Strength training

On: Tendons and Ligaments

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Tendons tether muscle, ligaments link bone.

But both can be damaged, become weakened, or scarred.

So how can we, both as practitioners and people, prevent this, or at least minimise its impact?

Prevention is always better than a cure, and therefore ensuring the tendons (when reading tendons, assume ligaments as well, although there are differences in all sorts of subtle ways) remain strong is vital.

Note – If you are currently taking medications, especially certain antibiotics, check with the pharmacy regarding soft tissue effects. For example, Fluoroquinolone antibiotics have a rare side effect with regards to soft tissue, so if you are prescribed those, it may be sensible to reduce training load during and after the treatment.

Tendons can be trained, like any other tissue, and research indicates that they respond best to cycles of isometric tension, of approx 10 – 30 seconds, with 30 – 50 seconds rest. Initially, it doesn’t even matter what joint position you are in, as long as the tendon is under tension, and pain free. Over time, you can increase the load and the number of cycles you carry out, to ensure continued development.

There is also some evidence that longditudinal supplementation with collagen (preferably from biologically similar connective tissue) is beneficial, especially when consumed with vitamin C.

Once you have a stable, platform, you can work on repairing any scarring or weaknesses in the tissue by using long duration concentric / isometric / eccentric training movements, through the pain free range of motion. For example, a squat under light load, with all three phases taking 10 seconds, although this time is individual.

Finally, there is also some evidence that early, and safe return to loading after injury can help reduce the time to competition, since the stimulus causes the scar tissue to form beneficially, rather than scattered.

TLDR: tendons can be strengthed, healthy tendons can increase your overall performance, isometric exercises are beneficial to tendon health.

Open 16.4, its mental

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Scaled Workout

13 minute AMRAP

  • 55 Deadlifts @61kg
  • 55 Wall balls, 9kg to 9ft
  • 55 Cals row
  • 55 hand release pushups

Watching a team mate at the gym struggle through 16.4, it was interesting to note the effect of his mental state on his performance.

I know, from having trained with him, that he is stronger and better than me at all of the moves needed.

But for some reason, he was scared of it. He’d backed out at least once and finally had to face it to get an open score.

Training was not able to parse into competition and this is something you can see frequently. Strong guys and girls crumble under pressure and they perceive themselves as failing.

Dry run it. See the success in your head and take it on from a position of winning before you lift the bar the first time.

And in the end, he did well, getting a full round in before the clock ran out.

Why walking in their shoes will give you new insights.

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To understand someone better, it is said that we need to walk a mile in their shoes.

This is perhaps a little extreme but as with many statements, there is a lot of truth buried in there.

Walking in their shoes, or at least picking them up and looking closely at the wear patterns, both inside and out, will tell you much about the person’s interaction with the world. Do they currently have a prescription orthotic, or some form of insole? How has the outsole worn? Are both sides worn in the same way? Can you see the way the foot turns and loads inside the shoe?

By observing and considering the information provided, it can be possible to start gaining a better insight into how the person moves and hence any potential issues they may be adapting for.

If necessary, stand up and attempt to physically mimic their movement, and what leads them to that positioning.

Feeling it in your own body can be an eye opening experience and one that may hugely enhance your own practice.

Program design in fitness

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Following some recent research, I have been thinking about the way we approach fitness training.There is some evidence that there are 2 modes in the body and we need to activate both for the best output. There is the short time, high intensity work and then the long, slow output.The problem is, when we train with people, we don’t focus on these, we fall onto the middle ground. It’s easy. We don’t need to work hard, we don’t need to push the client. But then they don’t improve, they get disheartened and our reputation isn’t enhanced.

Instead of taking them for a jog around the park, change it up. Make them sweat, push them hard. Use the primal patterns, look at complex movements if they are capable of them. And if they’re not, get them ready.

And then guide them to being more active every day (the long slow stuff). Help them change their diet so they eat clean.

They will see changes and you will enhance your reputation too!