o Note 2: Never feel numbness while doing KAATSU or allow your hands or arms to turn white, gray or blue. In these cases, immediately release the pressure and take off the KAATSU Air Bands.
o Note 3: There should ALWAYS be a pink color or a beefy red color in your hands and arms when doing Cycle 20 or Cycle 60. This indicates blood pooling in the limbs, bringing fresh blood to the capillaries of your entire arm.

9. Remove the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and rehydrate. Then apply the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs.

Leg Protocols
1. Manually tighten the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure). If you feel uncomfortable placing the leg band on your injured side, simply place the bands on your leg/side that is not injured.

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your leg(s) to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 150 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 250 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.
o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. Do 3-6 of these KAATSU Cycles on your leg(s). This will take 9-18 minutes total.

6. During these KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements.
o Note 1: You can also do isometric exercises or contract your leg muscles in the positive and negative direction during exercise.
o Note 2: You can also do the Standard KAATSU 3-Point Leg Exercises (i.e., Toe curls if possible, followed by Toe Raises if possible, and then Leg Curls).
o Note 3: You can alternatively do the Advanced KAATSU 3-Point Leg Exercises (i.e., Heel Raises if possible, followed by Standing Leg Curls and then Non-Lock Quarter Squats), if you feel comfortable doing so
o Note 4: You can walk comfortably inside or outside or steadingly on a treadmill.

7. After the first 2-3 days, you can add longer KAATSU Cycles. This is called Cycle 60 (i.e., 60 seconds of pressure on followed by 20 seconds of pressure off). In order to do Cycle 60, go to the KAATSU Training mode and manually input 1 minute (60 seconds) and select an appropriate SKU level (e.g., 250 SKU for 60 seconds).

8. Constantly confirm your CRT (Capillary Refill Time) on the quadriceps above your knees or near your ankles on your calves. Make sure your CRT remains faster than 3 seconds. Your feet and legs should be pink or even a beefy red color. There should be significant blood pooling in your legs with your veins distended, particularly visible in your feet.
o Note 1: Never occlude blood flow to your legs.
o Note 2: Never feel numbness while doing KAATSU or allow your feets or legs to turn white, gray or blue. In these cases, immediately release the pressure and take off the KAATSU Air Bands.

9. Remove the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs and rehydrate.

Before Bed Arm Protocols
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 100 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 150 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.
o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. During these evening KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements or the KAATSU Insomnia Protocols that includes:
o Forward shoulder rolls
o Backward shoulder rolls
o Head rotations
o Deltoid and triceps stretching
o Note: Movements before bedtime should be casual and light. Nothing too vigorous and difficult.

5. If you wish to maintain your stamina and strength during your rehabilitation period, do comfortable KAATSU Walking or KAATSU Power Walking on a treadmill or outside for 15-20 minutes with the inflated KAATSU Air Bands on your legs (doing repeated KAATSU Cycles). Alternatively, you can also do KAATSU Aqua in a pool.

Do’s
›› Correctly place the KAATSU Air Bands on your upper arms and upper legs every time.
o Note : On your arms, the Bands should be placed above your biceps and triceps near your armpit, but below your deltoids.

›› Check Base SKU (pressure) and find Optimal SKU (pressure) during every KAATSU session. Optimal Pressure is one that is not so high as to occlude, but high enough to get that “KAATSU Fatigue/Failure Feeling” during exercise.
o Note: Your Optimal SKU can change on a daily basis.

›› Release the KAATSU Air Bands if you feel something is not right. If you feel lightheaded or if you have any pain on one side or the other, stop and continue on another day.

›› You can do different exercises or movements during KAATSU. You can type emails or play the piano or play computer games. Be creative and enjoy the experience.

›› Rest 30-60 seconds between different sets of exercises.

›› Do hydrate well before, during and after each KAATSU session.

Don’ts
›› Do not ever fully occlude blood flow. Signs of this are collapsed veins, no pulse at the wrist, pale palms and skin, severely delayed (>6 seconds) capillary refill.

›› Do not have Air Bands inflated for more than 20 minutes on your limbs. The KAATSU Nano will deflate automatically the KAATSU Air Bands when the maximum time is reached.

›› Do not lift heavy weights when doing KAATSU

Copyright © 2014 - 2019 by KAATSU Global

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Using KAATSU to Recover from Broken Fingers And Toes

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? mobility, flexibility, recovery



























For optimal results from strained, sprained or broken fingers or broken toes, especially with hairline fractures, KAATSU can be used an ideal rehabilitation methodology and recovery modality.

Key Points
o Do KAATSU Cycles on all four limbs for optimal systemic results.
o Do KAATSU Cycles at least once per day, but ideally twice per day. Optimally, do KAATSU Cycles once in the morning and once again within an hour of going to bed. If there is time, doing KAATSU Cycles in the middle of the day is also recommended.
o During each KAATSU session, first do KAATSU Cycles on your arms (whether or not you have broken bones in your upper or lower body). Then proceed with KAATSU Cycles on your legs.
o Always be very well-hydrated when you do KAATSU. Well-hydrated means your urine is clear or nearly clear.
o Do KAATSU only on the injured limb for the first few (or several) KAATSU Cycles for the first days. Later, you can simultaneously and use place the KAATSU Air Bands on both limbs (both healthy and injured limbs).
o Consult with your personal physician before starting KAATSU, especially if there is a compound fracture.

Arm Protocols
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 100 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 150 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.

o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. Each KAATSU Cycle on the KAATSU Nano includes 8 repetitions of 20 seconds of pressure followed by 5 seconds of no pressure in sequentially increasing pressures (e.g., 100 SKU on the first repetition, 110 SKU on the second repetition, 120 SKU on the third repetition, etc. to the 8th and last repetition).
o Note 1: on the KAATSU Wearables and KAATSU Cycle 2.0 units, there are 8 repetitions of 30 seconds followed by 5 seconds on no pressure.
o Note 2: on the KAATSU Master 2.0, there are five standard SKU Levels and one customizable SKU Level.

5. Do 3-6 of these KAATSU Cycles on your arms. This will take 9-18 minutes total. These are called Cycle 20 (indicating 20 seconds of pressure) or Cycle 30 indicating 30 seconds of pressure).

6. During these KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements.
o Note 1: You can also do isometric exercises or simply contract your arm muscles in the positive and negative direction during exercise.
o Note 2: You can also do the KAATSU 3-Point Arm Exercises (i.e., Hand Clenches if possible, followed by Biceps Curls, and then Triceps Extensions).

7. After the first 2-3 days, you can add longer KAATSU Cycles. This is called Cycle 60 (i.e., 60 seconds of pressure on followed by 20 seconds of pressure off). In order to do Cycle 60, go to the KAATSU Training mode and manually input 1 minute (60 seconds) and select an appropriate SKU level (e.g., 250 SKU for 60 seconds).

8. Constantly confirm your CRT (Capillary Refill Time, see photo above) on the palms of the hands and make sure your CRT is faster than 3 seconds. Your palms should be pink or even a beefy red color. There should be significant blood pooling in your arms with your veins distended.
o Note 1: Never occlude blood flow to your arms. KAATSU Air Bands are not a tourniquet. Tourniquet or blood pressure cuffs keep blood out of your arms by restricting arterial flow. KAATSU Air Bands function as the opposite of tourniquets and blood pressure cuffs. KAATSU Air Bands modify the venous flow - or blood flow from your limbs back to your torso.
o Note 2: Never feel numbness while doing KAATSU or allow your hands or arms to turn white, gray or blue. In these cases, immediately release the pressure and take off the KAATSU Air Bands.
o Note 3: There should ALWAYS be a pink color or a beefy red color in your hands and arms when doing Cycle 20 or Cycle 60. This indicates blood pooling in the limbs, bringing fresh blood to the capillaries of your entire arm.

9. Remove the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and rehydrate. Then apply the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs.

Leg Protocols
1. Manually tighten the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 150 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 250 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.
o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. Do 3-6 of these KAATSU Cycles on your legs. This will take 9-18 minutes total.

6. During these KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements.
o Note 1: You can also do isometric exercises or simply contract your leg muscles in the positive and negative direction during exercise.
o Note 2: You can also do the Standard KAATSU 3-Point Leg Exercises (i.e., Toe curls if possible, followed by Toe Raises if possible, and then Leg Curls).
o Note 3: You can alternatively do the Advanced KAATSU 3-Point Leg Exercises (i.e., Heel Raises if possible, followed by Standing Leg Curls and then Non-Lock Quarter Squats).
o Note 4: You can walk comfortably inside or outside or steadingly on a treadmill.

7. After the first 2-3 days, you can add longer KAATSU Cycles. This is called Cycle 60 (i.e., 60 seconds of pressure on followed by 20 seconds of pressure off). In order to do Cycle 60, go to the KAATSU Training mode and manually input 1 minute (60 seconds) and select an appropriate SKU level (e.g., 250 SKU for 60 seconds).

8. Constantly confirm your CRT (Capillary Refill Time) on the quadriceps above your knees or near your ankles on your calves. Make sure your CRT remains faster than 3 seconds. Your feet and legs should be pink or even a beefy red color. There should be significant blood pooling in your legs with your veins distended, particularly visible in your feet.
o Note 1: Never occlude blood flow to your legs.
o Note 2: Never feel numbness while doing KAATSU or allow your feets or legs to turn white, gray or blue. In these cases, immediately release the pressure and take off the KAATSU Air Bands.

9. Remove the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs and rehydrate.

Before Bed Arm Protocols
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 100 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 150 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.
o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. During these evening KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements or the KAATSU Insomnia Protocols that includes:
o Forward shoulder rolls
o Backward shoulder rolls
o Head rotations
o Deltoid and triceps stretching
o Note: Movements before bedtime should be casual and light. Nothing too vigorous and difficult.

5. If you wish to maintain your stamina and strength during your rehabilitation period, do comfortable KAATSU Walking or KAATSU Power Walking on a treadmill or outside for 15-20 minutes with the inflated KAATSU Air Bands on your legs (doing repeated KAATSU Cycles). Alternatively, you can also do KAATSU Aqua in a pool.

Do’s
›› Correctly place the KAATSU Air Bands on your upper arms and upper legs every time.
o Note : On your arms, the Bands should be placed above your biceps and triceps near your armpit, but below your deltoids.

›› Check Base SKU (pressure) and find Optimal SKU (pressure) during every KAATSU session. Optimal Pressure is one that is not so high as to occlude, but high enough to get that “KAATSU Fatigue/Failure Feeling” during exercise.
o Note: Your Optimal SKU can change on a daily basis.

›› Release the KAATSU Air Bands if you feel something is not right. If you feel lightheaded or if you have any pain on one side or the other, stop and continue on another day.

›› You can do different exercises or movements during KAATSU. You can type emails or play the piano or play computer games. Be creative and enjoy the experience.

›› Rest 30-60 seconds between different sets of exercises.

›› Do hydrate well before, during and after each KAATSU session.

Don’ts
›› Do not ever fully occlude blood flow. Signs of this are collapsed veins, no pulse at the wrist, pale palms and skin, severely delayed (>6 seconds) capillary refill.

›› Do not have Air Bands inflated for more than 20 minutes on your limbs. The KAATSU Nano will deflate automatically the KAATSU Air Bands when the maximum time is reached.

›› Do not lift heavy weights when doing KAATSU



Copyright © 2014 - 2019 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Multiple Effects Of Growth Hormone In The Human Body

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



In the study Multiple Effects of Growth Hormone in the Body: Is it Really the Hormone for Growth?, published in 2016 in the journal of Clinical Medical: Endocrinol Diabetes, authors Jesús Devesa, Cristina Almengló, and Pablo Devesa, they point out that "a number of actions of Growth Hormone exerted on multiple tissues and organs [go] far beyond the classic effects of the hormone on the intermediate metabolism and growth. The high diversity of actions of Growth Hormone can be explained only by the fact that the hormone plays many different roles by activating a high number of proteins involved in cell signaling and displaying different mechanisms of action.

The possibility exists that, rather than a hormone, GH is a prohormone that depending on the tissue may be proteolytically cleaved giving origin to different and shorter GH derivatives with tissue-specific properties. In addition, GH may activate the proliferation of tissue-specific stem cells that then would act in tissue repair after an injury.

Moreover, recently, it has been reported that GH is able to induce the rescue of pancreatic β-cell and function in streptozotocin-treated mice and, therefore, may be of interest in the treatment of type 1 diabetes
."

In their paper, Devesa, Almengló and Devesa explain further, "GH may facilitate the proliferation, differentiation, survival, and migration of new neurons in response to brain injury. However, to date, only few studies in human beings explore such a possibility. While these studies indicate a positive effect for GH treatment together with specific neurorehabilitation, both in children with cerebral palsy and in Traumatic Brain Injury patients, or in a patient suffering from a neurogenic dysphagia after oncological brain surgery, all patients in these studies had Growth hormone deficiency most likely occurring as a consequence of their brain damage.

However, we recently demonstrated that GH administration, together with specific rehabilitation, after an important brain injury, is able to recover laboratory animals and patients without Growth hormone deficiency. Similar results have been obtained after a stroke. In rats, delayed and chronic treatment of stroke with central GH may accelerate some aspects of functional recovery and improve spatial memory in the long term, and a pilot study in human patients who suffered a stroke showed improvements after administering GH.

In line with these, the expression of both GH and GHR is strongly upregulated after brain injury and specifically associated with stressed neurons and glia. From these and other studies, it is now clear that GH plays a key role in both physiologic and reparative neurogenesis, being its effect specially marked on cognitive functions, most likely throughout the interaction of the hormone with GHRs expressed in the hippocampus and frontal cortex, brain areas especially related to memory and cognition, respectively.

It is already well known that GHD adults have impaired psychological well-being, including energy, motivation, emotion, memory, and cognition. However, all these abnormalities improved during GH replacement therapy, which leads to marked improvements in the quality of life. The same occurs in GHD after being treated with GH. Attention, perception, and cognitive capacity improve in them. Cognitive impairments and mood disturbances are common findings in patients with GH deficiency. GH treatment significantly improves memory and cognitive functions in these patients, as shown by functional MRI studies. Similar results have been obtained recently by us and others, both in adult GHD patients and in patients with normal GH secretion
."

Many KAATSU Master Specialists have found significant beneficial outcomes have been seen on their patients and clients with Traumatic Brain Injuries [see here] and others experiencing depression or dementia [see here].

As Dr. Sato, the inventor of KAATSU, explains, "GH is said to have psychological effects including the stabilization of emotion. This helps to improve depression and dementia [see video above of a 104-year-old who recovered from dementia with KAATSU].

It is known that GH has positive psychological effects including increasing energy and stabilizing emotion. Secretion of a large amount of GH with KAATSU is believed to work directly on symptoms of depression or dementia including improving a lack of motivation and social withdrawal.

In addition, some say that obesity and depression have a relationship; it is thought that lower physical activity leads to obesity, which exacerbates depression.

KAATSU compensates a lack of exercise and helps to release GH in large amounts resulting in improvement of symptoms
."

KAATSU Master Specialists have seen KAATSU users have increased energy levels and increased stability of the autonomic nerve system which is one factor in improving their emotional stability.

Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Ryan Ballance, A Lifesaver

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







































Courtesy of Mayor Bob Whalen, Laguna Beach, California.

Ryan Ballance [standing on the right] is a retired fireman and an experienced waterman originally from Long Beach, California. He is a regular KAATSU Nano user on dryland and uses KAATSU Aqua Bands in the water.

Throughout 25 years of his stellar firefighting career in Florida, the former All-American water polo player helped numerous people in all kinds of situations.

Upon his retirement on the firefighting force, he moved back to Southern California - and continues to save lives.

He made his second lifesaving rescue in less than a year. His first save was with a cardiac arrest victim on the shores of Laguna Beach. His latest safe was in the city's swimming pool with another cardiac emergency.

The City of Laguna Beach honored Ballance with a proclamation:

Whereas, On February 25, 2019, Ryan Ballance successfully rescued a drowning swimmer at the High School and Community Pool; and

Whereas, Ballance is a Pool Lifeguard for the City of Laguna Beach, bound by a duty to act while carrying out his job responsibilities; and

Whereas, The Community Services department prides itself on its tradition of providing exceptional service to its residents; and

Whereas, Ballance responded quickly and professionally, and displayed a high degree of skill and expertise in his life-saving actions; and

Whereas, The swimmer made a full recovery with no lasting heart or brain damage thanks to Ballance's efforts.

Now, therefore, The City Council of the City of Laguna Beach, congratulates and recognizes, on behalf of the entire community, Ballance's excellent work and successful rescue and resuscitation...congratulations!


Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Joe Gomes, A First Move, An Early Adopter, A Visionary

For who? student-athletes, warfighters
For what? Strength, stamina, conditioning, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery

Joe Gomes is the Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition (IHMC) high performance director responsible for the development of staff and systems that evaluates, educates and prepares elite athletes or warfighters to perform at their best when it matters most.

Prior to joining the IHMC, the London native spent 3 years as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. While at the Raiders, he purchased KAATSU Masters and KAATSU Nanos and requested extra large KAATSU Air Bands for his oversized athletes.

He oversaw sport science, nutrition, strength & conditioning, player reconditioning and performance analytics, and was instrumental in the design, planning and opening of its new Performance Center near the Oakland Airport. His efforts helped the Raiders increase the number of their victories and boosted them to their first playoff appearance in 14 years.

Prior to the Oakland Raiders, Gomes was a Senior Advisor and Performance Director to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) where he oversaw aspects of programming and monitoring for USASOC as well as research and innovation for human performance initiatives.

The former rugby player and track athlete served as the Director of Performance for EXOS for 9 years where he ran the preparation program for the annual NFL Scouting Combine for 4 years. He trained 35 first-round draft picks, 13 top-10 players and four first-overall picks.

As a consultant, his clients include all branches of U.S. Military Special Operations, the U.S. Secret Service, and numerous sporting federations and professional teams across a number of sports.

To listen to Joe Gomes discuss a wide variety of topics, listen here.

Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Sunday, April 21, 2019

The White Heart Foundation Visits Joseph Lowrey

For who? soldiers, veterans
For what? mobility, flexibility, recovery






























The White Heart Foundation visited retired U.S. Army Green Beret Sergeant 1st Class Joseph Lowrey at his home in Ontario, California last week.

The Foundation representatives is committed to serving the needs of severely injured warriors like Lowrey and filmed a day in the life of the Purple Heart recipient originally from Long Beach, California who enlisted in the Army right after his high school graduation.

Ryan Sawtelle, Founder & Executive Director of the White Heart Foundation, explained, "White Heart is focused on having the greatest impact on [wounded] warriors. Our goal is to determine and address each warrior’s most pressing need with the help of your donation — 100% of which goes toward the warrior.

White Heart was created with the donor’s intent in mind. We believe that donor's dollars are best spent working one on one with warriors, rather than treating them as if they were numbers
."

While the Foundation cameras zeroed in on Lowrey going about his day in his home, including red light therapy + KAATSU sessions with KAATSU Master Specialist David Tawil, it was clear that the Green Beret was enjoying the spotlight.

"It is such a joy, honor, and inspiration to work with Joe," said Tawil. "We did KAATSU Cycles on his arms, starting at a low SKU and then gradually building up as we asked him to do simple but challenging movements like reaching for the sky with his left hand. Then we did some KAATSU Walking, initially at a controlled pace and then at a faster pace."

Lowrey used KAATSU daily and nightly [before bedtime] after improbably surviving a horrific gunshot wound to his head during a combat tour in Afghanistan.

While serving with the 7th Special Forces Group on July 7th 2014, Lowrey and his fellow soldiers were tasked to enter an area known to be a Taliban stronghold. The injury occurred during Lowrey’s third deployment while manning the gun turret on top of a truck during an intense firefight against Taliban insurgents.

Immediately after Lowrey was hit when PKM machine gun fire (the round pierced his Kevlar helmet and caused a massive traumatic brain injury to his right hemisphere), the medic onboard heroically saved his life by conducting an emergency tracheotomy on the battlefield. Even so, after surgery, his colleagues were told that Lowrey would not survive.

Inexplicably, Lowrey survived the next day as well as the next week and next month. Just after he and his wife Jennifer welcomed their fourth child, Lowrey was airlifted from Afghanistan to Germany's Landstuhl Hospital where he remained in a coma. Despite being given a small chance of survival by doctors, Lowrey was airlifted to the United States where he rehabbed at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Palo Alto, California at a rehabilitation hospital, and then at Casa Colina and Centre for Neuro Skills in Southern California.

After years of believing in himself and his caregivers through an excruciatingly painful recovery and rehabilitation, Lowrey emerged well enough to move back in with his family albeit without use of his left side and with some short-term memory losses due to his traumatic brain injury.

"My brothers rescued me from the fight," recalled the former highly competitive ice hockey goalie and self-defined fitness fanatic. "It has been a very long road to recovery, but I want to run again. That is one of my goals."

Together with Tawil, the pair delved into every possible KAATSU protocol covering muscle development, rehabilitation enhancement and basic recovery.

But they also concurrently took a deep dive into nutrition, specifically ketogenic diets, and all kinds of healthy biohacks in an attempt to recover from complete paralysis on his left side. "Due to being sedentary for the first time in my life, I gained a lot of weight and was just eating everything including too many hamburgers," recalled Lowrey. "But then I lost the added weight when I began eating a low-carb diet and sleeping right."

But he also experienced significant muscle mass loss while undergoing physical therapy in several Veterans Administration hospitals and medical clinics for four years.

Lowrey started KAATSU in June 2018. Under Tawil's guidance, Lowrey established a smooth-running protocol where he does KAATSU twice daily in the convenience of his home. He does a morning exercise protocol where he focuses on muscle toning, balance and gait fluidity as well as an evening sleep protocol where he focuses on relaxation and vascular elasticity that enables him to get a solid 8 hours of deep sleep.

"I loved how my legs felt the very first time that I tried KAATSU in the comfort of my living room," recalled Lowrey. "I didn't know how to use the KAATSU equipment at first; it was all new to me, but David was patient and taught me and my caregiver how to apply it during my morning and evening sessions. Now it is just part of my daily routine."

Tawil reiterated, "It is important to teach KAATSU users like Joe to understand how to do KAATSU by himself. Because of Joe's limited strength, uncertain balance and lack of complete mobility, we spend all the time necessary for Joe to feel comfortable and gain the maximum benefits from KAATSU.

Lowrey first started with very low-pressure KAATSU Cycles on both his arms and legs. He learned what the appropriate Base and Optimal pressures are for him - both in the morning where Joe does more vigorous workouts and in the evening where it is all about relaxation and getting ready to reap all the benefits of a good night's sleep
."

Over the next 8 weeks, Lowrey started to stand, balance and walk with KAATSU.

"We walk around the house and in his backyard," explains Tawil. "But we also go outside in his complex and tackle walking on grass. All of the different textures and slightly different elevations on the grass and a nearby hill are great challenges and objectives for Joe to achieve during his walking sessions. This sort of KAATSU Walking on a grassy hill - so simple for able-bodies people - are extremely helpful for Joe's improvement.

Joe does KAATSU 2 times per day: the first time at 10 am and then again at 7 pm before going to bed. At night, Joe just does simple KAATSU Cycles at a relatively low pressure. This double daily session has been essential for his rapid improvement. He is up to 2,000 steps a day, but his long-term goal is running a marathon
."

For more information on the White Heart Foundation, visit www.whiteheart.org.

Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Monday, April 15, 2019

The Body's Healing Capabilities: KAATSU Self-Care Protocols

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



Day 1 and Day 7 Photos
Before and after photos of a young female's toes - one week of doing daily KAATSU protocols, 20 minutes per day



Day 4 and Day 9 Photos
Before and after photos of a young female's toes after doing the daily KAATSU protocols, 20 minutes per day

KAATSU Master Specialist David Tawil utilizes the KAATSU Cycle on his handheld KAATSU Nano for a wide variety of purposes, from increasing the range of motion and strength for paraplegics to improving the muscular strength of Olympic athletes. He does this utilizing the KAATSU Cycle mode on a daily basis with individual sessions no longer than 20 minutes each. The efficiency and efficacy of his protocols are unheard of.

Tawil also utilizes the KAATSU Cycle to help the body heal itself of unsightly problems as varied as improving and eliminating toenail fungus.

Toenail fungus is an infection that gets in through cracks in the nail or cuts in the skin. The toenails change color or become thicker while it can cause pain. Because toes are often warm and damp, fungus grows well there. Different kinds of fungi and sometimes yeast affect different parts of the nail.

"The photos above show the progress Victoria is experiencing with her toenail fungus," Tawil explained. "When I first started the KAATSU Cycle Self-Care Protocols, she had fungus, ingrowths, dead skin, facia and overall stagnation. After treating comfortably and easily over the last few weeks, she is now enjoying stretchy new skin.

We combined KAATSU Cycles with coconut oil, oregano, magnesium and salt for their antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and antibiotic properties.

While doing KAATSU Cycles with the KAATSU Nano, we gently stretched the toe, her skin, the ankle joint, and her overall foot. We also gave her a magnesium and salt bath for additional antiseptic properties that enabled her local muscles to relax. This combination initially led to a total removal of stagnation that stopped the fungus in its path. She moisturized her skin with oils and greatly improved the blood circulation with KAATSU Cycles.

Concurrently, she continued to flex and stretch her toes, feet and ankles and kept her feet and toes clean. We could have also added the standard KAATSU 3-point Leg Protocols (e.g., Heel Raises + Leg Curls + Quarter Squats) if she had wanted, but these exercises are entirely optional.

In summary, the KAATSU Cycle Self-Care Protocol is simple: essentially, clean, hydrate, oxygenate with KAATSU Cycles.

The result was the elimination of edema (swelling was reduced via KAATSU), no more curling of the toenails with oil, magnesium, salt, toenail clippers, and the elimination of fungus with KAATSU, antiseptics, and good hygiene
."

Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Robert Griswold Giving Back And Inspiring Others

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

Robert Griswold has energy that is palpable. He thinks fast, he talks fast, he executes fast and he swims fast, very very fast.

The 2016 Rio Paralympic swimmer won one bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, but he has been on a tear on the recent 2019 World Para Swimming World Series where he has won every event he has swum.

His specialties include the 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley in the S8, SB7 and SM8 classification. He is the world record holder in the S8 200m back in 2:22.04.

The 22-year-old from Freehold, New Jersey is currently studying at Indiana State University, training under coach Josh Christensen.

He is clearly a driven athlete, but he is even more inspirational. At the age of 16, Griswold organized a clinic to educate his community in New Jersey about the sport of adaptive swimming. He exposed and advised individuals with physical disabilities and their families to learn about and seek athletic opportunities that available to Paralympic athletes. He continues to share the opportunities with others who he meets and inspires.

Every morning before his first workout of the day, Griswold understands the value of doing repeated KAATSU Cycles to warm-up his limbs - and repeating the KAATSU Cycles after the workouts as a recovery modality.

He is shown with fellow American Paralympic swimmer and KAATSU user Jamal Hill.



Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Jamal Hill Taking It To The Next Level

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





















Jamal Hill of Inglewood, California struggles with the degenerative disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth - but not much else.

The personable entrepreneur is a member of the USA Paralympic swim team and is looking forward to competing in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Paralympic Games despite living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which is an inherited disorder that causes nerve damage in his arms and legs. The disease results in smaller, weaker muscles, a loss of sensation and muscle contractions, and difficulty walking. In Hill's case, it significantly reduces the mobility in his legs where his motor function stops at his knee caps and his motor function in my arms is also impacted.

[The disease] runs in my family,” Hill explained. “It affects my mom a little bit. It affects my uncles pretty heavily. Essentially my motor neurons in my outer extremities, from my elbow to my fingertips and from my kneecaps all the way to my toes gives me a lot of problems.”

But his overwhelming positive nature has enabled him to succeed in a sport he could have easily quit many times.

Currently, Hill is ranked #1 among American Paralympic swimmers and 13th in the world going into the Olympic year. But he has also created Swimming Up Hill, a digital marketing company that markets health and fitness brands, insurance and medical practices.

At its core, Hill's mission is to teach 1 million people how to swim. He works with swim schools in Southern California to help the schools facilitate more lessons for lower cost to the customer.

Hill balances his work at Swimming Up Hill with his participation on the World Para Swimming World Series 2019 where he travels the world, using his KAATSU Nano for recovery.

His next major goal is to compete at the 2019 World Para-swimming Championships in London this September where he will compete among 600 swimmers from 60 nations who are trying to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

Hill is shown above with his fellow KAATSU Specialist and American Paralympic swimmer Robert Griswold of Indiana.

Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Tina & Michael Andrew Involved In International Swimming League

For who? swimmers, student-athletes
For what? Strength, stamina, functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery

KAATSU users Tina Andrew and her son 5-time world champion Michael Andrew will both participate in the new International Swimming League, the first professional swimming league for elite swimmers.

The International Swimming League (ISL) will debut this year as the first professional sports league for elite competitive swimmers. In October, the ISL will host a series of U.S. and European-based competitions that will culminate in a global championship at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

By putting the most popular sport in the Olympics on display, the ISL will shift the paradigm of swimming by offering professional athletes a chance to participate in regular seasons and earn competitive bonuses, prize money, appearance money, and build commercial value.

The ISL was founded by Ukrainian financier Konstantin Grigorishin who has focused on securing and providing sustainable commercial growth in the swimming.


Mixed ISL gender teams will compete for points in fast-paced races - including sprint, relay and skin. The league offers the following characteristics:

* A team-based competition format where swimmers compete for team points
* Financial incentives where each athlete signs two contracts: one with their team and another with the ISL that enables them two sources of revenue: one that runs through their teams and a separate one that comes directly from the league
* Gender equality is guaranteed where 12 men and 12 women will represent each team
* World’s best athletes will participate in the ISL including 75% of swimming's current Olympic champions and world record holders
* Regular seasons with swim meets held around the global from October to December. In 2020, the season will be expanded.
* Zero tolerance of doping is the rule as no athlete with a previous doping violation is allowed to compete and there is zero tolerance policy if doping is discovered

The U.S. will be represented by four teams:

1. New York Breakers headed by General Manager Tina Andrew, mother-manager of 5-time world champion Michael Andrew
2. Los Angeles headed by General Manager Lenny Krayzelburg, a backstroking Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder
3. DC Trident headed by General Manager Kaitlin Sandeno, an Olympic gold medalist, world champion and former world record-holder
4. Cali Condors headed by Jason Lezak, a 4-time Olympic gold medalist

Current Olympic champions and world record holders like Katie Ledecky, Nathan Adrian and Ryan Murphy will serve as ambassadors for the ISL that will kickoff on October 4th - 5th 2019 and will continue almost every weekend through November 24th.

The finals will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on December 20th and 21st 2019. The four best clubs from the United States and Europe will compete for prize money.

For more information about the International Swimming League, visit here or on Twitter @SwimISL, Instagram @iswimleague, and Facebook.





Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

CEOCFO Magazine Interview With David Weinstein

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



Courtesy of Bud Wayne, Editorial Executive, © CEOCFO Magazine.

"I have been funding disruptive technology companies in healthcare for the length of my career," explained entrepreneur and former investment banker David Weinstein to Bud Wayne, Editorial Executive of the CEOCFO Magazine.

"I have looked at hundreds of products during my 35 years of investment banking, and landed on a few that I thought were heads and shoulders above everything else. Kaatsu is one of them."

Weinstein's interview with CEOCFO Magazine's Wayne is posted here in full.

For an interview with Weinstein's wife Leidy, visit here.

For more information about the Weinstein's LifeForceIQ concept, visit here.

For more information about the CEOCFO Magazine, visit here.

Copyright © 2014-2019 by KAATSU Global

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Moving Slowly With KAATSU To Ultimately Move Faster

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






























Over 10 years ago, academic researchers from Japan confirmed what KAATSU Specialists have long known: that low-intensity exercise with KAATSU Air Bands leads to muscle growth and strength gains.*

These results had long been known to KAATSU Specialists and users since the 1980s.

Many researchers between 2000 - 2005 tested KAATSU Walking with MRI-measured muscle size and strength (maximum dynamic or one repetition maximum) and isometric strength along with blood hormonal parameters. Testing was done on both control groups and experimental groups of subjects ranging from young men to older women.

The testing was done using 20-minute bouts of treadmill speed of 50 meters per minute.

The researchers found a multitude of benefits and changes among the experimental KAATSU users while there was no change in muscle size and dynamic and isometric strength in the control group..

1. Serum growth hormone was elevated after KAATSU Walking with the experimental group, but not with the non-KAATSU control group.
2. MRI-measured thigh muscle cross-sectional area and muscle volume increased by 4 - 7%.
3. One repetition maximum and maximum isometric strength increased between 8 - 10%

Furthermore, indicators of muscle damage (creatine kinase and myoglobin) and resting anabolic hormones did not change with both groups. The researchers concluded that KAATSU Walking induces muscle hypertrophy and strength gain despite the minimum level of exercise intensity after 3 weeks, and that KAATSU Walking may be a potentially useful method for promoting muscle hypertrophy for a wide range of the population including the frail and elderly.

While these benefits have long been known in Japan, there have been many other applications that have since been developed and researched that address age-related skeletal muscle loss (sarcopenia) that inhibits mobility and increases the risk of developing several diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease.

As the implications of KAATSU protocols began to be appreciated by the United States military, researchers like Dr. William Ursprung at Texas A&M University studied the effects of KAATSU Walking to improve aerobic capacity. Dr. Ursprung evaluated the effects of KAATSU Walking on VO2max, 1.5 mile run times, and muscular size at low training volumes and intensities with airman from the U.S. Air Force 350th Special Operations and Tactics Training Squadron.

After three weeks of lower extremity KAATSU Walking, the test found significant improvements in VO2max, significant decreases in 1.5 mile run time, and significant increases in thigh muscle cross sectional area and the researchers concluded that KAATSU Walking represents a methodology for improving aerobic capacity, endurance and muscular size at low training volumes and intensities.

This conclusion mirrored the applications for KAATSU that many far forward-thinking coaches and trainers have known and used. For military personnel and athletes who are looking for concurrent improvements in strength and endurance, they do not always have to move, run, swim, cycle or row at maximum intensity if they strategically use KAATSU equipment.

While movement or exercises with KAATSU equipment performed with intensity will result in significant physiological and athletic improvement, it is always unnecessary.

"As long as their technique and athletic form is correct, athletes and military personnel can realize benefits with KAATSU by moving more slowly (i.e., walking versus running or swimming at a moderate pace versus swimming at maximum speed) rather than always going all-out," explains Steven Munatones. "Perhaps this lowered intensity is appropriate after injuries or immediately after a competition or during a taper phase of training. Perhaps this slower pace or raw speed is simply more appropriate during different parts of any specific workout when an athlete is working on their technique or form."

This phenomena means that the implications and applications of KAATSU usage expands significantly. When benefits and improvements can be achieved at any speed, pace or level of intensity, coaches and athletes can be much more flexible and creative in their training decisions.

For example, instead of only going all-out sprints with KAATSU, runners, cyclists, swimmers, rowers and skiers can practice at more moderate pace - which means that KAATSU can be done more frequently and with less resultant fatigue.

The same effects of KAATSU have been found with other KAATSU-using mammals like horses, mice, rats, and goats in testing performed in Japan and China.


























The photo 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.

His study on this topic of using standard KAATSU Air Bands - the same used on humans - is entitled Muscle, tendon, and somatotropin responses to the restriction of muscle blood flow induced by KAATSU-walk training that was published in Equine Exercise Physiology.

Professor McKeever and his fellow researchers delved into the efficacy of KAATSU being used as both as a therapeutic method as well as a training aid. The purpose of their study was to investigate the effects of slow KAATSU Walking 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. The KAATSU Air Bands - the same model and type that were used by humans and with the goats in China - were inflated using KAATSU equipment and placed at the most proximal position of the forelegs and inflated to a pressure of 200-230 mmHg throughout the KAATSU walking and recovery sessions.

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 Walking group than in the Control-walking group 5 minutes after exercise and remained elevated (P<0.05) at 15 and 60 minutes post exercise compared with the Control-walking group. After 2 weeks of training, muscle thickness increased (P<0.05) 3.5% in the KAATSU Walking group, but did not change in the Control-walking 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 humans.

* Muscle size and strength are increased following walk training with restricted venous blood flow from the leg muscle, Kaatsu-walk training by Professor Abe and Professor Kearns of Tokyo Metropolitan University and Professor Sato of the University of Tokyo.

** The Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on VO2Max and 1.5 Mile Run Performance by William Ursprung, published in the International Journal of Exercise Science.

Copyright © 2014 - 2019 by KAATSU Global

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Using The Masimo MightySat™ Finger Pulse Oximeter

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



Courtesy of Masimo Personal Health.

The KAATSU Master 2.0 and KAATSU Wearables both use the Masimo MightySat™ Finger Pulse Oximeter.

"One of the best physiological monitoring devices that I have ever used is the Bluetooth-enabled Masimo MightySat™ Fingertip Pulse Oximeter," said Steven Munatones.

"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 more information about the Masimo MightySat™ Fingertip Pulse Oximeter, visit here or listen to world champion Michael Andrew above.



Copyright © 2014 - 2019 by KAATSU Global

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Applications Of KAATSU Beauty

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
."

Copyright © 2014 - 2019 by KAATSU Global

Hard Questions To Face Regarding KAATSU

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.

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