Leicester Riders – who face Surrey 89ers in their next Super League Basketball match (2 November) – have formed a partnership with Hytro, the leading innovator in blood flow restriction (BFR) wearables.
The Riders, who named Hytro as their Official BFR Partner for the 2024-2025 season on 21 October, will integrate BFR technology into the players’ daily routines, with athlete preparation, performance enhancement and recovery optimisation being a key focus.
Richard Frost, Hytro’s chief marketing officer, added: ‘Hytro is revolutionising how teams can benefit from BFR; helping innovative science fuel athletic performance. That’s why we’re especially excited to announce our partnership with Leicester Riders, one of the most storied and dynamic teams in British basketball.
‘This collaboration furthers our understanding and development of practical BFR tools, but also underscores the huge opportunity that the sport represents for brands willing to invest in its future.’
Mr Frost added: ‘British basketball is a sleeping giant with immense untapped potential, and partnering with forward-thinking organisations like Leicester Riders allows us to elevate the performance of their squad and bring higher athletic standards to the game. Together, we’ll explore new ways to train and recover players so they can reach their full potential.’
Madeleine Westland, the Ryders’ head strength and conditioning coach, said: ‘We are always looking for ways to help maximise recovery and Hytro is a great way to facilitate this. We are looking forward to building this partnership and being part of pushing sports science with athletes in mind.’
Leicester Riders’ players will use Hytro’s BFR wearables to maximise their physical performance and accelerate recovery both at home and on the road, making it easier to maintain peak condition while travelling for games.
The integration of Hytro’s technology into the team’s performance protocols is step forward in sports science, Hytro believes, helping players reach new levels of endurance and recovery. The partnership will also provide Hytro with valuable insights to continue refining the application of BFR in professional basketball.
We are always looking for ways to help maximise recovery and Hytro is a great way to facilitate this. We are looking forward to building this partnership and being part of pushing sports science with athletes in mind [Madeleine Westland]
Warren Bradley, Hytro’s founder and CSO, said: ‘We are thrilled to become the Official BFR Partner of Leicester Riders, reinforcing our dedication to advancing performance in basketball. This partnership is a testament to our commitment to helping elite athletes access their full potential.’
Dr Bradley added: ‘By working closely with Leicester Riders, we aim to maximise the impact of Hytro BFR technology across all facets of their preparation, training, and recovery, further expanding our expertise in optimising performance in professional basketball here in the UK.’
The partnership highlights Hytro’s growing role in elite sports, having established itself as the chosen BFR wearable provider for more than 150 professional teams globally in football, rugby and basketball.
Hytro has gone beyond the training grounds of elite clubs and extends into the reaches of space, having recently supported SpaceX on their successful Polaris Dawn mission to examine how BFR affects blood flow in zero gravity to help maintain astronauts’ bone and muscle health.
