Acute effects of different external compression with blood flow restriction on force-velocity profile during squat and bench press exercises

Abstract

The aim was to compare the acute effects of bench press (BP) and squat (SQ) exercises with blood flow restriction (BFR) (40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of the complete arterial occlusion pressure (AOP)) and without BFR (CON) on the mean propulsive (Vel MED ) and maximum (Vel MAX ) bar velocity. Fourteen healthy, physically active males (age, 23.6 ± 4.1 years; height, 1.85 ± 0.11 m; body weight 85.4 ± 4.1 kg) took part in the study. There was one set for each testing condition (CON, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) with 6 repetitions for BP and 6 repetitions for SQ, at 60% of 1RM, and 3 minutes of recovery between sets. The results showed statistically significant differences of the sets with 80% BFR vs. CON (mean difference [MD] = 0.035 m · s -1 , p < 0.05, ES = 0.52 [1.02–0.03]) and 100% BFR sets vs. CON (MD = 0.074, p < 0.001, ES = 1.08 [1.79–0.38]) for BP. In the SQ exercise, statistically significant differences were found between 100% BFR vs. CON (DM = 0.031 m · s -1 , p < 0.05), vs. 100% BFR 40% (MD = 0.04 m · s -1 , p < 0.05). Trend analysis showed a statistically significant linear trend (F[1,9] = 34.9, p < 0.001, F[1,13] = 27.32, p < 0.001) for the Vel MED in relation to the different levels of BFR. In conclusion, our results showed that BFR levels above ˜80% AOP (BP) and ˜100% AOP (SQ) produce a Vel MED improvement at 60% 1RM.

Acute Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Movement Velocity and Neuromuscular Signal During the Back Squat Exercise

“…To date, only a few studies have investigated the acute effects of BFRT on movement velocity during the back squat exercise [37,38]. Recent studies [39] compared different AOPs (from 40 to 100%) during the squat and bench press exercises performed at 60% 1-RM. They showed an increase in MPV during the squat with 100% of AOP.…”