Effects of Blood Flow Restricted Resistance Training on Peak Upper Body Strength in Young Male Population

Introduction. Various strength training methods exist, with Blood Flow Restricted Resistance Training (BFRRT) emerging as a novel approach. This study aimed to compare BFRRT effectiveness against traditional resistance training for improving upper body strength in young males.

Material and Methods. Sixty male participants (18-26 years) were assigned to the experimental group or the control group that received BFRRT or conventional resistance training respectively (n = 30 each). Both groups completed four weeks of bench press training (three sessions weekly) with the BFRRT group applying cuff pressures at 40-80% of arterial occlusion pressure. Upper body strength was assessed using 1-repetition maximum bench press testing before and after 4 weeks of intervention. Data were analysed using GraphPad Prism (version 9.5.1). Paired sample t-test was used to analyse within-group data and independent-samples t-test was used to analyse between-group differences.

Results. The BFRRT group demonstrated strength increases from 80.33 ± 8.19 kg to 89.50 ± 8.23 kg (Δ = 9.17 kg; p < 0.05). The control group improved from 81.50 ± 9.11 kg to 87.67 ± 8.78 kg (Δ = 6.17 kg; p < 0.05). Although within-group gains were significant for both protocols, between-group comparison did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05).

Conclusions. Both training methods enhanced upper body strength effectively, with BFRRT demonstrating greater improvement potential. BFRRT integration into resistance programs may optimize strength development in young adults.