I found a English pdf version of the study which described what I think is a unusual training ritual. Popov has done some other research related to resistance training. The abstract ends with “Hence, the suggestion that the secretion of metabolic hormones is triggered by a metabolic, rather than mechanical, stimulus from working muscles seems plausible.” They used a reduced range of motion with continuous movement to produce Kaatsu type effects. In conclusion they say, “This work provides the first evidence that low-intensity exercise (at 50% MVC) without relaxation leads to greater secretion of anabolic hormones than the more intensive classic strength exercise (80% MVC).”
They reference two works, Seluyanov, V.N., Podgotovka beguna na srednie distantsii(Training of a Middle-Distance Runner), Moscow:SportAkademPress, 2001 and Netreba, A., Popov, D., Vdovina, A., et al. Physiological
Effects of Low-Intensity Strength Training without Relaxation, in 10th Annual Congress of the ECSS. Book
of Abstracts, Belgrade, Serbia, 2005, p. 397 for some of the training methodology.
This use of a reduced range of motion to promote occlusion/maintain tension is I believe part of the Myo-rep program and is used by some of the top bodybuilders. If one is attempting to promote hypertrophy using lower intensity training/high local metabolic effects, reduced range movements, shortened rest between sets and isometric holds would seem a good combination.
