title: Effects of exercise with and without different degrees of blood flow restriction on torque and muscle activation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An unresolved question in resistance training combined with blood flow restriction (BFR) is what percentage of estimated arterial occlusion pressure provides the most robust acute muscular response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty participants were assigned to Experiments 1, 2, or 3. Each experiment completed exercise protocols differing by pressure, exercise load, and/or volume. Torque was measured pre- and postexercise, and muscle activation was measured pre- and during each set.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pressure and load did not affect torque greatly. Muscle activation increased in all conditions (P < 0.05) and was higher with 30% 1RM compared with 20% 1RM. Pressure appeared to increase muscle activation from 40% to 50% arterial occlusion [66% vs. 87% maximal voluntary contraction (30% 1RM)] but was not further increased with higher pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different levels of BFR may alter the acute muscular response to a degree, although higher pressures do not appear to augment these changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Loenneke
authors.forename: Daeyeol
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fahs
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Thiebaud
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Rebecca D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bemben
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bemben
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004576:Electromyography; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D055070:Resistance Training; D019415:Torque; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: KAATSU; amplitude; muscle hypertrophy; muscle strength; occlusion training