Navigating Injuries and Maximum Tolerable Threshold

Most injuries benefit from movement and staying active.

Movement and exercise increases blood flow which delivery oxygen and nutrients to the damaged tissue. Muscular contractions stimulate the lymphatic system, which removes waste products like damaged tissue, and further enhances the healing process.

Finding your maximum tolerable threshold allows the athlete to continue to navigate injuries while still pursuing strength and hypertrophy adaptations. This will vary from athlete to athlete and requires a lot of experimentation. Athlete preferences also can guide this experience.

Here is a sample progression for an athlete that wants to pump up his back squat but can’t load axially in the short-term:

• Leg press & leg extensions/curls

• Split squat variations, hip thrusts, and hinge variations

• Split squats | Bulgarian SS, standard, and/or front foot elevated

• Hinge variations | 45° hip extension or GHD hip extension

• RDL variations

• Front squats & hack squats

• Box squats

• Back squats

Many of our athletes are already quite strong, so we tend to start loading for 3 sets of 6 reps at a heavier load (within tolerance), then build capacity up to 3x12 with the same load. Progression with load then moves up as sets and reps are reset to 3x6.