How to Improve Tendon Strength

Increasing the strength and tone of your muscles is a good goal, but with weak tendons you increase your odds of being sidelined due to an injury. A large quantity of your strength is controlled not just by your muscles, but by your muscles working in collusion with your tendons. Approaching your fitness training with these "muscle tendon units" in mind will help you build strength and keep yourself safe in the process.

Instructions

• 1

  Perform exercises like squats, bench presses, behind the neck presses, and extensions that focus on building muscle strength. However, to focus on your tendons you will need to perform these exercises over a shorter range of motion. For instance, bench-pressing a distance of only five inches will focus more work into your tendons.

• 2

  Increase your flexibility by doing exercises like Pilates or yoga. Tendon strength is not solely defined by how much the tendon can support, but also by its overall flexibility. Any tendon-strengthening exercise you engage in should have elements of flexibility training.

• 3

  Speak with a personal trainer with a deep knowledge in tendon strength. Different exercises require different types of tendons, and your trainer can help you to determine the best course for what you need. As an example, runners benefit from stiffer knee tendons due to the mechanics of running, while weight lifters may not. As with any fitness program, work on what is best for you.

• 4

  Commit to improving your muscle and tendon strength on a daily basis. Simple exercises like taking the stairs or doing a few push-ups can help you build tendon strength on days that you cannot hit the gym.