Overcoming Tendon Injuries: A Game-Changing Lesson for Newer Lifters

At 54, I've been lifting seriously at home for the past two years, and it's been an incredible journey of building strength and confidence. But for a while, I kept hitting a painful roadblock: frequent tendon injuries, especially in my elbows and wrists from exercises requiring a strong grip. Nagging aches would pop up, forcing me to rethink my approach. Over the last three months or so, I finally figured out why this was happening and how to fix it. If you're newer to lifting and dealing with similar issues, especially as an older athlete, this post is for you.

The Problem: Tendon Pain Kept Slowing Me Down

When I started lifting, I was thrilled to see my strength climb. I'd add weight to exercises like squats, deadlifts, heavy rows, pull-ups, and presses using my home setup, feeling unstoppable, until tendon pain would strike. It was always the same cycle: I'd push hard, feel great, then suddenly deal with sharp aches that forced me to back off and switch grips on exercises like rows or curls to ease the strain. It was frustrating to wonder, "Why is this happening when I'm getting stronger?"

The answer came down to a mismatch between my muscles and tendons. I was increasing weights too quickly, assuming my body was ready because my muscles felt strong. But science explains why that's a recipe for trouble.

The Science: Muscles Adapt Faster Than Tendons

Muscles are vascular, meaning they get plenty of blood flow, nutrients, and oxygen to recover and grow quickly after workouts. Tendons, those tough connectors between muscle and bone, have less blood supply, so they adapt much more slowly, especially for someone like me in their 50s, where recovery isn't as zippy as it once was. When I kept piling on heavier weights, my muscles could handle it, but my tendons, especially those taxed by grip-heavy exercises, were getting overstressed, leading to micro-tears and inflammation.

The Breakthrough: Giving Tendons Time to Catch Up

Three months ago, after another bout of elbow and wrist pain forced me to change grips on my rows and curls, I decided to dig deeper. Looking back at my training logs, I noticed a pattern: injuries always followed a weight increase. That's when it clicked, I was rushing my progress. So, I made a simple change that's been a game-changer: I slowed down my weight progressions. Instead of bumping up the load every week or two, I now stick with the same heavy weights for 4-6 weeks, giving my tendons time to adapt. I also adjusted my programming to reduce the number of grip-intensive exercises, spreading them out to avoid overloading my wrists and elbows. The result? No more tendon flare-ups, steady progress, and home workouts that feel sustainable.

How to Progress Without Hurting Yourself

You don't have to stall your gains while waiting for your tendons to catch up. If you're eager to keep challenging yourself but want to avoid injury, here are some tricks that have worked for me at home:

• Add More Sets: If you're doing 3 heavy sets, try 4 or 5 with the same weight. This boosts volume without overloading your tendons.
• Increase Reps: Go from 8 reps to 10-12 per set. It keeps the intensity up and helps build muscle while easing tendons into the stress.
• Use Pauses or Tempo Changes: My go-to is adding a 2-3 second pause at the bottom of a rep (like in a squat or bench press), then exploding through the lift. Or slow the lowering (eccentric) phase to 3-4 seconds. These make the same weight feel tougher, curbing the urge to go heavier while strengthening tendons safely.
• Vary Grips: If grip-heavy exercises like rows or deadlifts are stressing your tendons, try alternating grips (e.g., neutral or supinated) or using straps to reduce strain on your wrists and elbows.

These tweaks let you keep pushing without risking injury. Trust me, it's far better than dealing with months of pain, lighter weights, and setbacks.

Final Thoughts: Patience Is Power

Two years into lifting at home, I'm learning that progress doesn't always mean heavier weights. At 54, giving my tendons time to adapt and being mindful of grip-heavy exercises has kept me injury-free and stronger than ever. If you're newer to lifting or in your 50s and beyond, don't rush the process. Slowing down and adjusting your approach will keep you training strong and pain-free.