Playing Pain-Free Again: A 5 Week Plan for the Aging Athlete
Meet the athlete:
I was sitting around the campfire recently with a former player and assistant coach of mine. We were catching up after 5 years of not seeing each other. The inevitable question came around “are you still playing?” He just turned 35. He played competitively for years after college. But he’s currently resigned to co-ed/recreational leagues because his knees and ankles can’t handle the stress of competitive play anymore. Like all of us, he doesn’t want to give the game up, but he’s tired of limping through it.
This is a situation where playing more isn’t the fix — improving movement quality, tissue quality, and strength through targeted exercises off the field — will make all the difference on the field.
We were enjoying a chill evening around the fire. And I had no interest in putting on my coaching hat, but I told him I’d have something for him soon. So here it is for you too, because I know he’s not alone.
The Questions I’d Ask First
No guessing. I’d start by asking questions to gain understanding:
Where exactly is the pain? Sharp or dull? Inside the joint or around the muscles
When does it show up — during warm-up, mid-game, or after play?
How long does it last after activity? Hours? Days?
Have you had prior knee or ankle injuries (ligament, meniscus, sprains, fractures)?
What does your current training look like (strength, conditioning, recovery habits)?
Tell me about your nutrition, hydration, and sleep?
These answers set the stage. Pain is always feedback. We need to know what it’s telling us before we prescribe solutions.
The Assessments I’d Run
Next step: testing. Nothing fancy, just simple movement screens to expose your capacities in movement quality and strength.
Single Leg Balance: Eyes open/closed. Can you stabilize without your ankle collapsing?
Single Leg Squat / Box Step Up: Do your knees dive in? Can you control your hip, knee, and ankle stacked?
Isometric Holds: Can you hold a wall sit, a split squat, a calf raise? Where do you fatigue first?
Hop & Land: Can you stick a landing without wobbling? Can you control ankle, knee, hip in change of direction?
Range of Motion: Ankles, knees, and hips — is the capacity to move into the areas we need access to?
These aren’t just tests. They’re roadmaps to where your body needs help.
The Training Tools That Work
This is an in home program, for someone who has not been regularly strength training, with the only equipment being a towel and a step (you could use a strap or band too). With these constraints in mind, here are the training method I’d use:
Yielding Isometrics: Holding positions under load teaches your body to own positions that currently feel unstable.
Overcoming Isometrics: Pressing into immovable resistance builds tendon and joint strength — key for knees/ankles.
Targeted Isolation Work: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, and the small stabilizers around the ankle — each has a job. We’ll improve their capacity to do it.
Plyometrics: Controlled exposure to impact. Short ground contacts to teach control and stiffness. Deep range hops to build strength at length.
Together, this mix restores strength, stability, coordination in your joints while building confidence in your mind.
Step Four: THe 5-Week Reset
Here’s the plan. Minimal equipment, maximum payoff.
Complete each superset (A1|A2) for two sets each before moving onto the next superset (B1|B2).
Training sessions should be completed with a minimum of 2 days apart. So Monday - Thursday or Tuesday - Friday, etc.
Day 1
A1) Glute Bridge 10x10s Iso | A2) Split Squat Heel Elevated Iso x30s
B1) Single Leg Calf Raise 10x10s Iso | B2) Wall Sit Iso x30s
C1) Single Leg Linear Line Jumps x15s | C2) Yielding Squat Jumps x8
Day 2
A1) Single Leg Glute Bridge 10x10s Iso | A2) Split Squat Iso Towel Pull x 10s
B1) Calf Raise 10x10s Iso | B2) Single Leg Wall Sit x20s
C1) Single Leg Lateral Line Jumps x15s | C2) Yielding Split Squat Alternating Jumps x20s
Progression
Everything is programmed for time. To progress each week you will add 5 seconds to each exercise. For example on Day 1 A2 is the Split Squat Heel Elevated Iso starting at 30s. Week 2 should progress to 35s, week 3 would be 40s, week 4 at 45s, and 50s at week 5.
5 weeks won’t make you 19 again. But it will:
✅ Strengthen your knees and ankles
✅ Build confidence in your movement
✅ Restore coordination and stability
✅ Get you back on your way to pain-free play.
Need More Than a Template?
This plan works. But if you want something tailored to your body, your history, your goals — that’s where I come in.
I offer 60-minute consult calls to assess, design, and deliver a plan that actually fits you.
Because at this stage of life…You don’t have time to guess.
Shoot me a quick email to set something up!
Or jump on the Evergreen Performance Program (free) to get fresh, focused programming delivered to your inbox at the top of everything month.