The effect of blood flow restriction training on muscle strength and power in taekwondo athletes

Abstract

This study aimed to enhance the performance of high-level athletes through blood flow restriction (BFR) training. Twenty high-level Taekwondo athletes from China were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group. Experiment 1 tested four types of blood flow restriction at 40%, 50%, and 60% of individual’s arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) with varying intervals. Experiment 2 involved 8 weeks of BFR training at 50% AOP, performed three times per week) for the experimental group, while the control group underwent traditional high-intensity resistance training at 70% of 1RM. The experimental group showed significant improvements in body composition, including reduced body fat (p = 0.035, Cohen’s d = -0.53) and increased muscle mass (p = 0.004, Cohen’s d = 0.51), while the control group demonstrated only a weight increase (p = 0.034). The experimental group also demonstrated increased thigh circumference (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.771) and hip circumference (p = 0.034), as well as improvements in lower limb explosive power. These findings suggest that BFR training improves body composition, muscle strength, and lower limb explosive power more effectively than traditional resistance training. BFR is a promising training method for high-level athletes seeking to optimize their performance.

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