Joints¶
Your joints have to outlast your motivation.
Rules that keep you in the game¶
- Full range you own, not range you borrow with momentum
- Control the weight. If you have to heave it, it's too heavy.
- Warm up the joints you'll use: 5 minutes easy + 1–2 lighter sets
- Pain that changes how you walk or sleep is a stop sign
Common after-40 issues¶
| Area | Usually helps | Usually doesn't |
|---|---|---|
| Knees | Leg press, step-backs, slower tempo, more walking | Bouncing out of the bottom of a heavy squat |
| Low back | Hip hinge with a light load, core bracing, walking | Rounding on deadlifts to "hit the number" |
| Shoulders | Push-ups, landmine / neutral-grip press | Behind-the-neck anything, kipping |
| Elbows / wrists | Neutral grips, slower eccentrics | Daily max-effort curls and skullcrushers |
Tendons¶
Tendons adapt slower than muscle. If something is niggled, cut volume, keep light blood-flow work, and give it weeks, not days.
When to get help¶
- Swelling, locking, giving-way
- Numbness or pain down a leg or arm
- Night pain that is getting worse
A good PT is not weakness. It is how you keep training in October.