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A new Blood Flow Restriction training tool is being used by players at Leicester Tigers, Bath and Newcastle Falcons to aid muscle recovery.
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Hytro was launched in 2019 by Dr Warren Bradley, a former nutritional coach at Munster and England 7s. After completing a PhD in human physiology and performance nutrition, Bradley began to study why BFR was being used almost exclusively to build muscle size and power in rehab.
From his research he saw an opportunity to start using this blood flow technology during and after training sessions for recovery. Few have verged into this territory, largely because of the financial implications.
“Cost was the main reason it wasn’t being done and it can also be dangerous if the tool isn’t used in the right position,” Bradley told RugbyPass. “But what if we created is a product that circumvented this that was simple and easy to use. That’s what we did by integrating BFR into sportswear to make it much safer and easier to use.”
Hytro aims to provide a practical and usable mechanism for developing muscular growth that is less expensive and fiddly than popular BFR training tools. It works by creating a strong pressure around the upper limbs of the arm or leg, much like the cuff in a blood pressure gauge. The muscle swells as deoxygenated blood and lactic acid begins to build up.
“Those are the conditions you want to create to optimise recovery. Your muscles are stressed for several minutes at a time which makes it more intense and then when the restriction is released, the muscles recover a lot quicker.
“You can feel it and when you release it you have a flush. It removes all the inflammation and waste in the muscle when the cuff is released.
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“Rugby player can increase muscle strength and power gains if they use this at the end of a session. You can do the same for endurance capacity on a bike.
“We integrated the BFR into clothing so it’s in the correct position all the time with the help of a Velcro strapping mechanism. If it’s in the wrong position, it can be dangerous.
“This is the first BFR device that is safe to use on your own. There is no need for supervision.”
Bradley is quick to point out that the BFR process does not negatively impact muscular development and is a safe way for athletes to enhance their physical performance.
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“It doesn’t damage the muscles. It creates swelling, not tearing, so they don’t break. It means you don’t get the muscle soreness afterwards and you can get bigger and faster without the threat of injury.”
The company boasts that their BFR is being used in over 20 elite team training rooms. Leicester Tigers, Bath, Catalan Dragons and Newcastle Falcons are some of the rugby teams involved and each have bought units for their players to use.
Getting sports stars to buy into the product is of paramount importance to Bradley, who revealed that athletes from various codes continue to feel the benefits of Hytro.
“We’ve had a very high strike rate with this. Rugby players are used to putting their bodies through hell so we have had a high player buy-in because of its simplicity.
“You think: ‘Will the players use it, will they enjoy it and do they feel better afterwards?’ Ice baths for example work, but I’ve seen plenty of athletes reject them.
“With this you can use it when you want. When you’re having a protein shake, when you’re in front of the TV or when you go for a walk. You can seamlessly integrate it into your daily life. All you need to do is some stretching or mobility work.”
The next step for Bradley is expansion in America. After getting a foothold in rugby, Premiership football and cricket in the UK, Hytro will open its arms to the NFL, MLB, MLS and NBA.
“We’ve got a big footprint in the UK. Most leagues in most sports are aware of us now. By getting other clubs to engage we hope to create uplift, and by organically growing to America we hope to achieve that.”
Regardless of where he markets Hytro, Bradley is keen to help players recover in as simple and safe a way as possible, without changing their daily routines.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments