In the world of fitness, where tips are shared, strategies are discussed and new goals are pursued, there is one topic that often takes a back seat: muscle-tendon damage.
Yet, these are precisely the ones microlesions, generated by targeted and intense training, to trigger the muscle growth process.
Understanding how they work and how they influence performance is not only interesting, but fundamental to anyone who wants to improve consciously.
After all, every effective effort starts from a stimulus which, in the short term, “stress” the muscle, but in the long term it strengthens it.
Index
What Are Microlesions?
Le micro-lesions caused by training, if followed by an adequate recovery period, trigger the process of supercompensation, improving the force and muscle mass.
Intense training, in fact, causes myofibrillar microlesions that lead to an adaptation of the muscle, making it more robust and prepared to face subsequent loads.
Muscle micro-lesions, highlighted by the appearance of the DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), are caused by inflammatory processes and the breakdown of muscle fiber components.
Post-workout pain, which peaks between 24 and 48 hours, It is the result of the accumulation of catabolites and microlesions at the level of the sarcomere, the functional unit of muscle fibers.
These lesions sThey are essential for stimulating protein synthesis and the regeneration of muscle tissue, leading to an overall strengthening.
Connective Tissue Damage
Another crucial element is the connective tissue damage.
The muscle is closely connected to layers of connective tissue (epimysium, perimysium, endomysium) and to the tendons that anchor it to the bones.
Training with high loads, slow eccentric movements and the use of techniques such as negative repetitions with supramaximal loads (110-120% of maximum), induce microlesions in these structures, stimulating a process of thickening and strengthening of the connective tissue.
This adaptation is essential to prevent injuries and improve joint stability.
Training and Muscle Tendon Damage
Le More effective training techniques for inducing muscle-tendon damage include using loads between 70-85% of your maximum, explosive movements followed by slow eccentric phases and the use of advanced techniques such as rest-pause, forced repetitions and stripping.
These methods stress the white fibers (FT, fast twitch) with fast movements and a low number of repetitions, while slightly lower loads and slow movements stimulate the red fibers (ST, slow twitch).
It is important to emphasize that a excessively prolonged and intense training can lead to overtraining, with negative consequences on recovery ability and injury prevention.
The high intensity ofmust be balanced by adequate recovery times to allow muscle fibers and tendons to repair and strengthen.
Detailed Program
For a complete training program that effectively stimulates muscle-tendon damage and promotes muscle growth, it is recommended to include:
- 3-4 sets with loads between 80-85% of the maximum, repetitions between 6-8, explosive movements followed by slow eccentrics, advanced techniques for experienced athletes, and recoveries of 2'3 minutes.
- 2-3 sets with loads between 70-75%, repetitions between 10-12, slow movements and special techniques such as stripping and supersets, with recoveries of 1'1,5 minutes.
- 1-2 sets with 60% loads, reps between 15-25, with recoveries of less than 1 minute to stimulate vascularization and increased glycogen.
È It is essential to modulate the intensity and volume of training based on experience level and recovery needs, to avoid overload and irreparable damage to muscles and tendons.
Only a balanced approach, which takes into account muscle-tendon damage and recovery time, will guarantee effective and lasting progress.
And you, did you know these training techniques to create muscle-tendon damage? Let us know in the comments!
