Bulletproof Your Tendons: Why Eccentrics Are Out, Isometrics Are In, and How Summit Sports Lab Can Get You Stronger, Faster, and Injury-Free
- summitsportslab
- Mar 10
- 3 min read
Strength Isn’t Just About Muscles—It’s About Your Tendons
Most people think getting stronger means piling on more weight, building bigger muscles, and grinding through endless reps. But if your tendons aren’t prepared to handle that force, you’re just wasting strength and setting yourself up for injury.
According to leading tendon researcher Dr. Keith Baar, your tendons—not just your muscles—are the real keys to unlocking power, efficiency, and injury prevention. If your tendons are weak, overused, or not trained properly, you’re leaving performance on the table and playing a risky game with chronic pain and breakdowns.
Let’s talk why tendons matter, why eccentric training is outdated, and how Summit Sports Lab (SSL) can help you train smarter and stay injury-free.
Why Tendons Are the Real MVPs of Strength
-Your muscles generate force, but your tendons deliver it to your bones.
-If your tendons are loose, weak, or overloaded, your strength never gets fully expressed.
-Strong, stiff tendons act like high-powered springs, making movement more efficient and explosive.
Example: Sprinters vs. Bodybuilders
Elite sprinters don’t have the biggest legs, but their Achilles tendons are stiff and elastic, storing and releasing massive amounts of energy.
Bodybuilders? They have big muscles, but their tendons aren’t trained to optimize force transfer, making them less efficient movers despite their size.
If you want to move better, produce more power, and avoid nagging injuries, tendon training needs to be a priority—not an afterthought.
Why Eccentric Training Is Outdated
For years, tendon rehab revolved around eccentric exercises—slow, lengthening contractions (think: lowering phase of a squat or calf raise). But science has moved forward, and eccentrics aren’t the best tool anymore.
What’s Wrong with Eccentrics?
❌ Stress Shielding: Strong tendon fibers take on all the load, while weaker fibers stay dormant—so they never actually adapt.
❌ More Damage, Less Healing: Eccentrics create more microtears in tendons, increasing pain without always leading to better remodeling.
❌ Slow Adaptation: Eccentrics take longer to create actual tendon stiffness and strength compared to isometrics.
The solution? Isometric training.
Isometric Training: The Gold Standard for Tendon Strength & Health
Isometrics (holding a position without movement) have been shown to outperform eccentrics in tendon rehab and performance training.
Benefits of Isometric Training:
✅ Reduces tendon pain faster than eccentrics.
✅ Evenly distributes load across all fibers—no weak links.
✅ Strengthens tendons without excessive wear and tear.
✅ More effective for tendon stiffness, which improves force transfer and efficiency.
The SSL SAMPLE Patellar Tendon Training Protocol
🔹 Lunge Holds – 15 sec hold, each side (Targets Patellar & Achilles Tendons)
🔹 Wall Squat with toes up– 10 sec effort (Develops tendon stiffness)
🔹 Seated Leg Extension with Kettlebell on Foot 15 seconds per Leg(Increases force output)
🔹 Rest 30 seconds and Repeat 8-10 times - 2x Day for 8 weeks
🔹 Need at least 8 hours between sessions (Tendons adapt in short bursts, science backs it up)
How SSL Can Help You Train Smarter & Stay Pain-Free
At Summit Sports Lab, we don’t just talk about the science—we apply it to help mountain athletes, skiers, cyclists, runners, and weekend warriors move better, train smarter, and stay injury-free.
What We Offer:
✅ Tendon-Specific Strength & Rehab Plans – Whether you’re recovering from Achilles tendinopathy, patellar pain, elbow discomfort or chronic joint issues, we build a customized, evidence-backed plan that actually works.
✅ Performance Testing & Movement Analysis – We assess force output, tendon stiffness, and muscular balanceto identify weaknesses before they turn into injuries.
✅ Physio-Led Strength Coaching – Get 1-on-1 coaching with a PT who knows how to optimize tendon health and athletic performance.
✅ Medical Bike Fitting & Running Gait Analysis – Dial in biomechanics and tendon load distribution to prevent injuries before they start.
✅ Strength & Resilience Training for Mountaineers, Cyclists, and your everyday person – Because your tendons need to be just as tough as your lungs when you’re grinding up a mountain.
Final Takeaways: Train Smarter, Stay Stronger, Move Pain-Free
Muscles don’t make you strong—your tendons do.
Eccentric training is outdated—use isometrics for real tendon health.
Short, frequent tendon training beats long, ineffective workouts.
Summit Sports Lab can help you fix your tendons, eliminate pain, and optimize performance.
Stop letting weak tendons hold you back. Book an assessment at Summit Sports Lab and let’s get you stronger, pain-free, and ready to dominate the mountains.
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