Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Body Composition and Maximal Strength in Military Personnel

Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Body Composition and Maximal Strength in Military Personnel: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to compare the effects of low-intensity blood flow restriction training combined with resistance training versus traditional high-intensity resistance training on body composition (skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass) and maximal strength (isometric mid-thigh pull, vertical jump, isometric squat pull) in male military academy cadets. The study lasts for 6 weeks and adopts a randomized parallel-group design.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Body Composition; Muscle Strength; Physical Fitness
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: KAATSU Master Pneumatic Cuff; Behavioral: High-Load Resistance Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 36
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Pangfeng Liu Liu; Phone Number: 18569427353; Email: 965004077@qq.com

Study Locations

• China
  • Changsha
    • Changsha, Changsha, China, 410073
      • Recruiting
      • Physical Training Hall
      • Contact: Pangfeng Liu Liu; Phone Number: 18569427353; Email: 965004077@qq.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male cadets from military academy;
• No contraindications to blood flow restriction training (no circulatory diseases, skin allergies);
• Healthy and capable of high-intensity exercise;
• Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Major sports injury within 2 years (fracture, ligament tear, muscle/tendon rupture, habitual joint dislocation);
• Cardiovascular or visceral organ diseases;
• Other conditions unsuitable for training

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low-Load Blood Flow Restistance Training (LL-BFR); Participants perform low-load resistance training (30% 1RM) combined with blood flow restriction. Lower extremity exercises include squat, deadlift, weighted lunge, and resisted running. Pneumatic cuffs (KAATSU Master) are applied at the proximal thigh at 200 mmHg during exercise and rest intervals. Training: 1 set of 30 reps, followed by 3 sets of 15 reps; 60-second rest between sets; 3 days/week for 6 weeks.	Device: KAATSU Master Pneumatic Cuff; Pneumatic pressure cuffs applied to the proximal thigh at 200 mmHg to achieve partial blood flow restriction during low-load resistance training (30% 1RM). Initial warm-up at 40 mmHg.
Active Comparator: Traditional High-Load Resistance Training (HL-RT); Participants perform traditional high-load resistance training at 70% 1RM. Same exercises as experimental group: squat, deadlift, weighted lunge, and resisted running. 4 sets of 8-12 reps; 3-minute rest between sets; 3 days/week for 6 weeks.	Behavioral: High-Load Resistance Training; Traditional resistance training at 70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) without blood flow restriction.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Peak Force in Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP)	Maximal vertical ground reaction force during isometric mid-thigh pull measured on ELIGA portable force plate. Participants pull a fixed bar with knee angle 125°-135° for 3-5 seconds. Best of 2 trials recorded in Newtons (N).	Baseline (T1), Week 3 (T2), Week 6 (T3)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Countermovement Jump Height (CMJ)	Vertical jump height calculated from flight time measured on ELIGA portable force plate. Formula: height = g × t²/8, where g = 9.81 m/s². Hands on hips, self-selected countermovement depth. Best of 3 trials in centimeters (cm).	Baseline (T1), Week 6 (T3)
Body Fat Mass	Total body fat mass measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody). Expressed in kilograms (kg).	Baseline (T1), Week 6 (T3)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yang Liu

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Yang K, Chee CS, Abdul Kahar J, Tengku Kamalden TF, Li R, Qian S. Effects of blood flow restriction training on physical fitness among athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 18;14(1):16615. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-67181-9.

Helpful Links

• Related Info

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 28, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 29, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 4, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 4, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 2026069

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No