09/10/2025 This is based on the [podcast episode](https://tim.blog/2025/02/26/dr-keith-baar/) Tim Ferris did with Dr. Keith Baar, UC Davis. I've personally struggled, and continue to struggle, with multiple connective tissue issues. I will lay out all relevant information found within Tim's podcast, and all supplementary materials related it, that could contribute to improving tendon health. ## Key Takeaways *I highly recommend reading this whole article, but here are the bullet points.* - Do Isometrics that involve unhealthy tendons for 10 minutes, 2x a day, with at least 8 hours in between sessions. Start with 10 minutes of 10 seconds on, 50 seconds off and progress up to 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. - Do isometrics where you're pushing or pulling against an immovable force (Overcoming Isometrics). Ramp up tension over the course of a few seconds to avoid jerking your tendon. - Take Vitamin C and Collagen protein 30-60 mins before doing a workout that involves the recovering tendon, for increased collagen synthesis. ## Isometrics & Tendons Explained **What are Isometrics?** Isometric exercises are ones in which your muscle length remains relatively constant. **Are Tendons Homogeneous?** Tendons are not a homogenous tissue, there are stronger (stiffer), and weaker (less stiff) portions of it. **What happens when you subject Tendons to Isometrics?** After some time, "the strong part gets tired and the load then is put onto the rest of the tendon." "The longer the isometric, the more evenly the signal is given to all of the cells within" [^1] the tendon. ## Overcoming vs. Yielding Isometrics **Overcoming Isometrics:** Pushing or pulling against an immovable force. Example: wedging yourself in a door and pushing on the other side of the frame. The tension can be ramped up. **Yielding Isometrics:** Holding a position. Example: planks. You need to apply just the right amount of tension in order to stay in the same position. **Jerk:** Distance/time^3: rate of change of acceleration (acceleration/time). Jerk is the thing that’s going to induce injury. [^1] *Overcoming Isometrics can be beneficial, especially when just starting to rehab tendons, because they can minimize the amount of jerk on the tendon.* ## Isometric Exercise Implementation The basis for a large portion of the discussion on Tim's podcast, is Dr. Keith Baar's [paper](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5371618/). In the paper he indicates "that short (<10 min) periods of activity with relatively long (6 h) periods of rest are best to train" [^2] connective tissues. This can be implemented in different ways, for instance [Emil](https://www.youtube.com/@EmilAbrahamsson) (a climber - who's video I believe originally inspired Tim to record this podcast episode) did the following (2x a day, with at least 8 hours in between each session): 10 Seconds on, 50 seconds rest for each hang. 1. Four finger crimp on 14mm edge, 3 sets. (70-80% effort of what it would take to lift from the ground) 2. Three finger-drag in deep pocket, 3 sets. (70-80% effort of what it would take to lift from the ground) 3. Middle two finger-pocket, 1 set. (50-60% effort of what it would take to lift from the ground) 4. Front two finger-pocket, 1 set. (50-60% effort of what it would take to lift from the ground) 5. Middle two finger-crimp, 1 set (stretch pinkies during rest). (30-40% effort of what it would take to lift from the ground) 6. Front two finger-crimp, 1 set (stretch pinkies during rest). (30-40% effort of what it would take to lift from the ground) The video laying all of this out is at the bottom of this post. ## Supplementation/Nutrition Take Vitamin C and Collagen protein 30-60 mins before doing a workout that involves the recovering tendon. **Rationale:** "Amino acids that are enriched in collagen (proline, hydroxyproline, and hydroxylysine) added together with vitamin C can improve collagen synthesis." [^2] Connective tissues don't receive good blood supply. "The way that those tissues get their nutrients is by getting either compressed or stretched, and the matrix gets squeezed of the liquid, then, as it relaxes, it’s going to bring liquid in from the environment. If the environmental liquid has more of the amino acids and the vitamin C that we need to build more collagen, having the collagen base before you do your exercise, that’s the ideal situation." "Take it about 30 minutes to an hour before." [^1] --- Video showing how Emil used Dr. Keith Baar's work to improve his finger strength: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sBTI9qiH4UE?si=mLte89Ezj5WCGcyg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> --- [^1]: The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Dr. Keith Baar, UC Davis — Simple Exercises That Can Repair Tendons (Tennis Elbow, etc.), Collagen Fact vs. Fiction, Isometrics vs. Eccentrics, JAK Inhibitors, Growth Hormone vs. IGF-1, The Anti-RICE Protocol, and How to Use Load as an Anti-Inflammatory (#797) (https://tim.blog/2025/02/27/dr-keith-baar-transcript/#content) [^2]: Baar K. Minimizing Injury and Maximizing Return to Play: Lessons from Engineered Ligaments. Sports Med. 2017 Mar;47(Suppl 1):5-11. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0719-x. PMID: 28332110; PMCID: PMC5371618.