The original BFR
Looking for a blood flow restriction device or BFR cuffs?
KAATSU is the original BFR. The C5 is the fifth-generation KAATSU Cycle product, with patented Cycle and Constant Modes and KAATSU AirBands.
From $1,999.95 CAD
Prices are in Canadian dollars. HST is added at checkout.
Choose AirBand sizes and order
We've been told for years that building muscle means lifting heavy weights. That's true — but it isn't the only way. With KAATSU and light weights or body weight, you can build strength without burdening your joints or being sore for days afterward. As little as 20 minutes, a couple of times a week, is enough to see results.
Complete system
A complimentary 45-minute personal KAATSU training session over Zoom with Mark Kawabe, KAATSU Certified Specialist.
KAATSU C5 Extended Warranty, $150.00. Adds one year of protection on the controller unit only, not the AirBands.
KAATSU C-Series AirBands are backordered until mid-September 2026. Orders are being fulfilled with the fully compatible KAATSU Pro AirBands until C-Series inventory arrives.
Choose AirBand sizes and orderKAATSU and standard BFR cuffs are related methods, but they apply and manage pressure differently.
| Method | KAATSU | Standard BFR cuffs |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | Narrow pneumatic AirBands connected to an electronic controller. | Pneumatic cuffs or elastic straps, depending on the system. |
| Pressure pattern | Dr. Sato's Cycle mode repeats inflation and release. Constant Mode is also available. | Pressure is generally held at a set level during the working interval. |
| How pressure is set | Pressure is set through AirBand snugness and controller settings. | Limb occlusion pressure may be measured during calibration; training pressure is then set at roughly 40–80% of that measurement. |
| Blood-flow method | Used according to protocol, KAATSU does not occlude blood flow. Arteries continue bringing blood into the limb and veins continue carrying it out. | Training is performed below full limb occlusion pressure, maintaining some arterial flow. Full occlusion is used as a calibration reference, not as the training pressure. |
| System lineage | The C5 is the fifth generation of KAATSU development. | An unnamed equipment category with different designs and operating methods across products. |
Choose what fits your use
Muscle naturally begins to decline in our 30s, though most people notice in their 50s or 60s. KAATSU lets you stimulate muscle and circulation with light weights instead of the heavy loads that are hard on aging or injured joints. If you're starting from sedentary, wear it while you walk, do light household chores, or cut the grass.
A low-impact way to warm up before activity and to support recovery after it. Athletes use KAATSU between events. Even with light weights you can reach a real muscle burn — and recover faster than from a traditional resistance workout.
Built for frequent, multi-user use: a swappable rechargeable battery for back-to-back sessions, custom pressure settings that suit everyone from the frail to the very strong, and single-limb configuration when only one limb is being worked.
The mechanism
The AirBands inflate and deflate, gently squeezing the upper arm or leg. That pressure compresses the superficial veins, modifying blood flow back to the heart. The arteries keep pumping blood in, so the veins and capillaries expand slightly to take it. When the bands deflate, the vessels contract back to their normal size. Working this way lets light resistance recruit the Type 2 muscle fibres that normally engage only under heavy load.
The origin of KAATSU
In the autumn of 1966, an 18-year-old Yoshiaki Sato was kneeling through a long Buddhist memorial service in Tokyo when his legs went numb. Massaging his calves, he recognised the same pumped feeling he knew from bodybuilding, and asked whether restricting blood flow on purpose could reproduce the effects of hard training using little or no weight.
He spent the next seven years experimenting on himself with bicycle tubes, ropes and bands at different pressures, recording what worked. By the mid-1990s he was conducting joint research with Professor Naokata Ishii at the University of Tokyo, and cardiologists at the University of Tokyo Hospital began publishing peer-reviewed results. The seminal paper appeared in the Journal of Applied Physiology in June 2000, co-authored by Sato himself.
The C5 is the fifth generation of that work.
Three starting points, same device.
Start by simply wearing it while you move. Light household chores. A short walk. Cutting the grass. Up and down the stairs. You build strength from very light activity.
Short sessions fit around your life. A 20-minute workout twice a week is enough to see results.
Use it more intensely. Even with light weights you can reach a significant burn, a pump, and near technical or muscular failure — and recover faster than from a traditional resistance workout.
Whatever your starting point, KAATSU Canada provides guidance on how to use it for your situation.
AirBand sizing
Arm and leg AirBands are available in Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large.
| Size | Arm circumference |
|---|---|
| Small | less than 26.5 cm (10.5 in). |
| Medium | 28–33 cm (11–13 in). |
| Large | 31–41 cm (12–16 in). |
| Extra Large | 41–54 cm (16–21 in). |
Small arm bands are meant for very petite people; if grip strength is low and Small fits, Medium is suggested for easier tightening.
| Size | Leg circumference |
|---|---|
| Small | less than 40 cm (16 in). |
| Medium | 40–51 cm (16–20 in). |
| Large | 49–66 cm (19–26 in). |
| Extra Large | 66–81 cm (26–32 in). |
Canadian service
The electronic components of the KAATSU C5 controller are warrantied for 1 year. KAATSU AirBands have a 6-month warranty. All warranty servicing is provided in Canada. Accidental physical, water, or electronic damage is not covered.
4 Conroy Crescent
Thorold, ON L2V 4R3
Before you order
The bundle includes the KAATSU C5 Controller, charger, charging cable, two pairs of air hoses, a set of 2 arm AirBands, and a set of 2 leg AirBands.
Measure your relaxed, bare upper arm at armpit level, just below the deltoid. For legs, sit on the edge of a chair and measure your upper leg as high in the groin as possible. Sizes are chosen on the order page.
No. All programming is on the controller; no phone, tablet, or app is required.
Yes. Every bundle includes a complimentary 45-minute personal KAATSU training session over Zoom with Mark Kawabe, KAATSU Certified Specialist.
The electronic components of the KAATSU C5 controller are warrantied for 1 year. KAATSU AirBands have a 6-month warranty. All warranty servicing is provided in Canada. Accidental physical, water, or electronic damage is not covered.
0% financing is offered through humm. See the financing information.
KAATSU is not a set of elastic straps. Its AirBands use a narrow, patented pneumatic bladder, and the controller runs Dr. Sato's repeating Cycle mode. Conventional BFR works by pressuring the limb to a percentage of full occlusion pressure; used according to protocol, KAATSU does not occlude blood flow. The methods are related, but not the same.
Pressure adjusts through AirBand snugness and custom settings on the controller, from the frail to the very strong. Many people start by wearing KAATSU during light activity rather than exercise.
No. Many people begin by wearing it while walking or doing light household activity.
A 20-minute session, a couple of times a week, is enough to see results.
KAATSU C5 Bundle
Choose arm and leg AirBand sizes on the order page.
Choose AirBand sizes and order