Dr Gerard McMahon talks strength training for tendons!
Sep 24, 2024
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Dr. Gerard McMahon, a sports scientist from Ulster University, specializes in tendon adaptations to resistance training. He dives into the debate of partial versus full range squats for enhancing vertical jumps and discusses optimal tendon loading ranges. The podcast also highlights the importance of knowing tendon strain for better strength prescriptions and explores various training techniques, including single leg exercises. McMahon emphasizes tailored training approaches to boost tendon health and performance while minimizing injury risks.
Understanding the muscle-tendon-bone complex is crucial for optimizing athletic performance and minimizing injury risk through tailored training programs.
Heavy, slow strength training enhances tendon stiffness, emphasizing the importance of individualized approaches based on specific tendon characteristics for performance outcomes.
Deep dives
Understanding Muscle Hypertrophy in Sports
Muscle hypertrophy can be a primary goal in some sports, particularly those requiring increased body mass, like rugby. In contrast, sports that emphasize endurance, such as marathon running, require athletes to minimize muscle mass to improve performance. The speaker emphasizes the importance of tailored training programs for athletes based on their specific sport, focusing on both muscle size and functional capability to enhance performance. This adaptable approach is vital for achieving the optimal balance between strength, power, and mass to meet the demands of different athletic disciplines.
The Role of Tendons in Athletic Performance
A deep understanding of the muscle-tendon-bone complex is essential to optimize performance and reduce injury risk in athletes. The interaction between muscle and tendon properties dictates movement efficiency, impacting an athlete’s overall performance. Various factors, such as joint angle-specific adaptations and tendon stiffness, influence how well an athlete can perform tasks. Coaches and health professionals must therefore consider both muscle and tendon conditioning in their training regimens to enhance performance outcomes.
Optimizing Tendon Stiffness through Training
Tendon stiffness plays a crucial role in athletic performance, as a stiffer tendon can facilitate more efficient force transfer during movements. Heavy, slow strength training is highlighted as an effective method to enhance tendon stiffness, but it’s vital that the load is sufficient to create the right amount of strain. Individualizing training to the maximum strain capacity of different tendons, such as the patellar and Achilles tendons, can lead to better adaptations in mechanical properties. Personalized training approaches that consider both strength levels and tendon characteristics can optimize performance outcomes for various sports.
The Complexity of Plyometric Training Effects
Plyometric training can lead to improvements in neuromuscular coordination and potentially enhance tendon interaction, yet its impact on tendon stiffness is less consistent. The rapid strain magnitudes associated with plyometric activities often do not permit the longer strain durations thought to be necessary for mechanical changes in tendons. This complexity suggests that while plyometrics may benefit overall performance through improved coordination, they do not significantly alter structural tendon properties. Further research is needed to unravel the multifaceted effects of plyometrics on tendon physiology and function.