So I'm not gonna lie...
This will not be pleasant.
This is blood restriction training occlusion training.
Chris Hemsworth has just shared a video of a sickening arm workout with Ross Edgely.
In the video Ross can be seen explaining the principles of occlusion training as he attaches
cuffs to the top of Chris's biceps.
They then move on to a really simple workout of four sets made up of just two exercises.
These include 10 reps of 10 kilogram dumbbell hammer curls, followed immediately by an isometric
rope hold.
Five seconds with the right arm on top and five seconds with the left arm on top.
Oh they're about to throw up.
Let's go again let's go again.
And it doesn't matter if it just gets ugly - yes - there you go there you go!
Even after just one set Chris started saying how sick he felt combined with the huge pump,
cramping and a burning sensation from all the lactic acid in his arms.
Oh this is awful
Dude, I think there is something wrong.
No no no it will feel like that.
Oh i feel a bit sick.
Oh I think I'm gonna...
Let's go let's go let's go.
Let's get ugly.
Let's go let's go.
Yeh yeh yeh yeh yeh yeh yeh.
Occlusion training also known as blood flow restriction or BFR allows arteries to pop
blood into the limb but restricts the blood flow of the veins out of the limb.
Trapping the blood in this way will pump up your arms much like filling a water balloon.
This causes cellular swelling, increased oxygen demand in the muscles and a build up of waste.
This causes a lot of metabolic stress which is actually a major mechanism for growth.
At the end of the short workout Chris can't get the cuffs off his arms quick enough and
remains in pain for a good while after they've been removed.
Let's go let's go come on five four three two one done done done done done done done
Agggh Jesus...
Oh they're all purple.
Although there are lots of different straps and tourniquets you can buy for blood flow
restriction training, Ross actually uses the Kaatsu original BFR kit which includes elasticated
air bladders combined with an air compressor to control the pressure.
Ross is currently working on a six episode series with Chris which is being created for
national geographic.
That the unpleasant feeling it feels like your arm's about to be sick but what you're
doing right there - I feel like my body's about to be sick - all right well you know
that lactic accumulation, that lactic acid, but also as well what happens as a result
is growth hormone just goes right through the roof the two are directly correlated.
So it's not just that fast and slow twitch - what so, you produce more growth hormone?
- Oh yeah like it goes through the roof.
The same way that... could you imagine trying to get that amount of lactic acid built up
if we were doing just rope pulls it'll be so hard wouldn't it?
So by actually restricting the blood flow and replicating intensity that's almost impossible
to get to - oh my hands are purple dude - yeah well - oh I feel so sick