Resistance Exercise Blood Flow Restriction

The number of repetitions able to be performed during resistance exercise is impacted by the load an individual is working against. Heavier loads lead to less repetitions being performed and lighter loads lead to more repetitions being performed. As the load gets progressively lighter, it is hypothesized that oxygen availability becomes an important factor for performance of maximum repetitions. Peripheral blood flow occlusion using exercise specific blood flow occlusion cuffs can allow for oxygen availability to be controlled by altering the amount of blood able to get to working muscles. To date, no study has examined the effect of varying exercise loads, from heavy to light, on maximum repetitions able to be performed with and without blood flow occlusion.