Dr. Peter J Cichonski DC, ART is an advocate of B Strong blood flow restriction (BFR) training bands. He was recently featured in Ironman Magazine discussing training after 50 years old and sarcopenia.
BFR training with B Strong stimulates the production of Growth Hormone which helps regulate metabolism, promote collagen production, lean muscle and stronger bones. Doing low intensity workouts with B Strong allows you to get the maximum benefits without the wear and tear on your body. Stay strong and confident with improved fitness and wellness for a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Follow Dr. Peter Cichonski on Facebook or Instagram to see how he uses B Strong BFR bands to battle age related muscle loss.
WHAT IS BFR AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
BFR is a breakthrough in understanding how the body adapts to training stress and builds muscle, bone, blood vessels and tendons. The B Strong™ Training System works by slowing down or impeding the flow of blood exiting the limbs through the veins. As your muscles work, they use up available oxygen and other nutrients and normally the circulation brings more oxygen and removes metabolic waste products. Because the circulation has been impeded, there is not enough re-supply of oxygen to the muscle, nor enough clearing of metabolic waste products. The “environment” of the muscle fiber deteriorates to the point where muscle contraction cannot continue and other muscle fibers have to take over to perform the exercise. Soon all fibers in the muscle go into a state of “failure” and one cannot continue. You recognize this state as muscle burn or fatigue followed by not being able to do anymore repetitions. Your brain senses the distress and responds, as it normally does, by initiating autonomic and hormonal responses in an attempt to mitigate the conditions in the muscle and to adapt to the demands of the exercises. This process is the normal process of adaptation to severe exercise, but usually to get to this state, one must perform severe exercise like maximal weight lifting or many running intervals. This type of severe exercise usually damages the tissues involved. In the case of BFR Training, the situation was created by a combination of light otherwise easy exercises but with the blood flow to those muscles impeded. As a result of the distress in the muscle, growth hormone and other anabolic hormones are released into your bloodstream. This hormonal cascade goes throughout the body and facilitates the repair and building of all tissues that have been working or were injured.
DOES B STRONG WORK?
Multiple research labs in independent studies have reported that BFR training produces strength gains similar to maximal resistance training (weights). It is important to note that not all BFR techniques and products are created equal. B STRONG proprietary equipment keeps you safe, while making the experience simple, effective, and fast to use.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN B STRONG BFR TRAINING AND TRADITIONAL RESISTANCE TRAINING?
B STRONG BFR Training provides a more robust anabolic stimulation with lighter weights, in a shorter period of time, and in a safer manner, than normal resistance training. Gains in fitness and strength are realized quicker with B STRONG BFR Training than with normal resistance training.
WILL B STRONG GIVE PEOPLE BIGGER MUSCLES AND GAIN WEIGHT?
The short answer is that whether an individual gains mass or not, is due to their nutrition and other training that they are doing. The BFR Training is really just a signal for an anabolic response. Specific muscles may get bigger, but people also burn fat and many report looking leaner when doing B STRONG BFR sessions.
IF IT IS TRUE THAT MINIMAL MUSCLE DAMAGE IS DONE WHILE DOING A B STRONG SESSION WITHOUT HEAVY WEIGHTS, HOW DO PEOPLE GET BIGGER AND/OR STRONGER WITH THE B STRONG?
This is one facet of the beauty of the B Strong Training SystemTM. By restricting blood flow in and out of an extremity, it disturbs the homeostasis normally found in muscle and produces the stimuli for adaptation with minimal damage to the working muscle. That “disturbance of homeostasis” (generally, increased metabolic acid and decreased oxygen in the muscle and associated metabolic by-products) stimulates development/adaptation locally, as well as, stimulate nerve fibers (Group III and IV afferent fibers, linked to metabo-receptors) to send a signal to the brain to release a systemic anabolic response. Generally, light weights and concentric exercises do not damage muscle fibers, while heavy weights and eccentric exercise can and does damage muscle. The more damage done to a muscle, the longer it takes to repair that damage before moving on to build bigger and stronger muscles.
B STRONG BFR TRAINING - BATTLING AGE RELATED MSUCLE LOSS
As we age, Sarcopenia, or muscle loss, can become a critical impediment to living a normal, productive life. There are many factors that contribute to this muscle loss, and if not recognized and addressed, sarcopenia can become debilitating. One such factor creating muscle loss is an age related decrease in micro circulation. In order to maximize muscle hypertrophy or building and maintaining muscle mass, one must deliver oxygen via red blood cells to every muscle cell. Aging can decrease the body’s ability to positively oxygenate through the small arterioles and capillaries. The use of blood flow restriction training can overcome this resistance and force the reopening of micro circulation - proper and safe BFR can get things going. Using this training technique can create an increase in vascular pressure of the muscle being trained which will reopen micro circulation. No longer the secret of high performance athletes, olympians, and physical therapists, B Strong offers a BFR training system for everyone that is affordable, safe, and easy to use. Get the same benefits of an intense workout with lower intensity and less time.
BENEFITS OF B STRONG
SYSTEMIC RESPONSE
BFR training modifies the blood flow to the limb during exercise to make the brain think the muscle is working hard. This triggers a robust, anabolic, hormonal release into the blood stream.The systemic response affects all working and healing tissue. Increased growth hormone levels promote improved energy levels, increased performance, promote anti-aging and help to maintain bone density. In other words, your whole body benefits from this type of training. Benefits can be felt quickly in only a few B Strong sessions.
ANTI-AGING
“Beauty comes from within.” BFR training with B Strong stimulates the production of Growth Hormone which helps regulate metabolism, promote collagen production, lean muscle and stronger bones. Doing low intensity workouts with B StrongTM allows you to get the maximum benefits without the wear and tear on your body. Stay strong and confident with improved fitness and wellness for a healthy and happy lifestyle.
RECOVERY
B Strong is a game changer in rehabilitation. By using relatively easy exercise and your B Strong BFR Training SystemTM, one can mitigate atrophy and maintain fitness. By exercising as many muscles as possible without disturbing the healing injury, we create a milieu where we induce a systemic response that optimizes recovery, healing and fitness. Because absolute workloads are low or easy, little additional damage is done from the exercise and thus, recovery and improvement in fitness is rapid.
PERFORMANCE
BFR training is a fitness phenomenon. A favorite among elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts who count on the B Strong BFR Training SystemTM to enhance their performance levels and reach their sports fitness goals. See gains in muscle strength, stamina, speed and agility. Depending on nutrition, you can achieve increased muscle size or lean body mass. By using lower loads there is less wear and tear on the body. B Strong is the premiere strength training tool for the athletic population.
"I have had a career-long focus on legally Maximizing Human Performance at the highest level of sport for over 30 years. In this capacity working with Olympians, World Champions, Professional and Amateur teams, I have come across many potentially performance enhancing modalities — I have never experienced such a game-changing catalyst for maximizing athletic performance and overall fitness as Blood Flow Restrictive (BFR) Training. As a sports scientist and sports medicine physician, my partner Sean Whalen and I developed the B STRONG BFR Training System for all ages and disciplines to benefit safely from Blood Flow Restrictive Training, with an eye to an affordable, comfortable, safe and effective, new training modality."
>>DR. JIM STRAY-GUNDERSEN
