Newcastle Falcons and Thunder announce official training partner for 2022/23 season

Hytro, the first Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearable designed specifically to improve sports performance, has announced a partnership with Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle Thunder rugby teams ahead of the 2022-23 season.

BFR is said to be “scientifically proven to significantly accelerate recovery and improve muscle development and endurance”. As part of the deal, Hytro is set to provide their unique BFR wearables to the men’s first teams in an effort to assist players in “pushing the boundaries” of their own performance.

Dr Warren Bradley, founder and head of Elite Performance at Hytro commented: “Newcastle is a proud city of rich rugby history - known for producing exceptional athletes. At Hytro, we believe that BFR is the most effective coaching tool in S&C for maximising athletic potential.

“Having worked with Falcons and Thunder to understand the impact opportunities of Hytro, we look forward to supporting the players with their recovery and performance using our wearable BFR tech.”

Kevin McShane, head of athletic performance at Newcastle Falcons, said: “The partnership with Hytro is an exciting opportunity to have. They have produced a great product based on a solid foundation of research that will allow us to maximise our recovery, especially with the travel demands we face through the season.”

Andrew Woolfenden, head of strength and conditioning at Newcastle Thunder, added: “We’re looking forward to working with Hytro and incorporating BFR products into our training and recovery sessions. The recently introduced Hytro BFR Recovery Shorts have been well received by our players.”

Hytro is currently being used by teams including St Helens RLC, Leeds Rhinos, Catalan Dragons, Bath Rugby, Newcastle Falcons, Newcastle Thunder, Aston Villa FC, Rangers FC, Blackburn Rovers FC, Everton FC, UFC Performance Institute and Alpine Academy.