Tendons and Explosive Power… a Forgotten Link?

We talk often of muscular power, CNS (central nervous system), and form for improving muscular power for specific movements.  But we don’t talk much about tendons.

Oscar Pistorius (at left) has prosthetic lower limbs.  The stiff metal prosthetics are designed to return impact with the greatest energy return possible.  These “metal tendons” allow him to apply amazing force into the ground and use that force to propel him forward.

How is this relevant to normal collagen protein tendons?  Studies have shown that increasing tendon stiffness increases our reactive strength.  Basically, increasing the tightness of the collagen proteins that make up our tendons allow our tendons to return energy faster, and with less energy loss… a lot like these prosthetic legs.

Strong/stiffer tendons will make us more explosive.  Moreover, what are the most common problems with explosive training athletes?  Tendinitis/tendinitis.  This is the infamous “jumpers knee” that manifests in pain just below the patellar tendon.

The good news is that it is possible to train tendons to systematically stiffen, and perhaps more importantly it  is possible to speed the recovery process of injured or strengthening tendons.

Tendons are strengthened very similar to strengthening muscles.  Muscular tension results in super compensation and a tightening of the proteins which make up the tendon.  Overtraining the tendons (or as I call it under recovery) will result in tendon pain and potential injury.

Tendons also receive less blood flow then muscles and thus take longer to heal and strengthen.  In fact, one method of healing tendon related injuries is to inject blood at the injured tendon to the areas with additional platelets and increase the healing process.

There are other methods of increasing blood flow such as massage, SMR (self myofasical release), ultrasound treatment (which can be done at home), enzyme therapy, hot and cold therapy, light stretching and muscular activation.

To sum it up… 

Tendons are often the weak (or injured) link of an explosive movement.  Educating yourself on the proper methods of training, strengthening, and recovering these vital areas could be the best thing you ever learned.  If you’ve suffered with tendinitis or “jumpers knee” you know what I mean!

If there’s interest we can go into more detail into some of this stuff.  Leave your comments below please!  If you like this please post it one Facebook for me :)