High-Load, Low-Load, and Passive Blood Flow Restriction in Competitive Sprinters

February 23, 2026 updated by: Riphah International University

Comparative Effects of High-Load, Low-Load, and Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training on Strength and Sprint Performance in Competitive Sprinters

This randomized clinical trial will include competitive male and female sprinters aged 16-30 years, recruited through purposive sampling. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (A) HL-BFR (70-85% 1RM with BFR during sets), (B) LL-BFR (20-30% 1RM with BFR), or (C) Passive BFR (BFR applied between sets). The intervention will consist of a 6-week sprint-specific resistance training program performed thrice weekly, incorporating resisted sprints, barbell step-ups, hip thrusts, Nordic curls, and bounding exercises. Strength will be measured using 1RM testing, explosive power through countermovement and standing broad jumps, and sprint performance via 10m, 30m, and 100m timed sprints. Subjective exertion will be tracked using the sRPE scale.

The study aims to determine whether HL-BFR, LL-BFR, or passive BFR produces superior improvements in sprint performance and neuromuscular strength. It is hypothesized that HL-BFR may yield greater adaptations due to combined mechanical and metabolic stress, though LL-BFR and passive BFR may offer practical, low-impact alternatives.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training characterized by applying external pressure to occlude venous return during exercise has gained prominence in both rehabilitation and athletic conditioning due to its ability to stimulate muscle hypertrophy and strength gains with lighter mechanical loads. The physiological basis includes metabolic accumulation, cellular swelling, and increased motor unit recruitment, mimicking high-intensity training effects even with low loads .

Elite sprint performance demands a finely tuned combination of explosive strength, neuromuscular power, and sprint-specific endurance across different phases of the race (acceleration, maximal velocity, deceleration). While high-load resistance training (≥ 70% 1RM) has long been the gold standard for developing muscular strength and power , blood flow restriction (BFR) training-particularly in low-load protocols (20-40% 1RM)-has emerged as a low-stress alternative capable of eliciting comparable hypertrophy and strength gains.

A growing body of literature now highlights the capacity of both high- and low-load BFR training to improve explosive performance metrics, such as vertical jump, sprint speed, and rate of force development. A systematic review found that athletes undergoing BFR training experienced small to moderate yet significant improvements in jumps (SMD ≈ 0.36), sprints (SMD ≈ 0.54), and power output (SMD ≈ 0.72), surpassing traditional resistance training outcomes.

High-load resistance training (≥ 70 % 1RM) is the established standard for enhancing neuromuscular strength and power. Recent investigations have examined adding BFR to high-load protocols (high-load BFR), aiming to amplify metabolic stress and post-activation performance enhancement. Though the evidence is mixed-a systematic review of ≥ 60 % 1RM BFR protocols concluded that only some studies showed additional strength or hypertrophy benefits compared to non-BFR controls emerging data suggest that high-load BFR may offer acute increases in lifting velocity and small improvements in jump and sprint outcomes.

Among BFR strategies, low-load BFR (LL-BFR)-typically at 20-40% of one-repetition maximum (1RM)-has the most robust evidence base. Systematic reviews demonstrate that LL-BFR training can induce similar muscle hypertrophy and near-equivalent strength improvements compared to traditional high-load training . These benefits, coupled with lower mechanical stress, have made LL-BFR a preferred method in both clinical and performance settings. Meta-analyses report that while maximum strength gains are slightly lower than high-load training, power, jump, and sprint performance show no significant differences between low-load BFR and high-load resistance training.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

18

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 547000
        • Recruiting
        • Punjab Sports Board
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Muhammad Mubarak Janjua, MSPT*

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 16-30 years
  • Competitive sprinters with at least 2 years of sprint-specific training
  • Healthy individuals without cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, or neurological disorders
  • Willingness to participate in a 6-week training program

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Cardiovascular, vascular, pulmonary, renal or metabolic disorders
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Recent significant weight loss
  • Use of performance-enhancing drugs within past 2 months
  • Any medical condition preventing safe participation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR)
Participants will perform resistance training at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) combined with blood flow restriction applied using pneumatic cuffs during exercise sets for a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions per week).
Other: High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR)
In the High-Load BFR group, participants will perform resistance exercises at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) with BFR applied during exercise sets.
Experimental: Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR)
Participants will perform resistance training at 20-30% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) combined with blood flow restriction applied using pneumatic cuffs during exercise sets for a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions per week).
Other: Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR)
In the Low-Load BFR group, participants will perform resistance exercises at 20-30% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) with BFR applied during exercise sets.
Experimental: Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)
Participants will perform resistance training at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) while blood flow restriction will be applied only during rest intervals between exercise sets for a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions per week).
Other: Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)
In the Passive BFR group, participants will perform resistance exercises at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) with BFR applied only during rest intervals between sets.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Lower Limb Muscle Strength (1RM Test)
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
Maximum voluntary strength of lower limb muscles will be assessed using one repetition maximum (1RM) testing protocol for resistance training exercises.
Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Vertical Jump Height
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
Explosive lower limb power will be assessed using vertical jump performance test measured in centimeters.
Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
10-Meter Sprint Time
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
Sprint performance over short distance will be measured using timing gates in seconds.
Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
30-Meter Sprint Time
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
Sprint acceleration and performance will be measured using electronic timing system in seconds.
Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
100-Meter Sprint Time
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
Overall sprint performance will be assessed using timing system in seconds.
Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)
Participant-reported exertion during training sessions using Borg CR-10 Scale.
Time Frame: Throughout Intervention Period (Week 1-6)
Participant-reported exertion during training sessions using Borg CR-10 Scale.
Throughout Intervention Period (Week 1-6)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Riphah International University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Muhammad Mubarak Janjua, MS PT, Riphah International University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 23, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Mubarak Janjua REC/25/0417

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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