Build up training gradually
Raise how often, how long and how hard you train by no more than about 10% a week.
- How often
- Weekly
- Recommended for
- 15 factors
How to do it
- Note your current weekly training, such as total miles, minutes or sessions.
- Increase it by no more than about 10% from one week to the next. Change one thing at a time, distance or speed, not both.
- Every few weeks, hold steady or cut back for a lighter week.
- Mix in other activities, such as cycling or swimming, so the same tissues are not loaded every day.
- Treat pain that lingers or gets worse as a signal to back off, not to push through.
Why it helps
Many overuse injuries, such as shin splints and stress fractures, follow a sudden jump in training. Bones, tendons and muscles adapt to load, but more slowly than fitness does. The 10% rule is a rule of thumb, not a precise limit, but gradual increases give your body time to catch up.
Be careful
Pain that persists, swelling, or pain at a specific spot on a bone should be checked by a doctor before you keep training.
Recommended for
Basketball
Jumps, hard landings and sudden cuts, game after game.
hobbyCrossFit and HIIT
Fast, hard intervals with jumps, lifts and very little rest.
hobbyDancing
Jumps, turns and hours on the balls of your feet.
hobbyGolf
A twisting swing repeated hundreds of times, plus hours in the sun.
hobbyHiking
Miles of uneven ground, steep descents and long days outdoors.
occupationMassage therapist
Your hands are the tool, and your body is the lever behind them.
hobbyMountain biking
Rough trails, steep drops and a lot of jolting through your arms.
occupationMusician
Hours of practice, loud stages, late nights and an instrument to hold.
hobbyPlaying guitar
Hours of fretting, strumming and holding an awkward posture.
hobbyPlaying piano
Long practice sessions on a bench with fast, forceful finger work.
hobbyRoad cycling
Hours bent over the bars, legs spinning thousands of turns per ride.
hobbyRock climbing
Hanging your body weight from your fingertips, often above the ground.
hobbyRunning
Thousands of footstrikes a week, mostly through your shins, knees and feet.
hobbySwimming
Thousands of overhead strokes, chlorinated water and wet ears.
hobbyWeightlifting
Heavy loads through your back, shoulders and wrists, set after set.