title: Low-Intensity Sprint Training With Blood Flow Restriction Improves 100-m Dash.
abstract: Behringer, M, Behlau, D, Montag, JCK, McCourt, ML, and Mester, J. Low-intensity sprint training with blood flow restriction improves 100-m dash. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2462-2472, 2017-We investigated the effects of practical blood flow restriction (pBFR) of leg muscles during sprint training on the 100-m dash time in well-trained sport students. Participants performed 6 × 100-m sprints at 60-70% of their maximal 100-m sprinting speed twice a week for 6 weeks, either with (intervention group [IG]; n = 12) or without pBFR (control group [CG]; n = 12). The 100-m dash time significantly decreased more in the IG (-0.38 ± 0.24 seconds) than in the CG (-0.16 ± 0.17 seconds). The muscle thickness of the rectus femoris increased only in the IG, whereas no group-by-time interactions were found for the muscle thickness of the biceps femoris and the biceps brachii. The maximal isometric force, measured using a leg press, did not change in either group. However, the rate of force development improved in the IG. Growth hormone, testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1, and cortisol concentrations did not significantly differ between both groups at any measurement time point (pre, 1 minute, 20 minutes, 120 minutes, and 24 hours after the 6 all-out sprints of the first training session). The muscle damage marker h-FABP increased significantly more in the CG than in the IG. The pBFR improved the 100-m dash time significantly more than low-intensity sprint interval training alone. Other noted benefits of training with pBFR were a decreased level of muscle damage, a greater increase of the rectus femoris muscle thickness, and a higher rate of force development. However, the tested hormones were unable to explain the additional beneficial effects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Training Science and Sport Informatics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behringer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Behlau
authors.forename: Johannes C K
authors.initials: JCK
authors.lastname: Montag
authors.forename: Molly L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: McCourt
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mester
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070633:Hamstring Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C000604197:mecasermin; D006854:Hydrocortisone