Tendonitis – Strengthening Exercises for Biceps, Elbows & Knees
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Do you have tendonitis? If you’re suffering from a tendon injury right now or if you just want to prevent one and better support your joints, this guide is for you.
Just like you can build muscle, you can build tendons, you can likely increase your ligament strength, and there’s even some evidence to suggest you can improve the resilience of your cartilage if you train carefully and give yourself time to adapt. In this guide I’ll share a simple, conservative, three-month protocol you can follow at home to strengthen some key tendons. It takes just five minutes, twice a week, and is designed to supplement any other form of exercise you already do.
For the sake of simplicity, this focuses on strengthening the tendons in your knees, elbows, and biceps, but you could apply the same protocol to the tendons of most joints in your body. During the first month you’ll work on isometric movement, the second month on eccentric, and by the third month you’ll work on eccentric and concentric movements combined.
Unlike muscles, which can build quickly, changes in your tendons won’t happen overnight. But if you’re patient and commit to these three-month training blocks, you’ll hopefully see some great results.
What is Tendonitis?
Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon, the tissue that connects muscles to bones. It typically results from overuse or injury, causing pain, swelling, and restricted movement in the affected area.
The most common areas for tendonitis include the shoulders (rotator cuff tendinitis), elbows (tennis or golfer’s elbow), wrists (wrist tendonitis), knees (patellar tendonitis), and Achilles tendon (Achilles tendonitis).
While highly metabolic muscle tissue adapts quickly, your tendons and ligaments require months to strengthen and change. With that in mind, a conservative, persistent approach with a three-month target is a smart way to approach a tendonitis healing journey.
Tendon & Ligament Strengthening Exercises
1. Knees
These poses focus on the tendons in your knees, specifically your quadriceps and patellar tendons.
Month 1 – Wall Sit (isometric)
If you have a nighttime prayer, meditation, or mindfulness practice already, do that before you go to sleep. If you don’t, yoga breathing is incredibly effective and takes just a few minutes. The 4:8 supine breathing practice below will help to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, slow your heart rate, slow your respiration rate, and put you in a ready state for deep, restful sleep.
- Stand with your back to a wall, bend your knees over your ankles to 90 degrees
- Hold for 30 seconds
- Relax, repeat for 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off for five minutes in total
- If this feels too easy, hold a weight in front of you with both hands
Month 2 – Single Leg Lunge (eccentric)
- Step your right foot forward and lower down into a lunge to the count of five
- Front knee over your big toe, tap your left knee and both hands on the ground
- Make your way up to stand and switch sides
- Perform five sets of five reps on each side
Month 3 – Split Squat (concentric and eccentric)
- Repeat the lunging motion of the previous pose
- As you reach the bottom, rise up instead of tapping the floor
- Aim for five sets of five reps on each side
2. Elbows
This pose focuses specifically on strengthening the flexor tendons in your elbows, although the same principles would apply to your extensor tendons. You’ll need something to hold on to – try small hand weights, a water bottle, or a long, heavy pole.
Month 1 – Flexion/Extension (isometric)
- Sit on a stool, holding a pole or a weight in both hands
- Plant your elbows on top of your legs
- Very gently, flex your wrists to load up the tendons and hold for 30 seconds
- Relax, repeat for five sets of 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off
Month 2 (eccentric)
- From the same position as before, hold the weight with your right hand only
- Plant your elbow, flex your wrist, hold, then lower down slowly to the count of five
- Use your left hand to assist on the concentric portion (raising the weight back up)
- Repeat for five sets of five reps on each side
- You’ll likely need to increase the weight on this one to keep building strength
Month 3 (concentric and eccentric)
- From the same position, plant both elbows with a weight in both hands
- Flex your wrists down to the count of three
- Flex your wrists back up to the count of three
- Repeat for five sent of five reps on both sides
- You’ll likely need to use a heavier weight very quickly
3. Biceps
This is the easiest of the three tendons to isolate. You’ll need a dumbbell or something pretty heavy to hold on to, still aim for no more than 40% of your max lifting weight.
Month 1 – Bicep Curl (isometric)
- Sit on a stool, holding a dumbbell in your right hand
- Plant your elbow, lower the weight all the way down until your arm is almost straight
- Hold here for 30 seconds, relax and place the weight on the ground for 30 seconds
- Repeat for 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, five times on each side
- If this feels too gentle, add more load, but be careful
Month 2 – Negative Bicep Curl (eccentric)
- From the same position, hold a dumbbell in your right hand, bicep curled upwards
- Lower down very slowly to the count of five
- Use your left hand to help lift the weight back up to the start position
- Repeat for five sets of five reps on each side
Month 3 (eccentric and concentric)
- Assuming everything’s feeling good, you’re now ready to move back into a normal bicep curl
- Try raising the weight to the count of one and lowering to the count of three
- Aim for five sets of five reps on each arm
Safety Disclaimer
This guide is for educational purposes only. If you have a serious tendon injury, please see a doctor before starting any self-care routine.
Want to Learn More?
- Join our YOGABODY Daily at-home fitness program
- Check out our YouTube Channel (free to subscribe)
- The Lucas Rockwood Show Podcast
