Marek Kokinda1, Bibiána Vadašová1, Pavel Ružbarský1, Michal Fečík2
1University of Presov, Faculty of Sports, Presov, Slovakia
2AGEL Hospital Kosice-Šaca
Metabolic Response to Low-Intensity Resistance Training with Blood Flow Optimization in the Limbs
Monten. J. Sports Sci. Med. 2026, 15(2), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/mjssm.260903
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the blood lactate reactive response to low-intensity resistance training with and without blood flow optimization in the limbs. The sample consisted of 9 female and 16 male participants, all second-year students enrolled in the “Special Physical Training in Security Forces” study program at the Faculty of Sports, University of Presov, who had one year of strength training experience but no prior Blood Flow Optimization (BFO) resistance training experience. The study design consisted of two training weeks, during which blood lactate samples were collected from the fingertips before and after each training session and analyzed using the Biosen C-Line device. Resistance training involved bodyweight resistance exercises, structured into a 40-minute session consisting of 20 minutes of upper-body exercises and 20 minutes of lower-body exercises. During the first week, students exercised with KAATSU AirBands to optimize blood flow in their limbs, using the KAATSU C3 controller with a constant pressure of 250 SKU. During the second week, students performed the same training protocol without the KAATSU AirBands. The results show that resistance training caused significant changes in blood lactate concentration (p < .05). Among female students, lactate levels increased by 3.43 mmol/L after training without AirBands and by 5.43 mmol/L with AirBands. Among male students, the increase was 5.04 mmol/L without AirBands and 5.06 mmol/L with AirBands. The use of KAATSU AirBands during resistance training had no statistically significant effect on blood lactate concentrations (p > .05) in both male and female students.
Keywords
metabolism, blood flow restriction, physical training, KAATSU, combat sports
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