Building Capacity
I have been noticing a pattern lately.
Clients come in with an issue surrounding their activity– pain in the knees doing moguls, pinchy shoulder with overhead press, hip tightness running 5 miles. They think said activity isn’t good for them. As a physical therapist, it is my job to break down not only the movement, but also deeply understand this person’s training regimen and how they got to the level that they are at. Was it a gradual increase of weight/mileage/intensity? Or did they just hop into their activity? Do they have major imbalances or limitations throughout their body? Over the years, I have learned about a common theme that prevails throughout all activities whether it’s crossfit, running or skiing. This person has NOT gradually built up their capacity to handle this activity, so the body is rebelling and making that person feel like they aren’t cut out to do it.
Let’s talk about building capacity.
When it comes to getting stronger, one of the most common mistakes people make is just jumping right in. Whether it's right into heavy weights, right into a group fitness class not knowing how to modify things, right into skiing all day long or right into a long run- you MUST build your capacity up to handle the demands of the sport. (Unless you are under the age of 25. In that case, do whatever the hell you want. Just kidding ;)) Our muscles are all about adaptation and understanding how muscles adapt is key to building a solid foundation that will lead to long-term success.
How do we get stronger?
Essentially, our muscles need to be exposed to stress that is slightly beyond their current capacity in order to adapt. When you lift weights, you're causing microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. This damage sounds intense, but it's the rebuilding process that makes muscles grow back stronger. Muscles don’t just get stronger overnight. Muscle adaptation occurs over time with consistent training, provided you give your body the opportunity to rest and recover between sessions. There are a few main factors we need to cover:
Progressive Overload- Cornerstone of any effective strength training program. Key word: PROGRESSIVE. To increase strength, you must gradually increase the resistance your muscles face. This can be done by adding more weight, increasing the number of sets or reps, or adjusting other variables. Training with weights that are too heavy can put too much strain on your muscles and connective tissues, leaving you prone to overuse injuries.
Muscle Fiber Recruitment- When you first start lifting weights, your body doesn’t immediately recruit all of the muscle fibers available for that movement. Research suggests that muscle fiber recruitment improves over time as your nervous system becomes more efficient at signaling muscle contractions. At first, your body relies on the smaller, more easily activated fibers. As you build strength, your body learns how to activate more muscle fibers, especially the larger, more powerful ones, allowing you to handle heavier loads. This adaptation is gradual and requires consistent practice.
Tendon and Ligament Strength- Muscle strength isn't the only factor. Your tendons, ligaments, and joints must also adapt to the stress of lifting. These tissues take longer to strengthen than muscles, meaning that if you rush into heavy lifting without adequate preparation, you increase the risk of injury. Tendons and ligaments need time to adapt to the load, and it's through progressive training that these structures gradually gain strength.
Adaptation takes time.
When you begin with more manageable weights you have more time to refine your technique and see what works for your specific body. Now, how do we do all of this? It’s simple really. TAKE NOTES. I have said this before and I will say it again and again. Do a workout with some light weights. Was it so easy you didn’t even feel sore? Take note and increase next time. Find weights where you feel healthy soreness for about 24-36 hrs after the workout. Minimal tightness or pain. If there is significant tightness or pain, check in with your PT and make sure you are doing your corrective exercises. But also train at a lighter weight and build up capacity for a few weeks, then slowly try to increase weight.
Okay, time for a personal story:
I used to think deadlifting was “bad” for my tight right hip, because I couldn’t deadlift 120 lbs without my right deep hip muscles getting super tight. Was deadlifting “bad” for my hip? No… I was doing absolutely no rehab to strengthen and lengthen my deep hip rotators and my glutes were not ready to handle that weight. It was the same story with squats. What did I do? I took about 5 weeks off and focused on my PT exercises where I addressed my muscular imbalances. No badass squats and deadlifts. More like side planks, single leg bridges and hip rotator strengthening. Then I very slowly got back into my gym routine. I was lifting 45 lbs for squats and a very ego-shattering 20 lbs for deadlifts. Could I have physically handled more? Yes, BUT I would have been compensating. I found my hip not getting angry at ALL at those light loads. So I made that my starting point, kept with it and slowly progressed. This was about 6 months ago. Today, I am squatting 100-110 lbs pain/tightness free and continue to increase my weight with a goal of 1.25x body weight eventually. My deadlifts are coming along as well. It was a bit of an ego blow to do all of this, but it had to be done and I am beyond happy I took the time to build up my own capacity and practice what I preach ;)
Building strength is a long-term process.
Focus on building capacity over time, gradually increasing your training load while maintaining proper form and allowing for sufficient recovery. And for all of you outdoor athletes who do absolutely no strength training- You need to be building up your muscles in an isolated, focused way, challenging them with load. Most sports demand a combo of balance, agility and explosive power. The ability to succeed is based on a solid foundation of strength training or else you risk fatigue, decreased control, poor form leading to injury and slower recovery. Being strong = reducing impact stress placed on your joints = better shock absorption = better control = reduced injury risk. The list goes on. Safely build strength, increase muscle mass, and achieve your long-term fitness goals. Stay patient, stay consistent, and let your muscles do the work!