David Hardy

Cluster sets are a game-changer in how we approach strength training. By inserting short rest intervals between reps or mini-sets, athletes can maintain bar speed, handle heavier loads with better quality, and accumulate more meaningful volume. As highlighted here, cluster sets can be organized in multiple ways—standard, ascending, descending, or undulating—each designed to meet different training objectives while preserving intensity and technical execution. For coaches and professionals, this flexibility makes cluster sets an invaluable tool for driving strength, power, and precision. Whether building intensity with ascending loads, reinforcing speed with descending patterns, or keeping the body adapting with undulating strategies, cluster sets provide a structured framework for sustainable progress. Thank you to Timothy J. Suchomel for illustrating these concepts so clearly in Science and Development of Muscular Strength. 💪📘

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🧬 Tendinopathy: It’s not just overload. It’s a vicious loop. For years, tendinopathy has been simplified as an overuse injury. But this new review challenges that notion — and builds a much more complex picture. 🧠 Think of tendinopathy as a “tendinopathic loop” — a feedback cycle where: 🔁 Mechanical stress triggers… 🔥 Inflammation, which promotes… 🌱 Vascular changes, including neovessel growth and permeability And together, they reinforce each other. 📌 Some standout insights: -Tendon cells (tenocytes) aren’t all the same — they include subpopulations with roles in inflammation, ECM regulation, and even immune signaling (👋 “tenophages”). -Matrix changes aren’t just structural — they’re biochemical too. Local acidosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, and lipid accumulation all play a role. -Intratendinous pressure may be the missing link, explaining pain and hypoxia in chronic cases. -Targeting cellular metabolism — including glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation — could be a future therapeutic strategy. 💡 Bottom line: Tendinopathy isn’t caused by one thing. It’s the result of multiple systems gone awry — and we need multimodal treatments that address inflammation, loading patterns, and tissue environment. 📖 Read the full paper: Gehwolf et al., Advanced Science (2025) – DOI: 10.1002/advs.202506440 #SportsMedicine #Tendinopathy #Rehabilitation #Physiotherapy #TendonHealth #ReturnToPlay #ECM #Metabolism #Inflammation #MechanicalStress #InjuryRecovery

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🚨 84% of athletes expect to return after ACL surgery… only 24% actually do. Ask almost any athlete about to undergo ACL reconstruction (ACLR) what they expect after surgery, and the answer is simple: “I’ll be back playing my sport, just like before.” But here’s the kicker; while 84% of athletes in this large Australian study expected to get back to their preinjury level, only 24% actually did so at the 12-month mark. Even more striking, 15% had already given up on sport entirely within the first year. This isn’t about pessimism. It’s about aligning expectations with reality, and making sure patients and clinicians are both better prepared for the ups, the downs, and the decisions along the ACL journey. Continue reading here: https://lnkd.in/gu-wzWA5

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Why do some athletes outperform “stronger" teammates? Matt Jordan, PhD argues the answer may lie in reflexive eccentrics; the body’s ability to absorb and redirect force rapidly and instinctively. Unlike traditional heavy eccentrics, these movements focus on explosive eccentric strength, lower-limb stiffness, and rapid force production: the qualities that partially underpin sprinting, cutting, jumping, and even lingering deficits in rehab. Article link: https://lnkd.in/eRZujQDi Matt Jordan will be presenting on this very topic at the Sportsmith Strength & Power Conference (11–12 Oct, Etihad Stadium, Manchester). Click the link for more information: https://lnkd.in/eF7mcaaa

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