I was at a kendo seminar the other day and had a conversation about KAATSU with one of my peers. He mentioned the usual aches and pains that come from training, and I showed him the KAATSU B2 device I was wearing. I told him how much it’s helped me.
He didn’t ask how much it cost. He asked whether it was expensive. That distinction stuck with me.
It’s All Relative
The idea of something being “expensive” is always in relation to something else.
When I bought my first KAATSU unit, I was in the middle of my second round of rehab for a torn Achilles tendon. I sold my motorcycle for $5,000 to help pay for my rehab. That money was spent by the time I decided to invest in KAATSU. I figure I spent at least $7,000 on my Achilles rehabilitation.
Was that expensive?
From my perspective, no. It was worth every penny because it meant I could return to kendo — the Japanese martial art of fencing — at or above my pre-injury level. When I weighed the cost of rehab against the possibility of never practicing kendo again, it was a no-brainer.
Perspective Is Everything
In a previous blog post, I shared the average annual cost of a retirement home for a single person in a major Canadian city. Spoiler: it’s around $45,000. If using KAATSU helps you stay healthy and independent enough to delay moving into a retirement facility by even one year, a $2,000 investment may suddenly look like a bargain.
What is the Value of Prevention?
A couple of years back I met a high school baseball pitcher. This young man could throw a fastball around 90 mph, but he was experiencing elbow issues. He started using KAATSU before games as part of his warm-up, and again on the way home to help him recover. After several weeks of consistent KAATSU use, his elbow issues had resolved.
I wish I had know about KAATSU before my Achilles tendon tear. Not only would I have avoided all the pain and grief the injury caused, but I would still have my motorcycle. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, as they say.
Timing Matters
I’ve been through times when my expenses exceeded my income. All non-essential purchases were off the table. I know firsthand the stress and anxiety that can bring. In that situation, KAATSU would have been completely out of reach.
So, is KAATSU expensive? It depends entirely on your context — your needs, your goals, and your current circumstances.
A Smart Investment
Ultimately, KAATSU is an investment in your fitness, health, and well-being. Whether or not it feels “expensive” comes down to one question:
If it’s within your budget*, do you believe KAATSU will help you create the life you want to live?
*We also offer zero-percent consumer financing on KAATSU equipment, with terms between 6~24 months, to help make KAATSU more affordable.
Disclaimer: KAATSU protocols have not been evaluated by Health Canada. KAATSU is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and its use should be evaluated by your own physician before use.
I cannot understand in this day and age where people can hardly feed their families or afford to do much of anything that laying out $2000+ for this program makes any sense at all. I would love to be able to purchase as I fall into the category of being sedentary and I also work a few days a week. As a single senior it is not in the cards. As I am in Canada I will look around and hopefully find a less expensive option.
Karen, I agree with you. It can be a challenge to justify the purchase of KAATSU when there are other pressing financial pressures. Frankly, it may be impossible for some. I understand and respect that.
Most people don’t need KAATSU to achieve their fitness goals. A few dumbbells or resistance bands and the discipline to do regular training will suffice for most people. Of course, if it were that simple, KAATSU wouldn’t even exist as a product.
KAATSU allows people to build muscle and strength without heavy weights. Sessions can be done as infrequently as once a week for as little as 20 minutes. Typical resistance training requires more effort and time. This is the main benefit of KAATSU – more muscle with less effort in less time. Is this worth the investment in KAATSU? It is, for some people.
Are there similar devices on the market that can help you achieve KAATSU-like results? Yes, there are. The main comments we hear about those products from seniors is that they are uncomfortable to use, so people eventually stop using them altogether. KAATSU was purposefully designed to be used with movement so is more comfortable to use. KAATSU’s comfort and effectiveness is what helps people use it regularly over the long term, instead of winding up in the closet, unused, like similar but uncomfortable products.
Our pricing in Canada for the KAATSU C4 Bundle is a little higher than KAATSU Global’s price in the U.S. That reflects the differences in the U.S. and Canadian market as well as the cost of doing business in Canada. However, buying in Canada means you get faster service than going through the U.S. We include a one-on-one Zoom session with equipment purchases to ensure you’re using the equipment properly and can provide you with guidance on how to use KAATSU for your unique situation.
We also offer a zero-percent financing plan (through Humm Financial) to try and make it easier for people to purchase KAATSU. It doesn’t make it any less expensive to spread the payments out, but we’re doing what we can.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
So the absolutely cheapest price for Canada is $2,000-
I too am a Senior of no means.
Are there places you can go to in Toronto (downtown east)
where you can simply rent the equipment for sessions?
Hi Rosalynd. We haven’t yet managed to convince gym owners or other personal trainers in Toronto to offer KAATSU. Still a work in progress.