Build Muscle With Less Weight
We’ve been told for years that we need to lift heavy weights to build muscle. This is true – but it’s not the only way to become stronger.
Using KAATSU and light weights or body weight will help you build muscle. The science is clear, and it’s been proven in gyms all across Japan for the last 50 years.
What is clear is that you don’t need to burden your joints or lift weights so heavy that you are sore for days afterward. Using KAATSU is a game-changer for people who need to build muscle but who are afraid of injury, or who are intimidated by heavy weights.
This probably seems to good to be true. If you’d like to dig into the science of how KAATSU works, keep reading below.
Building Muscle with KAATSU: The Science
KAATSU equipment consists of pneumatic AirBands and small compressors.
The compressor(s) inflate and deflate the AirBands which then gently squeeze the upper arm (or leg).
This additional pressure compresses the superficial blood vessels (veins) in the limb, modifying blood flow back to the heart.
The heart and arteries are still pumping blood into the limb. That blood needs to go somewhere, so the veins and capillaries expand slightly to take in additional blood. We call this the “engorgement” of the blood vessels.
Here’s why this helps build muscle with less weight.
A Quick Muscle Primer
This is a simplified explanation of muscle fiber types.
Type 1 (also called slow-twitch) muscle fibers are the main muscle fibers used during low-load exercise. These muscle fibers require oxygen to create energy. As long as there is abundant oxygen available in the blood, these muscle fibers can keep going for a long period of time.
Type 2 (also called fast twitch) muscle fibers are considered the “main” strength fibers. They are only activated when your body is lifting heavy loads or needs to move explosively. They create energy without oxygen, but they can’t do that for a long period of time.
KAATSU Changes the Muscle Building Game
When KAATSU AirBands compress, the blood flow from the limb back to the heart slows down. Working with light weights triggers Type 1 muscle fibers into action.
Modified blood flow means Type 1 muscle fibers have less available oxygen so their energy creation ability is impaired. The body starts to recruit Type 2 muscle fibers to keep up the workload, even though the weights would not normally be enough to activate them.
Type 2 muscle fibers don’t require oxygen to create energy, but they do require the products of energy production to be cleared from the muscle cells. Since the blood flow is slower under KAATSU conditions, this puts Type 2 muscle fibers under stress. They are unable to maintain efficient energy production and fatigue more rapidly.
The Body’s Outsized Response
Even though the weights used are very low, the level of metabolic stress experienced by the muscles stimulates the body to release elevated levels of a variety of beneficial metabolites, including:
- Growth Hormone
- Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1)
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)
- Nitric Oxide (NO)
- Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
- Ceramides
- Plasmalogens
- Beta endorphins
- Testosterone
How Do You Build Muscle with KAATSU?
If you live a sedentary lifestyle, we recommend starting by wearing KAATSU while you move. Do light household chores. Take short walks. Use KAATSU while cutting the grass. Walk up and down the stairs. Start building your strength using KAATSU with very light activities.
If you’re more fit but don’t work out, you can incorporate short KAATSU workouts into your life. A 20-minute workout twice a week is enough to help you see results.
If you’re already very fit, you can use KAATSU more intensely. Even with light weights, you will be able to achieve a significant muscle burn, a pump, and take yourself to near technical or muscular failure. Best of all, you’ll recover faster than from a traditional resistance workout.
No matter your fitness level, we provide guidance on how you can best use KAATSU for your unique needs.
Are You Ready to Try KAATSU?
KAATSU C4 Bundle
- No EMF/Online Storage
- No smartphone/tablet required
- Best multi-user system
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