This week, Tracee Ellis Ross shared yet another incredible exercise to her Instagram account, but with a startling addition: blood flow restriction cuffs. The 48-year-old has always shared videos of her sweat sessions with her fans, so she isn’t new to working out, but she has only recently begun playing with the technology.
The Black-ish star shared a video of herself wearing a white tank top, black leggings, black sneakers, and a high bun. She hinged forward to push a weighted sled while loud music played in the background and other gym users grumbled. She can be heard pushing through the exercise while her trainer, Jason Walsh of Rise Nation, who also works with Brie Larson and Mandy Moore among other A-list stars, cheers her on in the background.
I’m off the track, the actress exclaimed as she tipped over while pushing the sled across the gym’s track to the other side. She rapidly recovered, though, and continued to push the cart all the way to the end. She bent forward to stretch and collect her breath until she eventually touched the wall on the opposite side of the track.
- Tracee Ellis Ross recently shared a video of an intense workout on Instagram.
- The actress performed a weighted sled push while wearing blood flow restriction cuffs.
- Trainers and physical therapists often use blood flow restriction training for weight training and injury recovery.
According to Marisa Golan, C.P.T., owner of e(M)powered personalized fitness training, the exercise, known as a weighted sled push, is a functional body action that, depending on your goals, the weight and duration you utilize it, can improve power and endurance. The black cuffs that Ellis Ross has fastened to her thighs, however, are what truly attracted our attention.
The cuffs appear to be Smart Tools’ Smart Cuffs for blood flow restriction and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, which are used to restrict blood flow. It’s a fantastic choice for strength training, says Golan. “In essence, it enables you to lift lighter loads while achieving larger strength training benefits. So, without any actual tension being put on the limbs, your body believes it is lifting more weight.
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What is training with blood flow restrictions?
The American Physical Therapy Association claims that training for blood-flow restriction is accomplished by applying external pressure to the extremities (like the thighs). BFR, often referred to as occlusion training, safely restricts blood flow, which can lessen the quantity of oxygen getting to your muscles and deceive your body into believing you are lifting more weight than you actually are. According to the website for Smart Cuff, this will cause muscles to tire more quickly and encourage muscular growth more quickly without exerting much more effort.
According to a 2017 study, BFR training seemed to be a generally secure and efficient rehabilitative therapy. However, the study noted that more investigation was required before wide application. Therefore, before using the cuffs on your own, it’s crucial to speak with your doctor (especially if you have heart disease or are at risk for thrombosis or blood clots).
“Pushing through…with those stupid cuffs on my thighs,” said Ellis Ross as the caption to her photo. “BFR or blood flow restriction training enables you to achieve the same effects with a smaller load as you would with a larger load, as stated on the cuffs. For the first ten minutes of my workout, I use them.
The cuffs may be worn on the bicep for bicep curls, pull-downs, and push-ups, and on the upper thigh for squats, stationary cycling, and single-leg box rises, according to the Smart Cuff Instagram page. It helps muscles recuperate in physical therapy while putting less strain on joints.
Ellis Ross is seen lying on a bench with the cuffs on her thighs in a second Instagram video from earlier this month, but she isn’t exercising.
The actress makes a reference to actor Mark Wahlberg, who has also been photographed exercising while wearing the handcuffs. She quipped in the caption, “Is this what they mean when they say cuffing season.”