#56: Sten Stray-Gundersen – Getting more Effective Workouts with Blood Flow Restriction Training

Listen to it on your favorite podcast provider: 

 What is the most effective dose of bodily exercise for people with a limited amount of time? We will dive into that this week, thanks to Boomer Anderson, the host of the Decoding Superhuman Podcast who introduced me to my today’s guest.

I am extremely excited to have Sten Stray-Gundersen on the show today as he is studying for his Ph.D. in Physiology Science and he really understands the data of our typical workouts. He is one of the guinea pigs that are testing the Blood Flow Restriction training on themselves as part of his academic research and studies the data so he can prove the effectiveness of the workout method. 

In our conversation, Sten gives an extensive explanation of Blood Flow Restriction training, going back to its origins with the Kaatsu pressure workouts and the evolution to the state where it is now. 

Sten Stray-Gundersen, M.S. is a graduate researcher in the Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory in the Kinesiology Department at the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology with emphasis on Cardiovascular and Cardiopulmonary Physiology. Sten has authored several studies assessing the safety and feasibility of utilizing BFR for both healthy and clinical populations. Additionally, Sten works as an Exercise Physiologist and Program Advisor for an Austin-based holistic performance center called Reach Outcomes, where he works with professional and amateur athletes to improving all aspects of performance. Sten is also a Science Advisor and BStrong BFR expert for BStrong Inc, where he has worked with top-level athletes and teams ranging from the Olympic level to military personnel to the youth and collegiate levels, developing personalized protocols and programs for performance

Show Notes

0:30 Introduction to Sten Stray-Gundersen

1:29 What is Blood Flow Restriction

3:14 How does BFR actually work?

6:05 Benefits of BFR for minimum effective dose workouts and building serious muscle

7:55 Blood Flow Restriction and traveling

8:55 Setting up your BFR tightness

12:02 Blood Flow Restriction workout protocols

14:00 Why hasn’t BFR gone mainstream yet?

18:59 BFR workout every day instead of taking a couple of days off per week

23:05 Stacking BFR workouts for people with a limited amount of time

24:40 Controversy associated with BFR workout

31:15 Where can people find out more about BFR

32:50 Other health benefits from BFR

34:09 Sten’s other habits and daily routines

35:30 Where can people find out more about Sten

36:34 Sten’s final advice

Connect with Sten Stray-Gundersen

https://bstrong.training/ Get 10% discount on checkout with Promo Code STEN10

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sten-stray-gundersen-5311b0139

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sten_SG

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sten.straygundersen.5

Resources:

Kaatsu Pressure Workout system https://www.kaatsu.com/

B Strong Blood Flow Restriction https://bstrong.training/

Combined effects of low-intensity blood flow restriction training and high-intensity resistance training on muscle strength and size https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21360203/ 

Walking with Leg Blood Flow Restriction: Wide-Rigid Cuffs vs. Narrow-Elastic Bands https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss11/74/

Hemodynamic and Pressor Responses to Combination of Yoga and Blood Flow Restriction https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341888528_Hemodynamic_and_Pressor_Responses_to_Combination_of_Yoga_and_Blood_Flow_Restriction