A smart progression pattern for speed work: Phase 1: 1-2 stride sessions weekly Phase 2: Replace 1 stride session with short intervals (keep 1 stride) Phase 3: Replace short intervals with longer intervals (maintain 1 stride session) This lets you adjust based on how your body responds.

The athletes who take 12 weeks to return properly race for years. Those who rush back in 4 weeks spend months dealing with setbacks. Patience in the final stage of rehab pays dividends for seasons to come.

After a running injury, the biggest mistake isn't returning too slowly. It's jumping from "I can run pain-free" straight back to your old interval workouts. The gap between rehab and performance is bigger than athletes realize. Most re-injuries happen in this window.

The 3-Phase Speed Work Progression System: Phase 1: Strides (Weeks 1-4) - controlled accelerations to 5k pace Phase 2: Short Intervals (Weeks 4-8) - 30s to 2min repeats Phase 3: Extended Intervals (Week 8+) - tempo work and race pacing Slowly extending your faster running.

Most runners returning from injury think strides are too easy. Wrong mindset. A stride is controlled acceleration from easy jog to 5k pace (not a sprint). It's about touching faster speeds without blowing anything up. Respect the process.

Stride progression for returning runners: Week 1-2: 4x 30s strides after easy runs Week 3-4: Build to 8x 30s strides → Note distance on first rep, repeat it → Evaluate after each: pain, discomfort, fatigue? → Always finish strong, never drained

Elite athletes across multiple sports can only handle 1-2 'workouts' per week maximum. You're no exception to that rule. Yet most runners try to pack 3-4 speed sessions into their week. This is a recipe for setbacks.

Pro tip for stride consistency: Note the distance you cover on your first 30s stride, then repeat that exact distance for each rep. No need to stare at your watch. Focus on feel, form, and finishing controlled. Simple systems work best.

How to know when you're ready to progress phases: • No pain or discomfort during/after sessions • Recovering well between workouts • Maintaining easy run quality on off days • Completing sessions feeling controlled, not destroyed Your body will tell you when it's ready.

Extended interval progression (Week 8+): Start: 1-2x 5min intervals with equal recovery Build: 2-3x 5min intervals (if running 60+ min easy) Target: 8-10min intervals over several weeks This milestone = transition from rehab to true performance training.

Golden rule for speed work progression: "Leave one in the tank" None of these intervals should take you to complete exhaustion. We save that for racing. Better to finish strong than drained. You're building capacity, not testing limits.

The hardest part of returning to speed work after injury isn't running fast again. It's bridging the gap between "I can run pain-free" and "I can race." Most runners rush this transition and end up back in rehab. Here's the exact system I use to prevent that:

The biggest early mistake in speed work rehab: Skipping the bridge between easy running and race intervals. Solution: Start with strides, progress to short intervals, then extend duration. This system respects tissue healing while building speed capacity.

My guidelines for speed work during running rehab: - Start with fewer intervals than you think - Leave one in the tank - Always use equal to double rest periods - Walking, standing, or easy running recovery as needed - 1 workout max per week

Short interval progression (Weeks 4-8): Start: 8x 30s on/30s off Progress: 8x 1min on/1min off Advance: 4-6x 2min on/2min off Equal to double rest periods. Goal: repeated faster running while monitoring injury tolerance.

After a knee injury, most runners think complete rest = faster healing. The bigger mistake: waiting weeks to start loading the tendon again. Your patellar tendon needs progressive stress to rebuild strength. Passive treatments can't build the running resilience you need. Training IS your rehab.

Common patellar tendon rehab mistake: pushing through irritating activities. Better approach: pause anything causing pain (hills, stairs, aggressive cycling position) while you build strength through targeted exercises. Create the right environment for healing, then progressively challenge it.

Plyometric progression for patellar tendon strength: Double-leg hops → Single-leg hops → Lunge drops These movements increase your tendon tolerance to running demands. Start simple, progress systematically, respect tissue healing timelines.

How to know when to progress your patellar tendon rehab: Phase 1 → Phase 2: Pain during daily activities resolves Phase 2 → Phase 3: Can perform loading exercises without flare-ups Phase 3 → Full training: Handle 30+ minute runs pain-free Test, don't guess your readiness.

Most athletes separate "rehab" from "training" in their minds. The mistake: believing passive treatments will get you back to running. Your body adapts to what you consistently demand of it. The progressive loading you do in the gym IS your path back to the trails.

Don't confuse patellar tendon pain with other knee issues: • Mid-thigh/shin pain → possible stress fracture • Quad muscle pain → muscle strain, not tendon issue • Below kneecap → likely patellar tendon Location matters for proper treatment approach.

Isometric → Isokinetic exercise progression: Phase 1: Wall sits and iso split squats (calm inflammation) Phase 2: Dynamic movements like split squats and lunges (rebuild strength) Phase 3: Plyometric hops and jumps (running-specific power) Each phase prepares you for the next level.

You don't need to avoid all knee pain during patellar tendon rehab. Some discomfort during rehab is normal and helpful. Good rehab should generate fatigue and muscle soreness. Use pain as your guide, but don't fear the work your tendon needs to adapt.

Day 0 patellar tendon rehab toolkit: • Kneecap mobilizations → small movements in all directions • Isometric loading → wall sits or iso split squats • Passive modalities → create a window to start training again Key principle: get things calmed down so you can load the area.

The running return progression for patellar tendon issues: • Walking → walk-runs → continuous runs • Add 15 minutes each week once pain-free • Strides → shorter intervals → tempo work Monitor pain at each step. Only progress as tolerated, but keep progressing.

The biggest early mistake in patellar tendon rehab: Relying on passive treatments beyond 2-3 weeks. After initial pain management, training becomes your rehab. Progressive loading builds the specific adaptations your knee needs for running and cycling.

The hardest part of patellar tendon rehab isn't the pain below your kneecap. It's knowing when to push through vs when to back off. Most runners get stuck cycling between complete rest and making it worse. Here's my 3-phase system that actually works:

Loading options for patellar tendon rehab: • Split squats • Reverse lunges • Knee extension machine • Goblet squats • Step ups • Leg press Goal: find progressions that load the patellar region without irritating the injury.

Patellar tendon rehab reality check: You're not just getting back to where you were, you're building a stronger, more sustainable system. Respect the timeline your body needs. Use phases that match tissue healing while building running-specific adaptations.

The 3-Phase Patellar Tendon Rehab System: • Phase 1: Calm down current pain (weeks 1-4) • Phase 2: Reintroduce progressive loading (weeks 3-8) • Phase 3: Full return and strength building (weeks 6-12+) Each phase builds toward your return to sport. Don't skip steps even if you feel better.

After a triathlon injury, one mistake is skipping rehab exercises. A bigger mistake is jumping into complex movements without understanding the progression. The bridge from isometrics to performance? Loading through movement (isokinetic).

The 2-path exercise decision system: • Path 1: Rehab focus (isolate the problem tissue) • Path 2: Strength focus (train movement patterns) Pick based on your situation, not what looks impressive on social media.

My typical rehab progression with endurance athletes: Phase 1: Isometrics (static holds) Phase 2: Isokinetic exercises (loading with movement) Phase 3: Plyometric movements (jumps and hops) Sometimes athletes respond better to early movement-based loading, but this is my go-to sequence.

The big movement patterns for endurance athletes: • Push • Pull • Hinge • Squat • Lunge • Twist/Hold This is where most athletes should spend their time: moving well under load with multiple muscle groups working together.

Most athletes think they need perfect form before adding load. But if you've mastered static holds, you're ready for movement-based loading. Perfect exercise you can't do < good exercise you do consistently.

The hardest part of rehab isn't doing isometric holds. It's knowing what comes next when you're stuck between basic exercises and complex movements. Most athletes plateau here because they lack a system to progress.

My 6-option loading menu for endurance athletes: • Bodyweight progressions • Resistance bands • Dumbbells/kettlebells • Barbells • Cable machines • Specialized equipment Match your method to your resources, not the other way around.

Isokinetic exercises are the bridge back to performance. Iso = same, kinetic = movement. You're training either a single muscle or a group of muscles in a pattern. Loading through movement closes the gap between rehab and sport.

The 2-3 rep reserve rule for rehab exercises: Stop when you could do 2-3 more reps but choose not to. Goal: Increase load while maintaining similar intensity week to week. This is how you progress without flare-ups.

The hardest part of rehab isn't doing isometric holds. It's knowing what comes next. Many athletes get stuck between basic starting exercises and more complex movements. Here's my system that gets endurance athletes unstuck:

Simple rehab strength parameters for endurance athletes: • 1-2 movements per problem area • 2-3 working sets • 6-10 reps • 2-3 reps in reserve Progress by adding load, reps, or sets while maintaining intensity week to week.

Target the tissues first: Knee extensions → quad/patellar tendon External rotation → rotator cuff (specifically infra) Lying leg lifts → glute min/med The transition back to sport comes by progressing each movement accordingly.

Common loading mistake: Chasing the perfect exercise setup. Better approach: Choose exercises that you can perform, target the area best, and use max loading you have access to. Consistency beats perfection in rehab.

Why athletes get stuck in rehab: You either end up in a plateau or give up because you don't know what exercise to do next. The solution? Pick an exercise that you can do with equipment you have access to. Done consistently.

The biggest early mistake in running rehab: Confusion about when to progress from isometric to movement-based exercises. Key signs I look for: • Minimal pain with isos • Light training resumed without flare-ups • Movement-based exercises feel manageable Confidence beats confusion every time.

After a triathlon injury, if you've been cross-training and doing rehab strength, you probably haven't lost much endurance fitness. What you've lost is tolerance to running.

A simple way to extend your rehab runs: Adding 15 minutes per week. Week 1: 30/30/30 Week 2: 30/30/45 Week 3: 45/30/45 Week 4: 45/45/45 Only add more volume, if no pain flares.

Start your rehab journey by walking your 'random Tuesday run' duration 3-4x/week. Not your long run. Not your workout. Your basic, everyday run length.

A 3-phase running rehab plan: • Phase 1: Walk your normal run duration • Phase 2: Add run-walk intervals • Phase 3: Extend total session time Master each phase before moving on.

Don't focus on intensity during running rehab. Focus on time on your feet first.