#797: 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

Dr. Keith Baar is a Professor at the University of California, Davis in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology. During his Ph.D. studies, his research revealed that mechanical strain on muscle fibers activates the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, a crucial regulator of muscular hypertrophy. Subsequently, he studied the molecular dynamics of skeletal muscle adaptation to endurance training under the guidance of Dr. John Holloszy, a legend in the field of exercise physiology, considered the father of modern exercise biochemistry. Building on all of this experience, he conducted research into tendon health and the potential for engineering ligaments, which could have implications for treatment and recovery from injuries. Sponsors: Cresset prestigious family office for CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs: https://cressetcapital.com/tim (book a call today) AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.) Shopify global commerce platform, providing tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business: https://shopify.com/tim (one-dollar-per-month trial period) * Links to everything discussed: https://tim.blog/2025/02/26/dr-keith-baar/ Timestamps: [00:00:00] Start [00:07:12] How I discovered Keith’s work through a tweet about tennis elbow and rock climbing. [00:07:54] Emil Abrahamsson’s hangboard training protocol. [00:09:20] The fundamental principles of strength training and connective tissue adaptation. [00:10:36] mTOR complex 1 and its role in muscle growth. [00:12:06] Engineered ligaments and the discovery of minimal effective doses for tendon adaptation. [00:13:50] The refractory period between optimal tendon loading sessions. [00:16:42] Rapamycin’s effects on muscle hypertrophy. [00:18:49] Protocols for tennis elbow rehabilitation. [00:20:28] Why isometrics work better than eccentrics for tendon heal