SCOTTISH TENNIS doubles champion Jamie Murray is among a number of investors backing a new fitness start-up that could revolutionise the industry.
SujiBFR secured a six-figure investment to further develop a system it believes can help athletes to recover after injury.
The company based in Edinburgh is using blood flow restriction training principles to reduce pain and increase muscle strength
The restricting of blood flow while carrying out low intensity exercises can produce a physiological response that is similar to that achieved during a normal work out.
The athletes wear inflatable cuffs on the lower and upper limbs with data being fed back to an app. The app, which uses an AI system monitors the performance of the users and adjust the cuffs accordingly to the performance and exercise plan.
Tennis champion Jamie Murray and his partner Alejandra Murray invested in SujiBFR during an investment round led by BioCity Group.
The Murrays join investors Scottish Enterprise, Gabriel Investment Syndicate and Creator Fund. SujiBFR was represented by Addleshaw Goddard LLP.
The investment will be used for product development, to accelerate customer growth and create additional technical jobs in the firm.
The backing comes as SujiBFR announces a partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the national governing body for tennis in Great Britain.
SujiBFR’s founder, Alexander Birks, set up the company after a successful career in boxing.
He said: “The idea for SujiBFR grew out of my own experience recovering from a traumatic sports injury. I felt frustrated by the length of time it would take to return to peak performance and started looking for fitness solutions that could help.
“After reaching out to sports professionals, I realised that BFR training was recognised as a powerful tool for mitigating pain and strengthening muscles using low-intensity exercise. My own BFR training was successful, but it also demonstrated that existing equipment was inadequate, requiring extensive user knowledge and offering a poor user experience.
Jamie Murray, said: “Everyone is aware of the challenges of avoiding and overcoming injury, not to mention the joint and muscle pain that can be experienced during training. SujiBFR has taken the scientifically proven benefits of BFR and incorporated these into a device that is easy to use, safe and effective. For me, Suji Device also acts as an effective tool when I’m on the road with limited access to gym equipment.
“It’s a perfect example of how investment in new solutions can help athletes to reduce pain, optimise performance and recover after injury.”
