Product Information
What’s Included?
With the purchase of shape savages occlusion bands you will receive one small bag containing: 2x adjustable lower limb shape savages occlusion bands (36″), 2x adjustable upper limb shape savages occlusion bands (26″)
Product Details
- Manufacturer: Shape Savages
- Item weight: 272g
- Amazon Bestseller Rank: #340,941 in Sports & Outdoors
- Price Point: $33.70 CAD ($8.43/band)
Customer Reviews
Average Star Rating: Amazon.com
(based on 81 Ratings on August 26th, 2021)
4/5
Average Star Rating: Amazon.ca
(based on 2 Ratings on August 26th, 2021)
3.5/5
Top Reviews of the Shape Savages Occlusion Bands
- “Great durable product but the tightening mechanism gets a C rating, the placement of the “be savage not average” patch on the strap also effects the mechanisms ability to clamp on the portion of the band, poor placement”
- “They work well and you can definitely feel them working. The only problem I have is they can be hard to tighten if you don’t have any help putting them on. If I could buy some RBF bands again my next ones would be Velcro”
Purpose of Occlusion Bands
Occlusion bands restrict a percentage of blood flow to the limbs, with the degree of occlusion depending on the tightness of the bands. This occlusion partially prevents nutrient-rich blood to return to your muscles. This creates a high-intensity environment within the muscle cells. The lack of nutrient supply to the muscle and back to the heart results in a deficiency of oxygen delivery to the working muscle, as well as decreased clearance of by-products from muscular work. Your muscles are struggling to complete the work you are asking it to do based on its limited resources, creating a high-intensity cellular environment.
Advantages of Occlusion Training
The great advantage of that is that it allows for higher intensity training with lower resistance, and therefore is a training method that is of low-injury risk and higher efficiency compared to conventional training. If, for example, you are training at a weight that is 80% of your 1 rep max (1-RM, or the maximum amount of weight you can lift within a single repetition) and complete 8 repetitions of that, the same with occlusion bands on would be equivalent to approximately 30-40% of your 1RM, depending on the degree of occlusion.
Occlusion training is deemed to be safe for the majority of populations. However, I would advise you to consult a health care practitioner prior to starting a new occlusion training regime if you have any cardiovascular health issues or are concerned. For more information on occlusion training, read Occlusion Training – The Efficient Workout Solution.
My Review of Shape Savages Occlusion Bands
Next, I will provide you with my personal review on the “Shape Savages Occlusion Bands” after using them for for high-intensity training purposes for the past three to four months. The Shape Savages blood flow occlusion bands are made out of “high-quality elastic”. The bands range in width from 1.5 inches (upper extremity) to 3 inches (lower extremity) and come in a pack of 4 (2x for your upper limb + 2x for your lower limb). I decided to purchase this product due to its low-cost and Amazon.com product reviews. These were the very first occlusion bands that I have owned. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of the shape savages occlusion bands.
The Good
1. Performance
- They do the Job – Despite having to re-adjust the band’s level of occlusion multiple times throughout my workouts, they provided adequate levels of occlusion of my limb’s vasculature and I was able to reach my exercise euphoria goals every time.
- Comfortable Elastic Material – The elastic, flexible material felt comfortable on my skin during the workouts. On occasion, the bands caused mild chafing of my skin due to friction and moisture, however it never left my skin feeling irritated following my workouts.
- Easy to Adjust – the belt-like adjustment mechanism made it easy to control the tension of the band. Ensure to tuck the leftover piece of strap in well in order to avoid having to readjust the band repeatedly.
2. Value
- Cheapest Option for Occlusion Bands – The shape savage occlusion bands were the cheapest bands I was able to find on the internet. With an average cost of $8.43 per band, this price is hard to beat (compared to average costs of ~$15-$75/band) They are not the most sophisticated occlusion bands out there, however provide great value and were worth every penny to me.
- Easy to Clean – the elastic soft fabric the bands are made of made it quite easy to clean. Simply was it under the sink with some soap or put it into your next wash. I would advise against placing them into the dryer to avoid shrinking and changes in elasticity.
The Bad
- Difficulty Keeping a Constant Level of Occlusion – At times, the tension in the occlusion bands decreased mid-exercise, which was frustrating. Make sure to tuck the straps in well to avoid this problem.
- Tightening Mechanism has some Flaws – their “Savage not Average” logo placement interfered with the tightening mechanism of the band as it is knitted into the fabric. This is not a big drawback, however was annoying at times.
- Questionable Durability – I have been using these occlusion bands for the past 4 months now and they are still doing a great job at providing adequate levels of blood flow occlusion. However, I noticed after ~2 months of using the product that some of the elastic occlusion band fibres have started ripping. This never presented as an issue, however is something to be aware of.
- Average Rating of 3.9/5 – Individuals that bought this product and rated it below 5 stars frequently found that they did not find the material very comfortable and that the straps were too long. Some individuals thought that despite the occlusion bands doing their job and being “good bands for beginners”, the bands slightly loosened throughout the course of their workout.
Product Summary – Shape Savages Occlusion Bands
The “Shape Savage Occlusion Bands” are a great occlusion band option for any occlusion training beginner. They do the job, have a pleasant design and are somewhat comfortable. On top of that they are easy to clean and they have appear to have great customer support. Despite the drawbacks of the flaws with the tightening mechanism, interfering logo placement, as well as its questionable durability, I believe you will get great value from these occlusion bands.
If you are not new to occlusion training, you may be better off with more sophisticated products, such as the occlusion cuff from Saga Fitness, which let you manually control the occlusion pressure (similar to a blood pressure cuff) and come with their own phone application.
Overall Rating – Shape Savages Occlusion Band for Beginners
4/5