Welcome to the Training Notes Newsletter.
Tendons are the quiet limiter for a lot of consistent lifters. Muscles adapt fast; tendons take longer, and they don’t love sudden spikes in volume, intensity, or new movements. The cleanest way to keep them happy is boring: steady exposure, small progressions, and avoiding “random hero weeks.”
If something starts to feel cranky, don’t panic and don’t fully shut it down. Keep training, but tighten the range: reduce load a bit, keep reps smooth, and aim for repeatable work you can tolerate again in 48 hours. Consistency is the tendon strategy.
TODAY’S TRAINING NOTES
Here are two options for today’s training session. Pick the one that fits your schedule and goals. Feel free to make substitutions if you need to adjust the exercises.
Strength
Warm Up
- Worlds Greatest Stretch — 1 Sets × 6 Reps
- Cossack Squat — 1 Sets × 6 Reps
- Glute Bridge March — 2 Sets × 8 Reps
- Scapular Wall Slide — 2 Sets × 8 Reps
- Bird Dog — 2 Sets × 6 Reps
Main Workout
- Goblet Squat — 4 Sets × 8 Reps
- Incline Push Up — 3 Sets × 10 Reps
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift — 3 Sets × 10 Reps
- One Arm Dumbbell Row — 2 Sets × 12 Reps
- Suitcase Carry — 3 Sets × 40 Reps
Cool Down
- Couch Stretch — 2 Sets × 45 Reps
- Doorway Pec Stretch — 2 Sets × 45 Reps
- Seated Hamstring Stretch — 2 Sets × 45 Reps
- Supine Spinal Twist — 1 Sets × 60 Reps
- 4 7 8 Breathing — 3 Sets × 5 Reps
Total time: 45 minutes
Conditioning
Warm Up
- 10 minutes easy continuous @ 55–65% max HR
- 4 minutes steady build @ 65–75% max HR
Main Workout
- 35 minutes continuous @ 70–80% max HR
- Last 5 minutes: smooth push @ 78–82% max HR
Cool Down
- 8 minutes very easy @ 50–60% max HR
- 2 minutes walk/easy spin @ 50–55% max HR
Total time: 54 minutes
Today’s Research Note
Tendons respond best to consistent loading that’s heavy enough to signal adaptation, but not so chaotic that it turns into irritation. Compared to muscle, tendon tissue remodels more slowly, and it tends to “remember” sudden jumps in workload. That’s why you can feel fine for a week, then get a flare-up after stacking a few aggressive sessions.
A practical way to think about it is workload stability: keep your weekly hard sets and your hardest efforts within a predictable band. When you add something new—more running, more pressing, a new grip—treat it like a new stressor and ramp it in. Your goal isn’t to avoid stress; it’s to make stress repeatable.
Look Up: tendon load tolerance and remodeling
Today’s Final Note
Use a “two-day rule” for aches. If a joint or tendon is noticeably worse for two sessions in a row, you adjust immediately—same movement pattern, lower cost. That usually means slightly less load, fewer total sets, and a rep range that stays smooth.
This works because it keeps the habit intact while you reduce the irritant. You’re not negotiating whether you train; you’re only choosing the version you can repeat. Do that for a week and most small issues calm down without drama.
Look Up: two day rule for pain monitoring
Signing Off
Train hard, but keep your inputs stable enough that your connective tissue can keep up. Small progressions beat surprise intensity every time. If something feels off, adjust early and keep moving. Check back tomorrow for a low-stress note that keeps the week on track.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.
Tony Robbins