Tendon Tensile Longevity
Tendon Tensile Longevity (TTL): Conceptual underpinning for a fresh mainstream exercise training methodology.
Social media platforms has been awash with the trending buzzword of mobility for sometime now. Impressive feats of fitness influencers rightfully entertain and impress us with exercise feats that we can’t help but admire and aspire to. Without doubt it is far better to be influenced and even desire to achieve some of these impressive moves and routines such as dragon squats or the more realistic pistol squats since they may well nudge us in the direction of health promotion. Unfortunately the opposite is also likely where we may be demotivated if we believe that these posts that rose to the top of the algorithmic pile is somewhat a standard that we can ALL achieve. Such normative perceptions are examples of unhealthy group think.
I think we ought to raise awareness of the ‘middle way’. Here we applaud and nod at impressive range of movement (ROM) feats but we settle on a nuanced, educated and person centred approach to ROM and other anatomical qualities. Meaning, we take our own bodies into perspective and accept that there are impressive feats and then there are functional, attainable ROMs that make for living a well-functioning life filled with activities that give us everyday meaning. For example I very much aspire to do the smoothest pistol squat but I’d much rather make sure that I can maintain my current comfortable ‘deep primal’ squat with ease for the next 20 years and beyond since it’s meaningful to me to feel that I can crouch deeply and comfortably for long periods of time close to the ground- tending a fireplace for example. Silly things, but meaningful to me. I enjoy trekking up parts of Table Mountain where (myburgh’s waterfall ravine) where the boulders are the size of small humans and a deep single leg push/ drive is required to climb them. This goes on for attributes of strength - pull ups and dips are my own personal requirement up to +70 years of age, speed- I love sprinting uphill, fast and quick- another long term personal criteria of ageing. My point first and foremost is to be person-centred and respectful to the skin you’re in and take the word mobility as a personal quest for improvement but with realistic, educated nuance that could happily lead to surprising results. Work slowly. Time is a friend here.
The brain is especially good at priming neuromuscular systems downstream given time, intention and repetitive application. I often encourage my clients and patients to ‘show their brain’ what they want to achieve and repeat or prime those actions as regularly as possible with moderate loads and no ‘force’ but rather active and intentional facilitation. Essentially your brain prefers proof and evidence that it should change its old habits and patterns in the form of repetitive application and only then will it provide the necessary physiological changes to do so. This is the heart of the concept of bioplasticity- show/ train your brain that the application will be consistent and it will follow.
Tendons appreciate length but tendons also appreciate stiffness ( a healthy tensile quality)- a sentence you wont hear very often. Long stretchy tendons is not the goal for the person who has a ‘tight lower back or hip flexor or calf or Achilles’ or for any person in this matter. No no, the goal of ‘tight’ tendons is to move toward a more supple, elastic, and strong version of itself. If the normative values (western-standardised accepted health ROMS for a calf stretch is -35-45 degrees below 0 (lowering your heels below the level of a step for example) then the best case scenario is not to merely reach the upper limit of 45 degrees below the step , the best ROM here would likely be closer to 35 degrees since tendons in general have weaker tensile strength toward the end of their range. This is similar to a fresh flexible tree branch or twig that will bend until it eventually snaps at the end of its upper ROM. Tendons are strongest in mid range and therefore we need foster strong and elastic mid-ranges of our tendons such as the achilles (& elewhere)- this will drive a healthy, elastic return component when it comes to the spring loading of running for example. The ‘ballerina or contortionist’ will have a harder time finishing a half marathon with an upper limit ankle ROM compared to the ‘Viking’ who has a heathier level of stiffness / springload return than the former.
In another example an impressive bent-over chest to knees toe-touch stretch from standing is not all wonderful if the body merely flops down without a felt sense of due ‘return’. Rather, a reasonable toe touch that can transiently improve with breath work is more superior in my opinion since this shows a level of ‘return’ or bounce-back. In conclusion a constant in physical strength training is to concurrently train ‘Length and strength’ in all sessions- a constant. I consider this a healthy tendon tensile quality that could lead to Tendon Ttensile Longevity (TTL).
Here are 3 excellent demonstrative examples that directs one toward building flexible yet strong tendons over time rather than the narrow focus to building ‘muscle’ (of the impressive, visible kind). My argument here is that if you walk past either of these 3 individuals (all male but the same is true for female) would you imagine that their physical systems can do the following? The answer is probably no.
Find the middle way
JJ