B Strong BFR System Review: The Best Cuffs for Blood Flow Restriction Training?

[@StrengthResurgence]

If you feel this product is a good fit for you, use this coupon code "JIMWITTSTROM" to receive 10% off any B Strong purchases.

[@MarathonMadman]

I would like you to do the details of what the BFR theory and practice. Great overview!

[@StrengthResurgence]

Thank you so much! I’ll most certainly get a video going on this topic! I’ve wanted to do a video on this for a while now, so this comment is what I needed to have confidence that others will find it useful. Will start planning out a video for it!

[@joethemig1522]

Use these personally and in my PT practice. They're fantastic!

[@etiennelaliberte8413]

Thank you so much and happy new year!

[@StrengthResurgence]

You are very welcome! Stay strong and make good things happen!

[@vanity68]

This was great. Thank you so much.

[@StrengthResurgence]

Glad it helped! I made the review after spending a lot of time myself debating whether to pick them up - they weren’t cheap for me at the time (being a broke graduate student). I figured making a review could hopefully help those who were in the same situation and who wanted to learn more about what others were saying about them.

[@markm4503]

Nice breakdown!

[@StrengthResurgence]

Thanks very much! Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll do my best to answer them for you.

[@bnfrl2010]

Thank you sir

[@StrengthResurgence]

You’re very welcome! Glad it helped!

[@georger1988]

Cost?

[@erikolson3385]

With four different sizes, how variable in size can the user be? For instance, If I am a big guy, can my adolescent sprinter daughter use the same cuff? Or would she absolutely need a different cuff? If I believe I would need a XL, would my daughter be able to use it effectively? Thanks, great information.

[@StrengthResurgence]

You would definitely need a different set of cuffs from the sounds of things; the cuffs have some variability, but it isn’t an excessive amount, or at least as much as what it sounds like would be needed between you and your daughter. I’ve found that when I have used the cuffs on patients, if they say have thighs that are maybe an inch or two smaller in diameter that that I need to use cuffs that are the next size down from what I use. One potential workaround that I’ve used when not having small enough leg cuffs on hand is to fold hand towels lengthwise and place/wrap them around the thighs and then place the cuffs on top of those. It looks a bit awkward and is a bit more limiting with exercises, but it can be a workaround, albeit an odd looking one. The sizing runs pretty true/accurate to what they mention on the website, so I’d take your thigh measurement, take hers, and then see what the recommended bands would be on the website. Hope that helps!

[@doxiemom9296]

On Bstrong website I saw something about a app licence . Any Idea what this is ? do you need a moble electonic device to operate the Bstrong system?

[@StrengthResurgence]

You certainly don't need an app or a license to use the cuffs. (I didn't even know that was a thing.) My guess would be that there's a license you'd have to get if you wanted to use their app - but I don't know anything about the app itself other than the fact that you don't need it to use the cuffs. Hope this helps!

[@kw7796]

Appreciate the video and insight it provided. I'm in. Using your code. Just need to measure. Thx

[@StrengthResurgence]

Thanks so much, Ken! That really means a lot to me and will help keep the channel going. Let me know if you have any further questions and I’ll help you out as best as I can! Stay safe!

[@TonyNovation]

I'm torn between the B Strong BFR System and Smart Cuffs 4.0. Have you used Smart Cuffs 4.0? I like the price, limb sizing, simplicity, and durability of the B Strong, but Ed Le Cara says you really can't get a Limb Occlusion Pressure with B Strong Bands and he says you end up using an arbitrary pressure. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4a5ipulfJ6MY68si=OXsH-6Dctm7aBREL&t=121 The biggest downside to the Smart Cuffs 4.0 is that their sizing is rather narrow; my arm is right at the top end of small, so do I go with small or medium? And my leg is right at the top end of their large, so do I go with large or extra large? If I buy a set and I get swole and grow out of a set, then I have to buy more sets and they're not cheap. What do you think? I know this is a 3 yr old video so I'm wondering, do you have any update on your opinions or recommendations for a BFR system?

[@StrengthResurgence]

I haven’t used the smart cuffs yet but am trying to get my hands on them. The BStrong definitely is an arbitrary pressure - usually for legs I’m up around like 400 or 500mmHg, which is way above normal pressure required for lower extremities and even further above for upper extremities. I haven’t watched the video you reference, but the reason for the arbitrary pressure is that the Bstrong bands expand and contract when they’re being worn and used as you perform exercises, which prevents blood pressure spikes from occurring during muscle contractions, since the contracting muscle doesn’t expand into a ridged “wall” so to speak. That being said, you don’t want true blood occlusion for BFR training, just approx 50% restriction/occlusion. You can certainly get this percentage with the BStrong, at least by what I feel when compared to the gold-standard (IMO) Delphi system by Owens Recovery System, which I’ve also used. Compared to other pneumatic bands that don’t expand with muscle contraction, I will say that the Bstrong are way more comfortable. For me, I really like this when it comes to my patients, as there are fewer contraindications with these types of cuffs than non-expanding pneumatic cuffs. I took the 8-hour BFR theory course from Dr. Jim Stray Gunderson and really liked what he presented when he compared all the major categories of BFR cuffs, and liked the research he used throughout the presentation, and felt that everything he mentioned and referenced for the system was inline with my experiences and understandings. So, all I can say is that I still use my same BStrong system to this day (used them just the other night, actually!) as the set in the video, so they certainly hold up (I’ve used them on numerous patients as well). Ultimately, every system probably has unique strengths and weaknesses. The BStrong suit my needs quite well, so I’m happy with them. If you wind up getting the Smart Cuffs, let me know what you think about them! Hope this helps!

[@IRWE905]

Have you found any wear on the Pressure cuff connection (ie. O-ring, etc) Do you lubricate it?

[@StrengthResurgence]

Surprisingly those components have all held up exceptionally well. I too was curious about this when first starting to use the system, as I wasn’t expecting them to last as well as they have. I don’t lubricate them, as BStrong has never mentioned any need for doing so as far as I’m aware. I think they’ve held up as well as they have since I always put the pump right back into the case after using it and I make sure that the valves on the cuffs don’t get bumped into anything when using them on myself or others. And I always make sure that the valves on the leg cuffs are on the outside of my thighs so that they don’t bang into each other if on the inner portion of the thighs. Overall I can’t recall having a single issue with the connections. I like the fact that it snaps into place to let you know it’s locked and then it’s just as easy to unclip it. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@markgregoryholmes3561]

How do you know how much pressure is needed?

[@StrengthResurgence]

I tend to go by what all of the studies have found within the scientific literature. For the legs, it’s around 200 mmHg. The best (but not super practical way) is to do a Doppler ultrasound of the limb to determine at what pressure the venous flow is reduced by 50% in the extremity (tends to be around 200 mmHg on most people, hence what’s often used in studies). But since that’s not practical, again, I just use around 200mmHg on the cuffs. I’ll sometimes go above this on the BStrong system, though. As long as there’s no pain or muscle cramping produced during the exercise (which means the cuff is too tight), you should be just fine. Hope that helps!

[@Ahmed-zd9pq]

what is the width of the cuffs for legs and for arms ...thanks

[@StrengthResurgence]

The arm cuffs measure in at 2.25 inches wide (5.7cm) while the leg cuffs measure in at 2.75 inches wide (6.98cm). Hope this helps!

[@Ahmed-zd9pq]

@@StrengthResurgence thanks for responding ...some studies suggest to have 4 inches minimum width to allow for lower pressures to be utilized.... what do you think ?

[@StrengthResurgence]

In terms of optimal cuff width for maintaining efficacy with lower pressures, I haven’t looked into it, but it certainly would make sense in that particular regard that you mention. The literature I’ve looked at in regards to optimal width has been based around subjects’ ratings of both perceived exertion and discomfort (but just for legs - I haven’t looked at it for arms as much). More specifically, I’ve seen studies mention that cuff widths above 13.5 cm tend to cause both higher ratings of perceived pain and exertion than cuffs of 5 cm inflated to the same pressure (200 mmHg). Cuffs of less than 5 cm width (around the legs - again, not sure about arms) have also found to be a bit more uncomfortable due to higher point pressure around the circumference of the thigh, again from what I’ve read. I would certainly be curious to read up a bit more on the width to pressure ratio that you mention - it makes perfect sense and I’d imagine there’s an ideal point in which one could use a wider cuff while keeping pressure lower in order to use minimal amounts of pressure while maximizing the metabolic effect. Guess I’ve got more reading to do now! Haha