The Study
Effects of velocity loss with blood flow restriction in full squat on strength gains, neuromuscular adaptations, and muscle hypertrophy
This study is like a fair race between four groups of athletes who all did squats with special bands, but each group stopped at a different point of tiredness. It shows that stopping at different tiredness levels leads to different results—like bigger muscles or stronger jumps. But it doesn’t prove that one way is better for everyone, just for these guys in this experiment.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested four ways to do squats with bands around the thighs to cut blood flow — stopping when you slow down by 0%, 10%, 20%, or 40% during each set.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 555 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — 20% slowdown gives the best balance: you get stronger and more powerful without over-fatiguing, while 40% is better only if your main goal is muscle size.
- 2Stopping at 20% slowdown made people stronger and faster at pushing force (best RFD).
- 3Stopping at 40% slowdown made muscles grow biggest (especially near the hip).
- 4Stopping at 0% didn’t help strength much.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Biology of Sport
Year
2025
Authors
J. Sánchez-Valdepeñas, L. Rodiles-Guerrero, P. Cornejo-Daza, J. Páez-Maldonado, Clara Cano-Castillo, Beatriz Bachero‐Mena, Miguel Sánchez-Moreno, J. González-Badillo, E. S. de Villarreal, F. Pareja-Blanco
Related Content
Claims (6)
Muscle growth occurs when muscles are subjected to mechanical tension during resistance training, and this tension can be created by lifting heavy weights for few repetitions or moderate weights for many repetitions, as long as the set is taken close to the point of inability to continue.
When performing squat exercises with restricted blood flow, using a higher level of fatigue during each set (40% velocity loss) leads to more muscle growth in the upper part of the thigh muscle compared to using lower fatigue levels (0–20%).
Using blood flow restriction during squats with no velocity loss does not lead to the maximum possible increase in strength, because it does not sufficiently stimulate the muscles and nervous system to adapt.
During squat training with restricted blood flow, strength gains are greatest when the speed drop during sets is between 10% and 20%. Lower or higher speed drops lead to smaller improvements in strength.
For men who regularly train with resistance exercises, performing squats with restricted blood flow and controlled effort at a 20% drop in movement speed leads to greater improvements in how quickly force is generated and stronger gains across different lifting weights, without causing excessive tiredness.
Using blood flow restriction during strength training with a 20% reduction in movement speed improves how quickly muscles generate force over short to medium time periods, compared to using faster or slower speeds.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.