Blood Flow Restriction, Featured in Men's Health

What is blood flow restriction training? Men's Health tested Suji's smart BFR cuffs. Learn how light weights build muscle, safety, and how to start.

October 5, 2026

Suji in Men's Health: Lighter Weights, Real Strength

Men's Health just published a first-hand look at blood flow restriction (BFR) training, and Suji is the system behind it. Read the full feature in Men's Health.

The premise sounds too good to be true: build muscle with a fraction of the weight you normally lift. BFR has decades of research behind it and has long been used in clinics and pro sports. What's new is getting it right on your own, safely, without a physio standing over you. That's the problem Suji was built to solve.

What Is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training?

Blood flow restriction training, also called occlusion training or KAATSU, means lifting light weights (20–40% of your one-rep max) with a cuff around the top of your arm or leg. The cuff slows blood leaving the muscle, so light loads can trigger muscle growth similar to heavy lifting.

Suji is a smart BFR system: cuffs plus an iOS app that set the right pressure for your limb automatically, so you get the benefits without the guesswork.

What Did Men's Health Find About Suji?

A comeback story. The writer first used Suji in 2020 after shattering his collarbone. He'd lost about 20 pounds of upper-body muscle and couldn't lift more than a 10-pound dumbbell for months. His physical therapist introduced him to Suji's cuffs.
Half the weight, the same signal. With BFR he curls 20 pounds instead of 40, and his biceps "don't seem to know the difference." The article notes research showing low-load BFR can produce size gains close to traditional heavy lifting.
Personalised pressure, not guesswork. DIY BFR means wrapping a band until it feels tight. Suji estimates your limb occlusion pressure, the pressure needed to fully stop blood flow, and trains at a fraction of it, calibrated to each limb.
Tough, then a relief. The cuff is uncomfortable, but not sharp or painful. When it deflates and blood rushes back, the relief is immediate.
For the in-between days. BFR doesn't replace heavy lifting. It's for days when heavy feels like too much and skipping feels like surrender, and for bad hotel gyms when you travel.

"Make stupid-light weights feel stupid hard." — Men's Health

How Do Suji's BFR Cuffs Work?

BFR was developed in Japan by Dr. Yoshiaki Sato as "KAATSU" training and is now used in rehab clinics and elite sport. A 2018 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine found low-load BFR training produced muscle growth similar to heavy lifting. Heavy lifting still built more strength. The 2019 international position stand on BFR recommends loads of 20–40% of one-rep max at 40–80% of the pressure that fully stops blood flow.

The hard part has always been pressure: too little does nothing, too much is unsafe. Suji fixes that.

Personalised calibration. Suji reads your pulse and sets compression to your body, preventing over-compression.
Purpose-built cuffs. Separate arm and leg sizes. A wide cuff design is more comfortable and needs less pressure to work.
Guided app. Step-by-step sessions on iOS, so you know exactly what to do and for how long.
Three modes in one system:
- Warm up: boost blood flow and prime muscles before training.
- Build strength: light-load lifting that drives heavy-load adaptation.
- Recover: post-workout compression cycles that bring fresh, oxygen-rich blood back to tired muscles.

Suji vs. DIY BFR Bands vs. Clinic Cuffs

	DIY elastic bands	Clinic BFR systems	Suji
Pressure set by	Feel ("tight enough")	Clinician, using a measured occlusion pressure	Automatic calibration to your limb
Same pressure every session	No	Yes	Yes
Use without a clinician	Yes, but risky	No	Yes, guided by the app
Modes	Strength only	Mostly rehab	Warm up, strength, recovery
Arm and leg cuffs	One band for both	Yes	Dedicated sizes

The position stand notes that the right pressure depends on limb size, cuff width and blood pressure. That's why a band tightened by feel can't be trusted.

Who Is BFR Training For?

Lifters who want to add volume without beating up their joints.
Athletes coming back from injury who need to keep building muscle while they heal.
Busy people who want an effective session with lighter weights and less setup.
Older adults or anyone with limited mobility for whom heavy loads aren't an option.

How Do You Start BFR Training with Suji?

Put on the cuff for the limb you're training.
Open the Suji app and let it calibrate to you.
Pick a session: warm up, strength or recovery.
Follow the guided protocol. Sessions are capped so compression never runs past 30 minutes.

Calibration is free in the app. A $5/month subscription unlocks guided recovery and expert-led programming.

Safety first: talk to your doctor before using Suji if you are pregnant, have a cardiovascular or blood-clotting disorder, severe neuropathy, an acute injury, open wounds, or have had recent surgery.

BFR Training FAQ

Does BFR training build muscle with light weights?

Yes. A 2018 meta-analysis found low-load BFR training (under 50% of one-rep max) produced muscle growth similar to heavy lifting (over 65% of one-rep max). Heavy lifting still builds more maximal strength, so BFR works best alongside it, not instead of it.

Is blood flow restriction training safe?

For healthy people using correct pressure, research shows BFR is generally safe. The 2019 international position stand reports blood clots and serious muscle damage are very rare. The biggest risk is wrong pressure, which is why Suji calibrates to each limb automatically. Check with a doctor first if you have heart, blood pressure or clotting conditions.

How much weight should I use with BFR?

Use 20–40% of your one-rep max. In the Men's Health feature, the writer curled 20 pounds instead of his usual 40. A common scheme is 30, 15, 15 and 15 reps with 30–60 seconds of rest between sets.

How often can I do BFR training?

Two to three sessions a week is standard, according to the 2019 position stand. Suji caps continuous compression at 30 minutes per session.

Can I use resistance bands instead of BFR cuffs?

You can, but it's guesswork. A band can't measure pressure, so it may be too loose to work or tight enough to be unsafe. Smart cuffs like Suji measure your limb and repeat the same safe pressure every session.

What does BFR training feel like?

Intense. Your limb feels tight and the muscle burns fast, even with light weight. Men's Health compares it to holding your breath, followed by immediate relief when the cuff deflates.

Read the Full Story

Lower load, more burn, real work. Read the full story on Men's Health, then see what lighter weights can do for you.

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