KAATSU blog posts testimonials, protocols, case studies, techniques and ideas about KAATSU the Original BFR 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.
For who? Individuals with plantar fasciitis or heel pain For what? Pain relief, functional movement, mobility, balance
Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain that is caused by inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.
Most people who have plantar fasciitis recover in several months with treatment that includes resting, icing the painful area, and stretching along with taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) that can ease the pain and inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis. Stretching and strengthening exercises or using special devices may relieve symptoms.
KAATSU users have an additional modality and tool to use if they do a series of exercises to stretch the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon and to strengthen lower leg muscles.
KAATSU Plantar Fasciitis Protocols:
1. Always start with the KAATSU Cycle mode, following the Progressive KAATSU Cycle protocols (i.e., start with low pressures and then gradually increase to high(er) pressures - even if you do not "feel" anything).
2. Always be well-hydrated before and while doing KAATSU KAATSU Cycle sets.
3. Always start KAATSU Cycle sets on your arms, then do KAATSU Cycle sets your legs.
4. Always have good KAATSU color while doing KAATSU Cycle sets (i.e., have a pinker or redder skin color).
5. Always feel comfortable doing KAATSU; never feel uncomfortable or lightheaded. If you feel uncomfortable or lightheaded at any time, immediately remove the bands.
6. Always start off with conservative pressure and gradually increase.
7. Always feel free to do simple movements during KAATSU; you do not have to do intense or vigorous exercises.
8. You can incorporate KAATSU into your standard physical therapy exercises and movements.
9. You can do up to 6 KAATSU Cycle sets on both your upper and lower limbs during each session.
10. You can do 1-3 KAATSU sessions per day as your time permits.
11. You can do either Single-Limb KAATSU Cycle sets on only one leg - or Standard KAATSU Cycle sets on both legs. That is, you can focus on only one leg at a time if your plantar fasciitis is painful on one side only.
12. Always start conservatively with KAATSU: either with low pressure or only 1 KAATSU Cycle set per day.
13. You can gradually increase the number of KAATSU Cycle sets over the course of several days or weeks.
14. You can do various kinds of movements - or no movement at all while you are sitting down or studying or working.
15. You can do Standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises on your arms (e.g., Hand Clenches, Biceps Curls, Triceps Extensions) or other movements (e.g., Foot Rotations, Balancing on One Foot, Stretching, Walking, Standing Up and Sitting Down) with your KAATSU equipment.
16. Be patient and do KAATSU Cycles regularly and consistently.
For Pain Relief:
* Do 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets with the KAATSU Air Bands on one or both legs while you are sitting.
* You can also do 3-6 KAATSU Cycles while doing KAATSU Aqua exercise or stretching gentle.
* Some people very gently roll the bottom of their foot with a golf ball while they are doing the KAATSU Cycle sets for additional relief.
The 36th World Congress of Sports Medicine is currently being held on September 23rd - 26th in Athens, Greece and includes presentations on KAATSU, the pioneer of BFR therapy.
The Congress, organized by the International Federation of Sports Medicine / Fédération Internationale de Médécine du Sport (FIMS), may be watched virtually via www.fims2020.com.
Under the motto of Sports Medicine promotes active lifestyle, the focus will be on genetics, molecular biology, sports, and wearable technologies, including KAATSU Global products. Presentations on anti-doping, sports medicine advances in obesity and diabetes treatment, nutrition, metabolism and exercise, sports cardiology, KAATSU, and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic are scheduled.
On Saturday, September 25th, Chairpersons James Bilzon of the University of Bath and Professor Yannis Pitsiladis of the University of Brighton will oversee the following presentations:
● Professor Borja Muñiz-Pardos of the University of Zaragoza: KAATSU, the past, present and future of blood flow restriction (BFR)
● Dr Ifigeneia Giannopoulou of the University of Brighton: KAATSU: an alternative form of exercise training for elite athletes, the military, the elderly, and the general population
● Mike Miller, CEO of the World Olympians Association: World Olympian Health Study
“After inventing KAATSU Constant in 1966 and the KAATSU Cycle principles in 1973 in Japan, we have launched decades of academic research. I am humbled that Doctors Pitsiladis, Muñiz-Pardos, and Giannopoulou from the University of Brighton are presenting KAATSU at this prestigious conference to the world's leaders in sports medicine,” said Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, the inventor of KAATSU.
Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Captain John Doolittle explains, "We were able to meet the professors and explain KAATSU first-hand before the pandemic hit last year. Then, under the direction of Professor Pitsiladis, they used and tested the KAATSU equipment - as did Mike Miller of the World Olympians Association, and dozens of active and retired Olympians throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. They understood the mechanism, applications, and the future potential for KAATSU while we were quarantined during the pandemic. 11 KAATSU users stood on the awards podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics & Paralympic Games which was great to see.
Concurrently, we are widely expanding its use with the U.S. military and our fastest growing demographic: women and men over the age of 50. The future of expanding KAATSU to many more athletes and people of all demographic groups around the world is very bright."
About Borja Muñiz-Pardos, PhD Borja Muñiz-Pardos, PhD is a senior research fellow at the FIMS Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine at the University of Zaragoza in Spain. His research centers on human performance with a focus on sports integrity and the investigation of ergogenic aids such as sports drinks, brain stimulation, altitude training, doping with erythropoietin, blood-flow restriction training and wearable technologies. His research on the physiological and metabolic responses of blood-flow restriction training and its effectiveness as a training and rehabilitation modality is conducted in partnership with the World Olympians Association.
About Ifigeneia Giannopoulou Ifigeneia Giannopoulou, PhD is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Brighton. She was a Lecturer in Applied Physiology at Strathclyde University and a Lecturer in Exercise Physiology and Sports Nutrition at the University of Athens. Her research is focused on the effects of exercise and diet on health, specifically on abdominal obesity and chronic low-grade inflammation and on clinical populations such as obese individuals, type 2 diabetes patients, and peri- and post-menopausal women.
About Mike Miller
Mike Miller is the first Chief Executive Officer of the World Olympians Association, a group of over 100,000 retired Summer and Winter Olympic athletes who promote the Olympic ideals, educate against doping and drug use, and serve as positive role models. He was the former Chief Executive Officer of the International Rugby Board, overseeing 3 highly successful Rugby World Cups. He also served as the Head of Sports at Channel 4 UK and the Controller of Television Sport at the BBC, and as a member of the European Broadcasting Union Sports Group Executive Bureau. He sits on the Advisory Board of the World Academy of Sport.
For who? Work-at-home employees, student-athletes, tactical athletes For what? Functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home
A U.S. Navy SEAL with 26 years of service, William Branum is the founder of Naked Warrior Recovery and a KAATSU Master Specialist in Honolulu, Hawaii.
He asks a simple question, "Are you a Warrior? Or are you a Romantic?"
His answer, "You can be both...but you need to know the difference between the two. A warrior is someone who has a goal...has a mission. Their purpose is to complete that mission: Planning, Preparation, Execution.
A Romantic is someone who ONLY dreams about a goal or a mission, but never takes action. Be a warrior!"
For who? Baby Boomers, retirees or athletes who enjoy golfing For what? Improve your golf game by increasing your strength, mobility, flexibility, and stamina
The myriad skills used in golf are complex and can be improved with KAATSU.
KAATSU modalities can be used by golfers to improve their strength, mobility, flexibility, and stamina.
The strength in your lower body, core, upper body, and hand grip can be enhanced with a combination of the KAATSU Cycle and the KAATSU Constant modes. Your posture and swings for drive shots, iron shots, pitch shots, chip shots, and putts can also be enhanced with a combination of the KAATSU Cycle and the KAATSU Constant modes.
Former Japanese golf professional Teruo Sugihara was one of the first professional golfers to transform his career later in life by incorporating KAATSU into his training - which is especially remarkable because he first had to recover from prostate cancer in 1997, using KAATSU daily. By 2006 at age 68, he became the oldest player to make the cut in a top-tier Japanese tour event.
His final Japan Golf Tour appearance came at the 2010 Mizuno Open in Nishonomiya, Japan. This same year, he co-authored a book called KAATSU Golf with KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato.
There are many valuable lessons in his innovative use of KAATSU that he has shared with golfers of any age, but especially with older golfers and those who are recovering from cancer.
Sugihara-san used KAATSU to improve his overall health and his golf game specifically. His book written in Japanese, called KAATSU Golf, describes how he used KAATSU to:
* strengthen his upper body
* improve his swing
* enhance his mobility during his swing
* increase his grip strength
* improve his leg strength with squats and practice swings
* enhance his overall strength and club head speed
Young or older golfers can use the combination of KAATSU Cycles and KAATSU Constant with the following protocols:
1. Always start with the KAATSU Cycle mode, following the Progressive KAATSU Cycle protocols (i.e., start with low pressures and then gradually increase to high(er) pressures - even if you do not "feel" anything). Then go to the KAATSU Constant mode.
2. Always be well-hydrated before and while doing KAATSU KAATSU Cycles and KAATSU Constant.
3. Always start KAATSU on your arms, then do KAATSU your legs.
4. Always have good KAATSU color while doing KAATSU Cycle sets (i.e., have a pinker or redder skin color).
5. Always feel comfortable doing KAATSU; never feel uncomfortable or lightheaded. If you feel uncomfortable or lightheaded at any time, immediately remove the bands.
6. Always start off with conservative pressure and gradually increase.
7. Always feel free to do simple movements during KAATSU; you do not have to do intense or vigorous exercises.
8. You can incorporate KAATSU into your standard golf practice and exercises.
9. You can do up to 6 KAATSU Cycle sets on both your upper and lower limbs during each session.
10. You can do 1-3 KAATSU sessions per day as your time permits.
11. You can do either Single-Limb KAATSU Cycle sets on only one leg or arm - or Standard KAATSU Cycle sets on both limbs. That is, you can focus on only one limb at a time if you wish or if you are feeling discomfort or pain on one side only.
12. Always start conservatively with KAATSU: either with low pressure or only 1 KAATSU Cycle set per day.
13. You can gradually increase the number of KAATSU Cycle sets over the course of several days or weeks.
14. You can do various kinds of movements - or no movement at all while you are sitting down and waiting to get on the course or range.
15. In addition to doing KAATSU Constant with your golf club in your hands, you can also do simple Standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises (e.g., Hand Clenches, Biceps Curls, Triceps Extensions) or other movements (e.g., Head or Foot Rotations, Balancing on One Foot, Stretching, Walking, Standing Up and Sitting Down, Handwriting) with your KAATSU equipment.
16. For exercises, you can begin with the KAATSU Cycle mode. For focus on putts, drives and chip shots, you can use the KAATSU Constant mode.
For Grip and Upper Body Strength:
* Do 1-3 KAATSU Cycle sets with KAATSU Air Bands on your arms while you are repeatedly squeezing a squeeze ball or tennis ball or your clubs.
* Do Standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises with KAATSU Air Bands on your arms (e.g., Hand Clenches, Biceps Curls, Triceps Extensions) while doing 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets with the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms.
* Do KAATSU Stretching on your upper body while doing KAATSU Cycle sets.
For Core and Lower Back Strength:
* Do 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets with the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs while you are walking, gently swinging your clubs, alternately twisting left and right at your waist.
* Do Standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises with KAATSU Air Bands on your legs (e.g., Heel Raises, Non-lock Quarter Squats, Standing Hamstring Curls).
* Do KAATSU Stretching with your lower body while doing KAATSU Cycle sets.
* Sit up straight in chair and repeatedly stretch your arms and hands upwards in a long, slow stretch.
* Balance on one of your feet until failure - and then repeat on your other leg. Repeat that sequence until exhaustion.
* Balance on one foot while moving water bottles in your hand or do KAATSU Walking while balancing a book on your head.
For Stamina:
* Do comfortable KAATSU Walking, either in the KAATSU Cycle or KAATSU Constant mode on level ground, on the sand, or on a treadmill for up to 15 minutes.
* Do comfortable KAATSU Cycling, either in the KAATSU Cycle or KAATSU Constant mode on a stationary or recumbent bicycle for up to 15 minutes.
For Swings:
* After you have completed KAATSU Cycle sets, untether the connector tubes and do KAATSU Constant with the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms while you practice your drive shots, iron shots, pitch shots, chip shots, and putts.
* After you complete KAATSU Constant on your arms, continue with KAATSU Constant with the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs while you practice your drive shots, iron shots, pitch shots, chip shots, and putts. Arms are first; legs are last.
Robert Griswold wins his second gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics in the S6 100m butterfly - 20 years after Dr. Sato's seminal presentation on the use of KAATSU for individuals with congenital cerebral palsy.
The 24-year-old American, originally from New Jersey, said, "I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you to everyone who has helped me make this dream possible. Since I was a little boy, I have worked and sacrificed for this dream of representing my country at the highest level possible. The last few days have felt unreal and I have spent every free moment reflecting on this journey.
I am so touched by all of the messages and notes that I have received from so many and I just want to thank you for all the support I am only halfway through competition and I am excited to continue representing Team USA."
S6 100m Butterfly Final - Results:
Gold: Robert Griswold (USA) 1:02.03
Silver: Feng Yang (China) 1:03.20
Bronze: Denys Dubrov (Ukraine)1:03.23
4th: Guanglong Yang (China) 1:03.26
5th: Haijiao Xu (China) 1:03.42
6th: Alberto Amodeo (Italy) 1:04.31
7th: Luis Armando Andrade Guillen (Mexico) 1:04.55
8th: Gabriel Cristiano Silva de Souza (Brazil) 1:05.38
At the 2001 KAATSU Training International Symposium in Tokyo, KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato explained the innovative KAATSU Cycle protocols that he used with one of his patients, Mr. Kato who has congenital cerebral palsy [see photos above]. Both Dr. Sato and Mr. Kato impressed the audience with Mr. Kato's physiological improvements.
One of the few foreign participants in the Symposium was American Steven Munatones who had just begun to being mentored on KAATSU by Dr. Sato.
Dial forward to 2017 when Griswold called Munatones and asked about KAATSU. Griswold, similar to Mr. Kato, has congenital cerebral palsy in Tokyo. He was in the middle of training for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and wanted to start KAATSU in order to improve his strength, flexibility and mobility.
Griswold has been doing so ever since. Utilizing the patented KAATSU protocols created by Dr. Sato and first utilized by Mr. Kato, Griswold started to see significant improvements as he had hoped.
Griswold dreamed of standing on top of the awards podium in Tokyo and hearing his national anthem. He did that twice in Tokyo. 20 years after Mr. Kato had wowed the participants in the 2001 KAATSU Training International Symposium, Griswold similarly impressed with a world record setting performance to win the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
"Robert has always impressed me, both in and out of the water," remarked Steven Munatones.
Griswold's road to gold was a long time coming. "From a young age, I knew I was different when I was in the playground. But when I got in the swimming pool, I felt like everyone else. I was just six years old at the time and it was so much fun to be able to compete in a sport, something that I'd never had the opportunity to do before."
Griswold exudes positivity and goal-setting and is a role model for many. "Don't give up on yourself. Just because you're at a disadvantage doesn't mean you should look at yourself that way. My cerebral palsy affects my general coordination, walking, running, jumping. It also affects my hands a little bit and my fine motor skills.
Rich Roll writes, "We love to celebrate Olympians as superheroes. It’s important to remember they are human beings." In his podcast #619, Roll discusses various themes related to the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Author, commentator and conversationalist Adam Skolnick describes the new fitness fan that has erupted in Tokyo: KAATSU. Listen to their conversation from 1:28:41 when Skolnich talks about KAATSU and answer Roll's questions.
Matthew Torres won a bronze medal in the 400m S8 freestyle at the Tokyo Paralympic Games on August 31st.
Swimming against his American teammate and fellow Paralympic medalist and KAATSU user, Matthew Torres, a 20-year-old sophomore from Fairfield University, finished strongly to win bronze in the 400m S8 freestyle race at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
It was his first Paralympic medal finishing in 4:28.47 where he battled Andrei Nikolaev from the Russian Olympic Committee and Italy’s Alberto Amodeo. He dropped his time of 4:31.77 from the preliminary heats. Torres previously competed in the 100m S8 backstroke S8 in 1:14.03, but did not qualify for the finals.
Results:
Gold: Andrei Nikolaev (Russia) 4:25.16
Silver: Alberto Amodeo (Italy) 4:25.93
Matthew Torres (USA) 4:28.47
4th: Haijiao XU (China) 4:29.93
5th: Robert Griswold (USA) 4:31.96
6th: Caio Amorim Muniz de Oliveira (Brazil) 4:35.16
7th: Inigo Llopis Sanz (Spain) 4:45.69
8th: Ben Popham (Australia) 4:49.32
Torres joins his fellow KAATSU users Robert Griswold and Jamal Hill as Paralympic medalists in Tokyo. "All three KAATSU users at the Tokyo Paralympics ended up medaling, which is very cool. Their adoption of KAATSU is why these three athletes are always looking for ways to help themselves take their performances to another level," said Steven Munatones.
Upper photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images. Lower photo taken at their pre-Paralympic training camp in Tokyo.
Jamal Hill won his first Paralympic Games medal in the S9 50-meter freestyle sprint in Tokyo.
Hill is relatively new to the para swimming community, but he has been coming on strongly over the last year. He vaulted into the highest echelon of para sprinters when he won a silver medal in the 2019 Para Pan American Games.
His lifetime best was 26.10 in that silver medal winning performance in 2019. Then uncertainty, stress, no competitions and minimal training waylaid his training during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. It would have been easy for Hill to bow out and just get on with his emerging Swim Up Hill Foundation.
But he continued to move forward and train as best he could under the guidance of his coach Wilma Wong. Using his KAATSU equipment and race pain training, he dropped his best time from 26.10 to 25.19, a tremendous improvement over such a short distance.
Robert Griswold wins gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics 20 years after Dr. Sato's seminal presentation on the use of KAATSU with individuals with congenital cerebral palsy.
At the 2001 KAATSU Training International Symposium in Tokyo, KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato explained the innovative KAATSU Cycle protocols that he used with one of his patients, Mr. Kato who has congenital cerebral palsy [see photos above]. Both Dr. Sato and Mr. Kato impressed the audience with Mr. Kato's physiological improvements.
One of the few foreign participants in the Symposium was American Steven Munatones who had just begun to being mentored on KAATSU by Dr. Sato.
Dial forward to 2017 when 2016 Rio Paralympic Games bronze medalist Robert Griswold called Munatones and asked about KAATSU. Griswold, similar to Mr. Kato, has congenital cerebral palsy in Tokyo. He was in the middle of training for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and wanted to start KAATSU in order to improve his strength, flexibility and mobility.
Griswold has been doing so ever since. Utilizing the patented KAATSU protocols created by Dr. Sato and first utilized by Mr. Kato, Griswold started to see improvement as he had hoped.
"If we compare Robert's speed and best time in 2016 at the Rio Paralympic Games to what he did in Tokyo, it is a remarkable improvement," said Steven Munatones. "In Rio, he swam the S8 100 meter backstroke in 1:04.68. In Tokyo, he set a world record in 1:02.55. Over two seconds at this level is stunning."
Griswold dreamed of standing on top of the awards podium in Tokyo and hearing his national anthem. In Tokyo 20 years after Mr. Kato had wowed the participants in the 2001 KAATSU Training International Symposium, Griswold similarly impressed with a world record setting performance to win the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Griswold started out quickly, but controlled, with a 30.35 split on the first 50. On the NBC telecast [shown above], he started to approach closer and closer to the world record line on every stroke as he powered through his second lap. He finished with a blazing 32.3 final 50 meters to set a world record and Paralympic record of 1:02.55.
He broke the 1:02.90 world record of China’s Cong Zhou at 1:02.90 who set that world record en route to gold at the Rio Paralympics. But Griswold took two steps up the podium and set a new standard in the men's S8 category.
"Robert has always impressed me, both in and out of the water," remarked Steven Munatones. "Like his hero - renowned Olympic backstroke champion Aaron Piersol, Robert came through big-time today - and he was able to do it with his family in the stands."
Griswold's road to gold was a long time coming. "From a young age, I knew I was different when I was in the playground. But when I got in the swimming pool, I felt like everyone else. I was just six years old at the time and it was so much fun to be able to compete in a sport, something that I'd never had the opportunity to do before."
Griswold exudes positivity and goal-setting and is a role model for many. "Don't give up on yourself. Just because you're at a disadvantage doesn't mean you should look at yourself that way. My cerebral palsy affects my general coordination, walking, running, jumping. It also affects my hands a little bit and my fine motor skills.
I worked for five years for this moment. I remember this record took a big jump down in Rio, and I was in that race, and I woke up the next day and said, ‘How can I get down to 1:02.90?’ I thought about it again and again, and said if I just kept a little bit better every day, it will click. Then one day it all clicked. I honestly wasn’t thinking 1:02.50. I hit the wall and saw that I was out at 30-something, and I said, ‘You know what, let’s just go for it’ and I went with. When I touched the wall I just screamed with joy because I was so happy to do the best I could for my country.”
S8 100m Backstroke Final - Results:
Gold: Robert Griswold (USA) 1:05.49
Silver: Inigo Llopis Sanz (Spain) 1:06.82
Bronze: Fengqi Liu (China) 1:07.09
4th: Jesse Aungles (Australia) 1:07.94
5th: Kota Kubota (Japan) 1:09.09
6th: Pavel Kuklin (Russia) 1:09.26
7th: Joseph Peppersack (USA) 1:09.45
8th: Jurijs Semjonovs (Latvia)
Compared to his strong start, turn and kick in Tokyo, Griswold does not appear to be as powerful in 2016 prior to his use of KAATSU:
His upper body looks much stronger as was confirmed by BMI tests conducted at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado:
Long-time KAATSU user Robert Griswold won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in the S8 100 meter backstroke final in 1:04.68. Since Rio, he has dreamed of standing on top of the awards podium and hearing the national anthem of the United States.
Today was his day to proudly hear his national anthem with a gold medal around his neck.
Griswold started out quickly, but controlled, with a 30.35 split on the first 50. On the NBC telecast [shown above], viewers could see how he started to approach closer and closer to the world record line on every stroke as he powered through his second lap. He finished with a blazing 32.3 final 50 meters to set a world record and Paralympic record of 1:02.55.
He broke the 1:02.90 world record of China’s Cong Zhou at 1:02.90 who set that world record en route to gold at the Rio Paralympics. But Griswold took two steps up the podium and set a new standard in the men's S8 category.
"Robert has always impressed me, both in and out of the water," remarked Steven Munatones. "Like his hero - renowned Olympic backstroke champion Aaron Piersol, Robert came through big-time today - and he was able to do it with his family in the stands."
Griswold's road to gold was a long time coming. "From a young age, I knew I was different when I was in the playground. But when I got in the swimming pool, I felt like everyone else. I was just six years old at the time and it was so much fun to be able to compete in a sport, something that I'd never had the opportunity to do before."
Griswold, who has congenital cerebral palsy and was born with dislocated knees and hips, exudes positivity and goal-setting and is a role model for many. "Don't give up on yourself. Just because you're at a disadvantage doesn't mean you should look at yourself that way. My cerebral palsy affects my general coordination, walking, running, jumping. It also affects my hands a little bit and my fine motor skills.
I worked for five years for this moment. I remember this record took a big jump down in Rio, and I was in that race, and I woke up the next day and said, ‘How can I get down to 1:02.90?’ I thought about it again and again, and said if I just kept a little bit better every day, it will click. Then one day it all clicked. I honestly wasn’t thinking 1:02.50. I hit the wall and saw that I was out at 30-something, and I said, ‘You know what, let’s just go for it’ and I went with. When I touched the wall I just screamed with joy because I was so happy to do the best I could for my country.”
Griswold has a demanding schedule throughout the rest of the Tokyo Paralympics. He swims the 200m individual medley on August 28th, the 400m freestyle on August 31st, the 100m butterfly on September 3rd, and the possibility of some freestyle and medley relays.
S8 100m Backstroke Final - Results:
Gold: Robert Griswold (USA) 1:05.49
Silver: Inigo Llopis Sanz (Spain) 1:06.82
Bronze: Fengqi Liu (China) 1:07.09
4th: Jesse Aungles (Australia) 1:07.94
5th: Kota Kubota (Japan) 1:09.09
6th: Pavel Kuklin (Russia) 1:09.26
7th: Joseph Peppersack (USA) 1:09.45
8th: Jurijs Semjonovs (Latvia)
A few KAATSU users have mentioned that their KAATSU Air Bands are leaking air. These leaks can be caused under the following circumstance:
Do not inflate your KAATSU Air Bands to high pressures (350-400 SKU) in the KAATSU Constant mode and then sit down on a chair with your full body weight. This places an inordinate amount of stress on the air bladder inside the band. Over time done repeatedly, the stress will eventually lead to a small leak in the seams of the bands.
Do not inflate your KAATSU Air Bands to maximum pressure of 400 SKU in the KAATSU Constant mode. In reality, only a few people can properly do exercise under such high pressures - if the leg bands are used under proper Base Pressure. Most people can get an excellent workout in the 200-350 SKU range.
Remember to always sit at the edge of your chair if you are doing exercises in either the KAATSU Cycle or KAATSU Constant modes, especially if you are sitting on a hard chair (i.e., not a soft sofa).
If you are relaxing at home and sitting on a soft sofa, then an inordinate high level of stress is not placed on the air bladder in the maximally inflated KAATSU Air Bands while in the KAATSU Constant mode.
Of course, it is always best to use the KAATSU Cycle mode anyway.
KAATSU equipment and protocols can improve blood circulation and improve muscle tone. KAATSU is the Original BFR (Blood Flow Restriction), invented in 1966 while the KAATSU Cycle was invented in 1973.
The KAATSU products are engineered and designed in Southern California while the initial testing and research were conducted by Dr. Sato and cardiologists Dr. Toshiaki Nakajima and Dr. Toshihiro Morita at the University of Tokyo Hospital with over 7,000 cardiac rehab patients between 2004 and 2014.
KAATSU is the pioneer in the emerging global BFR market. The carefully controlled, easy-to-use pneumatic KAATSU bands automatically and safely optimizes blood circulation for muscle tone, strength, mobility, rehabilitation, and recovery.
KAATSU devices (KAATSU Master 2.0, KAATSU Cycle 2.0, KAATSU C3, KAATSU B1, KAATSU AI) included a handheld automated compressor and universal pneumatic, stretchable bands which are placed around the arms or legs. Arm bands and leg bands are used separately during each session.
The KAATSU Air Bands inflate and deflate in a patented sequence based on algorithms that are optimal for each user, no matter their age or physical abilities. KAATSU protocols are convenient, easy-to-do, and time-effective. KAATSU equipment offer unparalleled performance, precision, and safety for users of all ages, fitness levels, and walks of life - and can be used anywhere anytime to help people...
Recover Faster, Rehab Stronger, and Perform Better.
For more information, visit the www.kaatsu.com website to learn more about BFR, Blood Flow Restriction, BFR exercise, BFR science, and KAATSU protocols and how KAATSU differs from B Strong, Delfi Portable Tourniquet System for Blood Flow Restriction, Smart Cuffs, and other BFR brands and low-cost occlusion bands.
The primary differences between KAATSU and other BFR bands is:
(1) KAATSU utilizes the patented Cycle function
(2) different pressures can be simultaneously used on different limbs, including the option of doing Single-Limb KAATSU
(3) KAATSU equipment and protocols were proven safe and effective after a decade of clinical use and research on over 7,000 cardiac rehab patients at the University of Tokyo Hospital (2004 - 2014)
(4) KAATSU is used by cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, and physicians in various specialties
(5) KAATSU Air Bands do not occlude arterial flow
(6) KAATSU is meant to be gentle and convenient in order to do anywhere anytime
(7) KAATSU is used worldwide by people up to the age of 104
(8) more research has been conducted in more countries on KAATSU than any other BFR device
(9) the seminal, groundbreaking research on BFR was conducted and published by KAATSU inventor Dr. Yoshiaki Sato in the 1990s
(10) KAATSU Air Bands are waterproof and the KAATSU C3 is ruggedized for military applications
The 2021 Department of Defense Warrior Games have been canceled due to the COVID-19 Delta variant.
requirement to ensure the safety, health and well-being of our service members and local communities as the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to affect the country.
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth made the decision to cancel the 2021 games in consultation with senior Army leaders, medical professionals and key stakeholders to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.
“I want to thank all of the athletes, staff personnel and our partners for their hard work to prepare for this year’s DoD Warrior Games,” said Wormuth. “It’s unfortunate we are unable to hold the Games, but our first priority must be the health and welfare of everyone involved. The entire DoD understands the importance of the Warrior Games to the athletes and their families, as part of their recovery process, which makes this decision even more difficult. The Games are an important event for the DoD community. We look forward to resuming them next year if public health conditions permit.”
The Warrior Games, originally scheduled to be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida from September 12th - 22nd, is the second consecutive year the event has been cancelled. It is a series of competitions between wounded, ill and injured service-member athletes from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force and Special Operations in adaptive sports that includes sitting volleyball, powerlifting, cycling, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, golf, precision air sports, swimming, indoor rowing, archery and track & field.
"We were so much looking forward to participating in The Warrior Games as a recovery modality - as were all the athletes and staff," said Steven Munatones of KAATSU Global. "I cannot imagine how disappointed they must feel. But we will continue to support these athletes and their colleagues through our various KAATSU Recovery programs."
For who? Work-at-home employees, student-athletes, tactical athletes For what? Functional movement, strength, flexibility, mobility, KAATSU At Home
A U.S. Navy SEAL with 26 years of service, William Branum is the founder of Naked Warrior Recovery and a KAATSU Master Specialist in Honolulu, Hawaii.
He gives good advice, "As a Navy SEAL Sniper Instructor, my biggest challenge was convincing guys that to get their rounds to the center of the target they needed to make BOLD adjustments when sighting in a new rifle.
Almost every Sniper student and platoon member that I taught made the exact same mistake. They would shoot 3 rounds and see where the rounds impacted, then they would make small adjustments and fire 3 more rounds. The results usually showed the next group of rounds landed in almost the same place on the target.
When a shooter would make BOLD adjustments, almost ridiculous adjustments to their sights, the bullet impact would generally be much closer to the center. Once they were closer to the center, they could make smaller adjustments to get on target.
This same thing is true in life. If you want to make changes and hit the bullseye and you are barely hitting the paper, you have to make bold adjustments in your habits and practices to get close to where you want to be. If you only make small adjustments, you will never get there.
In life, when we want change, I mean real change we have to be willing to make bold adjustments to see change. Once we have achieved noticeable changes, we can make the small adjustments to hit the bullseye."
At an early age in his home state of Mississippi, Branum knew he wanted to be part of a team that would push him beyond whatever limits he thought he had and still enjoy the outdoors and all it had to offer. He charged forward and became an Eagle Scout and joined the Navy immediately after high school graduation. After graduating from the famed Navy SEAL Training (BUD/S Class 208), he was stationed in Virginia Beach, then San Diego, and finally Oahu where he served on multiple SEAL Teams, taught SEAL Sniper School, and deployed around the globe.
As with too many veterans, Branum suffered from numerous physical injuries and psychological symptoms that negatively impacted his well-being and quality of life. He talks about his use of KAATSU the original BFR both at home and in the Pacific Ocean, his company, and THC-free CBD in the KAATSU At Home interview series with fellow Navy SEAL John Doolittle and Steven Munatones [see video above].
For information about Branum's Naked Warrior Recovery, visit here.
For who? young people and competitive athletes with broken bones For what? recovery, functional movement, functional movement and strength
In the video above, 2010 Olympic silver medalist Todd Lodwick broke his left arm and torn his ligaments only 28 days before the 2014 Winter Olympics. He did Single-limb KAATSU on his non-injured limbs (both legs and right arm) and was able to compete admirably well in both the ski jumping and the Nordic combined events after only five weeks of KAATSU in 2014.
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. They noticed his muscle hypertrophy despite doing no weights or traditional strength training exercises. In response, his KAATSU pressure levels were reduced and he stretched more and did low-pressure, post-workout KAATSU Cycle sets so his muscle hypertrophy was not accelerated (see above).
Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen, the attending US Ski & Snowboard Association physician who managed Lodwick's rehabilitation with KAATSU equipment and bands, said, "His recovery was unheard of with the incorporation of KAATSU."
Broken Bones:
People often ask how KAATSU the Original BFR 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 Lodwick who came back in an unprecedented time from a broken humerus and torn ligaments in his arm within four weeks prior to the 2014 Olympics, KAATSU users can perform KAATSU two or three per day if they primarily use the KAATSU Cycle mode. They can also incorporate KAATSU Aqua and KAATSU Cycle near bedtime.
KAATSU Protocols:
1. Be well hydrated with water before, during and after each KAATSU session.
2. Be comfortable while doing KAATSU; stop immediately if you feel pain.
3. Always start with Progressive KAATSU Cycle sets on your arms (i.e., either do Single-Limb KAATSU Cycle sets on only one arm or Standard KAATSU Cycle sets on both arms). Do 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets that will take between 15 and 35 minutes.
4. Then do Progressive KAATSU Cycles on your legs (i.e., either Single-Limb KAATSU Cycle sets on only one leg or Standard KAATSU Cycle sets on both legs). Do 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets that will take between 15 and 35 minutes.
5. If two KAATSU sessions are performed, do the first session at your convenience and the last session preferably at night closer to bedtime.
6. If three KAATSU sessions can be performed, do the first session in the morning, the second session in the afternoon, and the last session at night, ideally an hour within bedtime.
7. In the case that a KAATSU Aqua session can be performed, this in-water option presents additional benefits and can substitute for the first or session dryland session.
Progressive KAATSU Cycles:
The Progressive KAATSU Cycles is where the compression (i.e., pressure within the KAATSU Air Bands) begins gently and incrementally increasing (over 30-second intervals), followed by brief decompression intervals of 5 seconds. Your limb will gradually become more and more engorged with blood, as your skin color becomes pinker and more red over time.
With Progressive KAATSU Cycles, start with very conservative pressure (i.e., low SKU pressure) while you get comfortable in position. The more comfortable you are, the more benefit you will feel.
Your vascular tissue needs to be very, very, very gradually worked on. Starting with very low SKU pressures and then slowly increasing incrementally is the most effective and efficient way to increase the elasticity of your vascular tissue. For example, on the KAATSU C3, users can start on the LOW pressure several times and then gradually move to the MEDIUM pressure. Some users even go lower than the LOW SKU settings and use the CUSTOM mode.
Exercises:
1. Movements with either the KAATSU arm bands or leg bands on can include standard physical therapy exercises or similar movements used in your sport.
2. No movement or exercise should hurt or cause pain or discomfort.
3. Your limbs (especially your hands or feet) should have a fast CRT (Capillary Refill Time) of under 3 seconds, and preferably under 1 seconds.
4. In addition or alternatively, standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises in the KAATSU Cycle mode can be used:
- Hand Clenches + Biceps Curls + Triceps Extensions on your arms.
- Heel Raises + Leg Curls + Non-lock Partial Quarter Squats on your legs.
5. KAATSU Walking is another effective alternative if the injury is in your arms.
4. KAATSU Aqua or KAATSU Aqua Walking is an additional effective alternative if the injury is in your arms. In the water, the KAATSU device is detached from the KAATSU Air Bands and the KAATSU Constant mode is used.
Various movements - or no movement at all - are up to your discretion. It could be as simple of Standard KAATSU 3-Point Exercises (e.g., Hand Clenches, Biceps Curls, Triceps Extensions, Toe Curls) or other movements (e.g., Head or Foot Rotations, Balancing on One Foot, Stretching, Walking, Standing Up and Sitting Down, Handwriting). But it is very important avoid any painful movements or any sudden movements. KAATSU is best done with slow, easy, gentle movements. You can think of KAATSU as slow stretching of the muscular and connective tissue.
Muscle Hypertrophy or Atrophy Avoidance:
The overall effects of KAATSU are best for muscle hypertrophy or avoidance of muscle atrophy if the movement of your limbs is slow, steady and gentle. Keep your muscles contracted while they are moved in both the positive and negative directions (eccentric and concentric).
Stamina Maintenance or Improvement:
The overall effects of KAATSU are best for maintenance or improvement of stamina is best if you do something aerobic like steady walking outside or an a treadmile, slow jogs, kicking in the water, rowing, and cycling if possible. There is no need to go all-out or intensely; steady is best.
Single-limb KAATSU:
Sometimes due to wearing a cast or brace or being in a wheelchair or using crutches, it is not possible to place KAATSU Air Bands around one or more limbs. In this case, you can do Single-limb KAATSU where you only place the band on one limb.
KAATSU has systemic effects all over the body, including in the injured limb - even if KAATSU is not done on that particular limb.
Systemic Effects of KAATSU:
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. Another previous study conducted in Japan is entitled Cross-Transfer Effects of Resistance Training with Blood Flow Restriction (see here).
In summary, doing KAATSU on healthy limbs can have direct crossover benefits to the recovery, strength and girth of an injured limb or core.
KAATSU SKU Pressure:
Always start conservatively with KAATSU (see here). You may not be able to do 3-6 KAATSU Cycle sets on your arms and legs in the beginning. Perhaps you can start with 1-2 KAATSU Cycle sets on your upper body and lower body - and then gradually increase the number of KAATSU Cycle sets over the course of several weeks. This is perfectly acceptable.
After several weeks of KAATSU Cycles performed daily on your arms and legs, you most likely will see a number of changes and benefits as you learn the best pressure and duration that fits your recovery and lifestyle.
Other Modalities
You can also use other modalities and therapy in conjunction with or before or after KAATSU including acupressure, electric muscle stim therapy, aqua therapy, KAATSU Aqua, etc.
Nightly KAATSU:
Ideally an hour before going to bed, do a few sets of KAATSU Cycles on your arms. Simply, sit or do very casual shoulder rotations. Do nothing vigorous and avoid all intense exercises. Your goal is to activate your parasympathic nervous system in order to get a good night of restful sleep.
KAATSU Aqua:
KAATSU Aqua is ideally done in waist-deep water where the buoyance of the water assists in supporting your weight and, thereby, decreases the amount of weight bearing which reduces the force of stress placed on your joints. KAATSU Aqua can help improve flexibility, balance and coordination while building muscle strength and endurance.
A dryland alternative to KAATSU Aqua would be combining KAATSU Air Bands while working out in an AlterG machine.
KAATSU with People with Paralysis:
Q1. Why does a patient with paralysis become more relaxed and sleep better after doing KAATSU?
A1. The sympathetic nervous system has been activated for a long time. When KAATSU is performed, the sympathetic nervous system relaxes as the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated and patients with paralysis are able to sleep well [after KAATSU]. Also, mechanical stress - which is a good stress - occurs and they can sleep comfortably.
Q2. What is the mechanism that enables an increased passive range of motion in her elbows, hands, and ankles?
A2. After the accident, joints became harden and spastic [for a long time, decades]. The tendons and ligaments become harden. Relaxed by KAATSU, because the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system are well activated, the joints and muscles become loosened. This increases its range of motion. There are tendons within the muscles, but they will not become soft soon. Over time, however, the tendons gradually softens over the course of many months.
Q3. The muscle and ligament contractures in their elbows, wrists, fingers and ankle plantar flexors are rigid. Can you predict how much a patient with paralysis can improve her range of motion?
A3. Patients with paralysis have been tense for a long time and their bodies became stiff as a result. It is very important to make concentrated efforts just like climbing stairs, step by step. They should not be impatient. Movement towards their goals might go in a good direction if they keep making steady effort.
Q4. Why do quadriplegic patients feel less pain?
A4. The pain is relieved because of the secretion of beta-endorphins, which is called intra-cerebral anesthesia in the brain. Also, the nerves of the muscle fibers that were in a sleeping state around the damaged muscle fibers are awakened by the application of KAATSU. Thus, the pain is relieved.
Q5. There are some red spots that showed up on a quadriplegic’s right thigh after the initial session. Was the Base SKU too high initially?
A5. You can judge that the patient's blood vessels are weak due to the appearance of red spots on the skin. Perhaps next time, when KAATSU is applied with the same SKU, these tiny red specks might disappear. Some people might say that KAATSU is dangerous because the red spots appeared or KAATSU might cause blood clots. The red spots indicates that stimulation was sufficiently given to blood vessels. It is important to start with KAATSU Cycle 1 (i.e., 100 SKU) for people who are trying KAATSU for the first time and gradually move on to KAATSU Cycle 2 (e.g., 120 SKU), Cycle 3 and on.
Q6. Should we worry about blood clots in immobile patients? Does the potential for existing clots change KAATSU protocols?
A6. The potential for kicking off blood clots will not change as long as you do the KAATSU Cycle. Start with pressurization for 30 seconds and depressurization for 5 seconds (i.e., KAATSU Cycle on and then off). Since the blood vessels gradually increase resistance against pressure and patient's blood vessels get used to SKU and can tolerate it. Do not worry about thrombosis.
Q7. If patients eat poorly, what should we worry about with KAATSU?
A7. Improving one’s diet in parallel with doing KAATSU is one kind of treatment. The three goals - exercise, good diet and sufficient sleep are important to become healthier. It is necessary to balance these three factors.
Q8. Do you recommend 2 full cycles, 2 times a day? What do you recommend for daily KAATSU usage?
A8. The daily usage of KAATSU varies according to patient's abilities and their level of physical fitness. In the case of patients where spasticity tends to easily occur, even if their body loosens after one KAATSU session, it is possible that they will return to their original state after a few minutes. Rather than deciding whether to do one or two KAATSU Cycles, the amount of KAATSU should be decided by the patient. Generally, the more serious the patient, the more times they should do the KAATSU Cycle. Conversely, for less serious patients, the less time should be spent doing KAATSU. That is, the number of times doing KAATSU Cycles should be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Q9. Why do patients with spinal cord injuries feel warm during KAATSU - especially when they have no sensation in the same limb?
A9. The fact that their body feels warm after KAATSU is evidence that new blood vessels were created. Normally, there is no medical treatment to create new blood vessels instantly, but KAATSU instantly creates new capillaries. Blood flows to those points in the body and their body warms up. Conversely, when the body is exposed to below the freezing temperatures, capillaries are pulled away and the body becomes cold.
Q10. Why does KAATSU appear to help with neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury patients?
A10. For not only the patients with spinal injuries, but also the patients with various diseases, when they do KAATSU, cells and muscle fibers that have not been used until now start to work. Consider the case if there are 100 soldiers, but only 10 of them have been working. When those 10 soldiers are injured, the 90 other soldiers will start working on behalf of those 10 people.
Q11. The Masimo device measures Perfusion Index (an indication of the pulse strength at the sensor site). The Perfusion Index values range from 0.02% for very weak pulse to 20% for extremely strong pulse. Normally, the Perfusion Index decreases during KAATSU, but why does the Perfusion Index often increase during KAATSU for a client with a spinal cord injury?
A11. KAATSU immediately creates new blood vessels and the blood fills the place where no blood was flowing until then. Naturally, the perfusion index will increase in this case.
Q12. For spinal cord injury patients, Capillary Refill Time is often very slow with no KAATSU pressure, and speeds up during KAATSU. Why?
A12. Since the blood flow reaches every corner [in the limb], Capillary Refill Time is accelerated. New blood vessels are increased. When you do KAATSU, VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor) new blood vessel growth factor hormone increases. KAATSU effects have continued to surprise me.
Q13. If neural pathways are NOT intact (for example, with a completely severed spinal cord) for an individual with a spinal cord injury, why does the client still feel pain? Why does KAATSU appear to decrease that pain?
A13. Blood vessels are not connected, but new blood vessels are born. It is the same as bypassing a road. Rather than repairing broken roads, roads are made new. When new blood vessels are formed, nerve cells comes after, and nerves are completed. As new blood vessels are formed, neural cells are formed. In a previous KAATSU trial, we put a patient’s head in a Functional MRI machine as we applied KAATSU to both arms while doing Hand Clenches with a grip band. New blood vessels increased in the portion of the brain that was black. Naturally, neurons are formed after. Since KAATSU works, I would like doctors and researchers at the VA to conduct further clinical trials.
Q14. Many military therapists use electrical muscle stimulation on spinal cord injury patients. Can this Electrical Muscle Stimulation device be combined with KAATSU to achieve better results during the isometric contractions?
A14. There are various devices such as electric stimulation units and EMS available now. When electric stimulation is given, the muscles shake. There are several research results that cause muscle hypertrophy to some extent. We get requests from researchers who specialize in electrical stimulation to simultaneously use KAATSU and electrical stimulation. We performed clinical trials on patients with spinal injury who could not move their legs. It showed positive results with KAATSU.
Of all the aquatic athletes competing in the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games, Los Angeles-born swimmer and long-time KAATSU user Jamal Hill may be the most creative, innovative, and the most influential agent of change.
The postponement of the Tokyo Paralympic Games to 2021 was a blessing in disguise for Hill and his Swim Up Hill Foundation (@swimuphill). After qualifying for the 50m freestyle and relays, Hill continues to use his voice as a platform for social change. His Foundation is on its way to teach 1 million people in underserved communities how to swim and stay safe in and near the water.
In addition to his likeness on an 8-story building near LAX International Airport, Hill sells some Water Warrior, Swimming Ninja t-shirts to support his cause. To order Swim Up Hill shirts, visit here.
Things were not looking good for Brazilian marathon swimmer Ana Marcela Cunha in 2019.
After facing the bitter disappointment of finishing 10th in the marathon swim at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in front of her family and fans in Brazil where her high hopes for a gold medal was dashed, she also faced surgery where her spleen needed to be removed.
A year before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics her spleen had to be removed. Realizing her Olympic dream was put on the back burner and other health priorities took precedence.
Fortunately, her surgery was successful and Cunha got right back to work, training as intensely as ever. She mustered enough speed and stamina to qualify for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim and knew that she had another year to prepare for her Olympic redemption.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit - and it hit Brazil particularly hard.
In response, Cunha moved to Portugal to seek her Olympic dream. With all the pandemic uncertainty in Brazil, Portugal was her best bet.
She remained dedicated to her craft, spending several hours a day swimming up and back in a 50m pool, and doing all kinds of intene dryland and supplemental workouts.
When the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed a year, Cunha had even more time to prepare. The delay worked out just right for her.
By the time, she lined up on the starting pontoon at the marathon swim in Tokyo Bay, she was as ready as ever. One of the shortest athletes in any Olympic swimming final, Cunha was arguably the one athlete with the biggest heart.
She swam a nearly perfect race at the Olympics, never out of the top three in a tightly pack of 25 competitors throughout the 10 kilometer course. She took over the lead from American Ashley Twichell on the third of seven loops and kept on pushing the pace after taking the lead.
She only temporarily relinquished the lead when German Leonie Beck burst into first, but Cunha hung closely and regained the lead for good on the last lap with long, powerful arm strokes and a powerful kick. She talked about her gold medal performance, "This means a lot. [The victory] was due to many years working hard. I want it so much, so badly."
The 29-year-old from São Paolo stood tall on the Olympic podium, saluting the Brazilian flag. Cunha explained her mindset during the race, "We had to be cool or ‘cold’ as Europeans [are].
We are Latin people; we are hot, we are emotional people, so I had to be very cold mentally in the race to be focused and I had to win it myself. I knew I was prepared for that.
My family always believed in me and supported me in this journey. We are dreaming the same dream (with her coach). This medal means a lot to me. I will keep this medal in a special place and I have a plan to develop a foundation that will support the future dreams of swimmers. I think this medal will show new generations that swimming, and especially marathons, will allow many others to dream. I could speak for hours about this medal, but our time is short. I am thankful for the support of the Brazilian government and for many other sponsors, supporting me for so many years. Of course I must thank my club and my family.
I was able to give 100% of my skills and talent. In other competitions, I often said I could have done better, but I won't say this [for this race]. I am exhausted. I am proud that it has been 13 years since my first Olympics [in 2008 when she finished 5th as a 16-year-old]."
Unlike several others in the race who plan on retiring, Cunha will continue racing. "I am very happy in training for open water swimming. I am active and training with passion. That love will allow me to continue. Paris is just three years away. My mental preparation is as important as my physical training. My body and my mind are always connected and the most important is that I have always believed in myself."
Michael Andrew finishes his 2020 Tokyo Olympics campaign with a
fast 100m breaststroke leg and helps USA win a gold medal in the 400m medley relay together with Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel, and Zach Apple.
After two very close fourth-place finishes and a fifth-place finish in his earlier races, it took the very last race of the Tokyo Olympics pool swimming schedule for Michael Andrew to stand on top of the podium - and what incredible company did he find himself with.
Considering that Andrew did not swim competitively as a high school or collegiate swimmer in the United States, the pressure was significant on him as a relay member. His teammates, backstroker Ryan Murphy of California Berkeley, butterflyer Caeleb Dressel of the University of Florida, and freestyle anchor Zach Apple of Auburn and Indiana University had years of competitive relay racing. The trio had all raced at high school championships, at multiple NCAA Championships, at Pan Pacific Championships, at FINA World Championships, and performed exceedingly well during gold medal performances at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.
Murphy, Dressel and Apple had all faced the pressure of representing their schools and country under pressure-packed situations.
As Dressel explained to the media after their world record performance, "You have to be so perfect in that moment."
The Gator from Gainesville reflected on his five gold medal performance in Tokyo, "I knew I had to execute every race and every heat and that’s how sport goes sometimes. I had a lot of fun, I had a good time yesterday – if I got better each day and to end with that relay – it is really, really special.
Just to sit everyone down and put it right in our face and say this is something you can do. To see it on the board (the world record time) is spectacular and really special.
I tried to convince myself that the World [Championship]s were the same, and it is the same competition; but it is a lot different here. I’m aware of that now, and I’ll stop lying to myself.
It means something different to prepare for something that happens every four years to prepare for something that happens over 40 seconds and 20-something seconds. We’ve had a five-year build-up to be perfect. There is so much pressure in that one moment that your whole life boils down to a moment that takes 20 or 40 seconds. How crazy is that?
I wouldn’t tell myself during the meet, but it is absolutely terrifying, but it is really fun if you look at from a different perspective – it is something that boils down to a very specific moment of time in the universe and that just happens to be the Olympics.
It is my goal to fulfil my potential. My goal is not to beat Mark [Spitz], it is like I’ve already exceeded my expectations here and had a fun time doing it. It was not a perfect meet at all; there was a lot of low points in this meet and mental obstacles, more than those podium finishes. That’s the fun of it. The ups and the downs, and you have to figure out how to roll with it and figure out how to get better.”
To support Andrew's continued focus for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and beyond, use SWIMMERMICHAEL code to purchase KAATSU equipment at www.kaatsuglobal.com.
