I’m glad to see that BFR was touched on in the last podcast (#291 Fact, Fringe, or Freaky?).
I’ve been interested in BFR for a few years. I bought a good set of cuffs (pressure gauge and all). I’ve experimented with them doing various sorts of intervals but I’ve never stuck with it long enough to see a measured change in fitness. I’ve tried max 2-3 minute intervals and I’ve also tried longer 10-15 minute endurance paced intervals.
So, I’ve been wondering if anyone uses them and how you use them.
FWIW, I’ve read most of the research studies on BFR if they focus on endurance. This is probably the best overview to date:
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/EP089280
What I’ve been wondering is whether BFR cuffs might be a good time crunched athlete tool. Perhaps they could enhance the effect of shorter indoor endurance rides to recruit larger motor units, and enhance capillary supply and mitochondrial biogenesis.
A lot of the studies seem to show increased TTE. Could BFR cuffed intervals enhance threshold work?