STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Blood flow restriction (BFR) training was developed in Japan by Dr. Yoshiaki Sato in 1966. There, it’s known as KAATSU, which translates into “additional pressure”
- KAATSU, known more generically as Blood Flow Modification, was introduced outside of Japan by Steven Munatones after a 13-year-long mentorship by Sato
- Aside from dramatically improving muscle tone, BFR is also a wonderful tool for post-surgical rehabilitation, allowing you to regain physical function in a fraction of the time that you would normally anticipate
- KAATSU is very safe, even for those with cardiovascular issues, and can also benefit those who are bedridden or paraplegic
- The original KAATSU device became commercially available in 2006 and was quite large, heavy and bulky, with a $16,600 price tag. Since then, the technology has improved, gotten much smaller and is far less expensive