A set of workouts for ligaments and tendons should be included in your training program to increase strength and prevent injuries. Such training must necessarily include Zass exercises, static loads and single repetitions. Ligament and tendon training is especially important for powerlifters who train with submaximal weights, since conventional training is aimed mainly at developing muscle qualities, resulting in an imbalance in the development of various body systems. This imbalance is also observed in bodybuilders, but in this case it may not lead to injury, but athletes of both disciplines will feel a limiting effect.
Training ligaments and tendons becomes necessary after 1-2 years of training in the gym, and, as a rule, athletes intuitively begin to include static exercises and single repetitions in their training program, but very few people use Zass exercises, although they give the greatest results Effect. The need for such training lies in the fact that muscles reach their maximum size due to hypertrophy in 2-3 years, after which it is necessary to work either on muscle hyperplasia , or begin to train ligaments and tendons. However, training the ligaments and tendons is necessary in any case, since it will enhance the effect of hyperplasia, and is also a condition for further muscle hypertrophy. As for strength indicators, the influence of tendons and ligaments is undeniable, since it is they who transmit the force exerted by the muscles to the bone apparatus, which sets the body in motion.
Ligaments and tendons, bone apparatus, heart, as well as other non-muscular systems of the body are the foundation on which you build muscle mass. Accordingly, the more you want to build, the more solid foundation you need. It goes without saying that the initial data is different for each person, so faster progress in strength indicators or muscle mass is not always associated with the genetic characteristics of the muscular system; often the reason is precisely non-muscular qualities. This is very good! to influence muscle length or change muscle composition , but you can train ligaments and tendons, you can train the heart , strengthen joints, in general, prepare the basis for further progress in muscle fiber hypertrophy.
Exercises to strengthen ligaments and tendons
To strengthen the tendon-ligamentous apparatus, you need to alternate static and dynamic loads. To do this, you can perform the following exercises:
- jumping;
- tossing a medicine ball (we recently talked about what a medicine ball is, what it is for, and how to choose it correctly);
- squats;
- raising your toes;
- bench press;
- deadlift;
- lunges;
- “chair” against the wall;
- bar;
- press corner;
- balance exercises - freeze in an uncomfortable position and stand in it for as long as possible.
Bench press
Balance exercises
It is very important to adhere to the correct exercise technique and not to overdo it with weights. Therefore, it is best to perform the exercises under the supervision of a trainer, especially if you are a beginner.
Zass exercises
Alexander Zass is a very famous strongman of the early 20th century, who developed his own training system with chains and bags. Alexander Zass was never very big; on the contrary, when he started performing in the circus, his biceps were only 38 cm, and he managed to break iron chains. The whole secret is in the Zass exercises, which train ligaments and tendons. Alexander himself believed that real strength does not lie in muscles, which he confirmed in practice. However, for a bodybuilder and a powerlifter this is not the case, since the former, in general, trains in order to build muscle mass, and the latter performs specific work that loads certain muscle fibers, without the strength of which his results will be very modest. But Zass exercises for training tendons and ligaments will have a positive effect on the training results of both bodybuilders and powerlifters.
Zass exercises develop the quality of transmission of force caused by muscle contraction through tendons and ligaments to the bone apparatus. It follows from this that this set of exercises does not destroy protein structures, so it does not interfere with, but even promotes, muscle recovery between dynamic workouts in the gym. However, the complex includes both isometric exercises with chains and dynamic exercises with a bag. To keep your workout routine going, you can train with a bag once a week, train with chains twice a week, and do light toning isometric training on the other days.
Zass isometric exercises
Ligament and tendon training according to the Zass system should not last longer than 15-20 minutes, so you can perform only 3-4 exercises in one workout. You should do 5 sets of each exercise, with 40-60 seconds of rest in between. During the exercises themselves, the load should gradually increase and decrease smoothly, the same applies to the distribution of the load between approaches. During heavy training, you should strain in the mode 75%-90%-95%-90%-75%, during tonic training 60%-90%-60%. Heavy training of ligaments and tendons - 2 times a week, toning - on the remaining days. For training, you will need 2-meter chains, to which you should attach handles on one side and loops on the other; however, ropes will also do.
During Zass exercises, it is very important to breathe correctly, exhaling with effort; the time to perform the exercise is the time of exhalation, so the time under load ranges from 2 to 8 seconds. You should start with two seconds of tension, gradually bringing it to 8 seconds. Alexander Zass practiced breathing exercises, which we recommend that you do too. The complex consists of 100 inhalations and exhalations. The athlete should take deep and noisy breaths through the nose and short, silent exhalations through the mouth. You should start with series of 4 inhalations and exhalations, with 3-5 seconds of rest between them, then move on to series of 8, and then 12 inhalations and exhalations. Combining ligament and tendon training with breathing exercises will definitely have a positive effect on your strength results and help build muscle mass.
A set of isometric exercises by Zass
| Alternating chain stretching - take the chain in your hands in front of you, bend one arm at the elbow 90°, leave the other arm straight, then try to break the chain, after which you switch hands. The force must be applied by the chest, biceps and deltoids. | Stretching the chain over the head - in the starting position, the arms are straightened and above the head, they should be placed slightly wider than the shoulders, in this position the athlete tries to break the chain. It is important to tense not only your arms, but also your shoulders, chest and lats. |
| Stretching the chain with bent arms - the chain is in front of the chest, the hands are opposite the elbow joint of the opposite arm, one hand is below, the other is on top, the chain is stretched between them and you should try to break it. It is important to strain not only your arms, but also your chest. | Stretching the chain behind your back - in the starting position, the chain is located in the lower part of the trapezius muscle, the elbows look down, so the hand should be higher than the elbow. And when an athlete, stretching the chain, tries to break it, the effort is made by the triceps. |
| Stretching the chain behind the back with straight arms - this exercise is also performed using the triceps, but the pectoral muscles and latissimus dorsi muscles are also tensed, so the elbows look to the sides and the hands are turned towards each other with the thumbs. | Stretching the chain with the chest - in the starting position, you need to try to exhale all the air from the lungs, and then wrap the chain around the chest and secure it, after which, inhaling deeply, try to break it with the strength of the pectoralis major and latissimus muscles. |
| Alternate stretching of the chain - one hand is at the top, the elbow is looking down, and the hand is also turned with the thumb down, and the second hand is below, in an extended position, holding the chain. The chain is stretched by the deltoids and triceps. Of course, you need to alternate hands. | Stretching a chain from the floor - this exercise is performed using two chains, which are attached at one end to the feet, which is why chains with handles on one side and loops on the other are needed. Your arms should be fully extended, and you should pull the chain up not only with your hands, but also with your trapezoid. |
| Stretching the chain from the floor with one hand - the chain is attached with a loop to the foot, and the adjacent hand, with the elbow bent at 90° and the thumb turned upward, pulls the chain towards itself. Arms and legs need to be changed, mainly the effort is carried out by the biceps. | Stretching the chain on the thigh - the chain is pulled onto the upper surface of the leg, after which the athlete begins to pull it down with his hands, trying to break it. The force is exerted through the deltas and back, but the hip should also be tense. Alternate your legs! |
| Lying emphasis - the chain is placed on the neck, the athlete takes emphasis on the floor, as during push-ups, and the chain is placed between the palms. The body should be kept tense, but you should try to break the chain with the triceps and deltoids. It goes without saying that the chain seems to press the athlete a little, that is, the arms are slightly bent at the elbow joints. | Handstand - before starting the exercise, the chain is attached to the floor and fixed behind the neck, the athlete stands on his hands, and, trying to move the body weight onto his fingers, makes an effort with his arms, back and neck. The exercise is very complex, requires the athlete to be able to coordinate movements and is not included in the main training complex of Zass. |
| Bends - the chain is attached at one end to the leg and the other to the neck, so the exercise is performed only by those athletes who are aware of what they are doing, and have also already managed to pump up their neck . The bends are made in both directions, mainly the trapezius muscle of the back is tensed. | Neck extension - for this exercise you will need a chain with two loops that are attached to the leg and to the head. The length of the chains should be such that you have to bend a little. When you secure the chain, you should try to break it by straightening your body upward, using the force of your neck and back. |
| Leg extension - with your free hand, grab the support, bend the arm with the chain so that the biceps takes the position of peak contraction, the other end of the chain is fixed to the foot with a loop. The leg is in a bent position so that the heel is at the level of the knee joint and buttocks. The force is exerted by the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings. | Leg abduction - in this case, the chain is fixed in the hands, and the other end is tied with a loop to the working leg. The athlete rests his hands on the handrail, and his leg, bent at the knee, is laid back so that the knee of the working leg is further than the knee of the supporting leg, after which, straining his biceps, the athlete tries to break the chains, moving his leg back. |
| Pulling out the hook from the floor - the fixed chain should be taken at the level of the knees, after which, using the efforts of your legs, back and arms, try to pull the hook out of the floor. To shift the load more to the back, the chain can be taken at approximately waist level. | Pulling out a hook from a wall - you should try to pull out a fixed chain using the force of the deltas, legs, back and arms. Place your feet wide, which should provide you with stability. The back is slightly rounded, but only in the upper part. Keep your neck straight. |
Important* before performing the exercises, you should warm up very well, you should feel a warmth and a pleasant burning sensation in your muscles, after which you can start training. When performing Zass exercises, you do not need to overexert yourself, you should breathe evenly, you should not blush, your veins should not protrude, your blood pressure should not increase, everything is done smoothly, with concentration. In this case, it is better to underdo it than to overdo it, because the likelihood of injury is very high!
Dynamic exercises by Zass
This set of exercises for training ligaments and tendons is performed using a bag. You can put sawdust or sand in the bag, choosing the weight of the bag in accordance with your training level. A set of these exercises can be used either during rest, then it will not interfere with your training, or you can include one such workout in a weekly split. Such a workout can last 30-40 minutes, in addition to tendons and ligaments, you will also be able to load your muscles, but for the most part it will not be contractile proteins that will be trained, but energy. Therefore, if you want to work on endurance, then Zass exercises with a bag are a good option to combine endurance training with training other non-muscular qualities.
1) Raising the bag to the chest - the athlete spreads his legs wider than his shoulders, the bag is on the floor, after which the athlete squats to parallel, takes the bag in his hands, and stands with it, placing the bag on his chest. In a standing position, with the bag on your chest, your knees remain slightly bent; linger in this position for a little while and return the bag to the ground. The approach takes 10-15 repetitions.
2) Lifting the bag up - in the initial position, the heels are together, the toes are apart, the athlete holds the bag with his hands on his chest. Then the athlete should squat down and squeeze the bag up, straightening his arms. This Zass exercise is reminiscent of squats with a barbell overhead, only during its execution, your arms must be bent and unbent.
3) Extension with one hand - the athlete holds the bag on his shoulder, holding it with a bent arm, after which he squeezes it up and, with his outstretched arm, turns the hand twice in both directions. The exercise is performed until positive failure, after which the hand is changed.
4) Press with a bag - the athlete lies on the floor, face up, the bag is behind his head, after which the athlete takes his arms back, takes the bag in his hands, places it above his chest, performs a press and returns the bag to its place. The exercise is performed in 10-15 repetitions.
5) Leg press - the athlete lies on the floor, face up, lifts his legs towards the body, places a bag on his feet and squeezes it upward with his legs 10-15 times.
What problems do the feet and legs have?
Many people are born with an anomaly in the structure of the foot - flat feet. It can be transverse and longitudinal, but this is not the main thing. It is important that in the first years of life, special exercises help get rid of such deformation. With age, this mission becomes impossible. Adults whose legs are positioned incorrectly in a relaxed position require special orthopedic insoles.
Prevention of flat feet should be done in childhood by strengthening the foot and ankle.
What are the dangers of foot problems?
Incorrect positioning of the leg leads to deformation of the entire skeleton, starting from the knees. At first they hurt, then the problem spreads to the hip joint. Flat feet affect a person’s well-being and are often the cause of headaches, neck pain, and incorrect posture. The joint suffers first. It is the joint that is responsible for our mobility and flexibility.
Now you understand how important it is to strengthen your ankle from an early age. By the way, with flat feet the need for training the ankle muscles increases significantly. Because with a weak ligamentous apparatus, such people are at greater risk of twisting their leg than healthy people. It also hurts them to run for a long time.
Back
From the back complex, “cross out” two of your usual exercises, and instead use “shortened” deadlifts and powerlifts.
The powerlift is performed like this: lower yourself into a squat in front of the barbell, grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight, stand up from the squat until your torso is almost completely straightened. Further movement is similar to pulling in front of you.
Shoulder tendon injuries: treatment
The shoulder joint is the most rotating joint in our body. Stability and mobility of the shoulder is provided by the so-called rotator cuff (a structure of muscles and tendons). Due to the peculiarity of their structure and functioning, damage to tendon bundles in this area occurs most often when a person receives a strong blow to this area or frequently lifts heavy objects. Such injuries also occur among teachers who have to write a lot on the board, tearing the shoulder joint.
Falling on an elbow or an outstretched arm also leads to a sharp contraction of the shoulder muscles, which can ultimately cause damage to the tendon.
With such injuries, in some cases an oval-shaped swelling appears, visually noticeable when the patient flexes the forearm. The doctor makes a diagnosis of partial tendon rupture based on clinical signs and the results of an ultrasound or x-ray.
Minor tendon end divergence can be successfully eliminated with conservative treatment. First aid for such injuries is cryotherapy. Ice or (in camping conditions) a bandage moistened with cold water is applied to the damaged area. Cold compresses should be applied 4-5 times a day for the first three days after the injury.
Immediately, the joint should be immobilized using an immobilizing bandage. Fixation of the limb using this method should last 3-4 days. In some cases, you will also need a special outlet bus.
To eliminate pain, patients are prescribed analgesics (NSAIDs).
The rehabilitation period includes a complex of physical procedures and therapeutic massage (according to indications).
In case of complete rupture of the tendon, surgery to stitch the tissue is prescribed.
What should be inside drugs for the treatment of joints and ligaments
It is necessary that every athlete be able to distinguish dummy supplements from valuable substances that really have a positive effect on damaged joints and ligaments, strengthen them and promote their speedy recovery, and also serve as good prevention.
The most effective ingredients are glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, collagen, as well as vitamin D and calcium (provided they are taken together).
In addition, high-quality preparations for the treatment of joints and ligaments may contain:
- methylsulfonylmethane - relieves discomfort, suppresses the inflammatory process;
- bromelain - effective for recent injuries, relieves pain well;
- hyaluronic acid - helps maintain flexibility and mobility of joints;
- vitamins B6, E and C - inhibit oxidative processes, work as antioxidants;
- zinc, selenium, magnesium - ensure normal cell functioning;
- Omega-3 fatty acids - relieve discomfort and reduce pain.
And although extracts of plant and animal origin are considered ineffective, such products may contain, for example, shark cartilage and curcumin. But they rather act as auxiliary substances, and by themselves are not capable of improving health.
In short, any working drug is aimed not only at the regeneration of connective tissues, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, joints, but also at increasing the functionality of the entire musculoskeletal system, as well as antioxidant protection.