[Glock13]

Does anyone have any recommendations for elbow stretches, warm-ups, supplements, etc. I recently started getting elbow pain when working triceps. It is the worst during cable push-downs. Triceps used to be my favorite part to work. However, now I feel the pain in my elbow more than the burn in my triceps. I don't know if it is tendonitis, bursitus, tennis-elbow or what. However, it feels like it is a tendon or ligament. Does anyone have any stretches or suggestions. Do those elbow sleeves (soft braces) do anything to help? I have been told that once you take some of the joint medications you have to keep taking them forever. Is this correct. Thanks for any advice.

[G17Jake]

Have you seen a orthopedic specialist?

Maybe a shot of cortisone would fix your elbow.

[Phil34]

I have wore a tennis elbow ACE bandage that helped me alot. I work with another guy that swears on a copper bracelet.
I got a cortisone shot once that lasted about three days. The ACE tennis elbow strap works the best.

[Eyespy]

Good chance you are experiencing triceps tendonitis. If so, it needs lots of rest. It's an overuse injury. Ignoring it can culminate in chronic tendonitis, tendonosis, tendon rupture. Since it's too hard to examine over the internet, make time to see a sports med specialist, or orthopedist specializing in sports medicine.

[Glock13]

Originally posted by Eyespy
Good chance you are experiencing triceps tendonitis. If so, it needs lots of rest. It's an overuse injury. Ignoring it can culminate in chronic tendonitis, tendonosis, tendon rupture. Since it's too hard to examine over the internet, make time to see a sports med specialist, or orthopedist specializing in sports medicine.

That sounds exactly like what I have. How long of a rest are we talking about? Weeks, months..?? Thanks for the advice.

[FreakyBig]

Theres nothing you can do stretching wise for it. The best thing you can do is to make sure you take the time for some good warm up sets when starting chest and triceps. Mine usually only hurts on skull crushers or overhead extensions. It will actually hurt more on my light warm up sets than it does when I start to go heavy. Glucosamine and Chondroitin probably would'nt hurt either.

[California Jack]

I'm going to suggest something that may sound a little unorthodox to you. I say, for a while (however long it takes to heal), that you only do compound and multiple compound exercises. Abandon isolation work. If you are really worried about triceps not getting enough work from bench, incline bench, dips, presses, push presses, etc. etc.. Do an auxillary day that would include close grip bench press.

Good luck,
Jack

[soop]

I suffered from this very same thing for about 2 years on and off. I am a strength and conditioning coach and I have also trained many athletes with this same problem.

Most elbow problems are from overuse and bad habits. Two of the most common injuries are tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. The tennis type occurs when the extensor muscles in the forearm become inflamed on the outside of the elbow. Similarly, duffers often find that the muscles and tendons that flex their fingers and wrists become aggravated on the inner side of the elbow. Elbow injuries are often the result of poor form or repetitive bad habits, like twisting your wrists at the end of a triceps pull-down.

One of the most important rules of training is to give your body adequate time to recover between each workout. Not only does this help avoid over training it will help you avoid injury.

One thing to consider; if your form is poor you could be making a minor injury worse.

Here are a few stretches that I found to be very beneficial:

STRETCH #1 Extend your left arm straight out and parallel to the floor, with the elbow locked and your palm facing down. With your right hand, pull the fingers on your left hand down toward the floor, bending your wrist. (The arm doesn't move.) Hold for 15 to 20 seconds. Switch arms.

STRETCH #2 Extend your left arm straight out and parallel to the floor, with the elbow locked and your palm facing up. With your right hand, pull your left hand back and the fingers toward the floor. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds. Switch arms.

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS FOR INJURIES:

RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation

Take several styrafoam cups and fill them with water. Put them in your freezer and allow them to freeze. In the evenings while you're sitting around doing nothing...Take one of those cups that you have in the freezer and use it to massage anything that hurts on your body (with the ice directly against your skin)...As it melts..just peel down the dixie cup exposing more ice...Fairly simple but highly effective..Then after the injury is numb, apply consistent pressure on the main rubbing in a circular motion. Do this with a lot of pressure to break up the inflammation. After you massage for abour 5 minutes. Do the above stretches. This works well for me and the clients I train.

Some good tips are as follows:

1. Proper form and avoid over training

2. Do prehab exercises like I listed above

3. Ice packs 10-20 minutes post workout..

4. Ice massages with good ol fashioned frozen dixie cups of water.

Hope this helps!

[Glock13]

Thanks for the advice. I am pretty sure the injury is from overuse. I use very strict form and never turn at the bottom of tricep extensions. Will do those stretches though and I plan on resting for a few weeks.

[Glock13]

I have decided I am not going to work arms until December 17th. That will be giving them about 5 weeks off. Hopefully that will do it. I also think I am not going to work bi's and tri's on the same day anymore. I think that was contributing to it. Not working arms sucks though.

[five-0]

California Jack gave great advice.

I was in a similar situation and did compound movements only...no isolation work. I thought I'd lose some.
I didn't, in fact I never went back to isolation work again.
Now...all I do is Clubbells.
Best.

[California Jack]

Thanks five-o. I very very rarely do isolation work too. I promote something I read on Dan John's web-site; "The body is one piece."

For the life of me I don't understand why anyone but bodybuilders do much isolation work, and I really don't understand why people bodybuild.

Glock13, I think you'll enjoy your time spent doing compound and multiple compound movements. Train hard and I don't think you'll loose much if any at all.

Now, Five-o, could you start a new thread an explain clubbell training? I have never quite figured out the circular strength thing, or how you work out with clubs.


Good training,
Jack

[five-0]

CaliforniaJack...
I used to fall victim to the bodybuilding "franken-training" method...body parts training.
Then I became interested in more "functional strength" type training and discovered that the body must work together as one...not a bundle of parts.
That's why I like compound movements, bodyweight work, kettlebells, clubbells, etc.
Show muscles vs. Go muscles.
As to Clubbells...I use and love them, but I'll give a link rather than explain as I wouldn't do the explaination justice. I've got a pair of the 15#...heaviest 15# you'll ever pick up!
Best

www.clubbells.com

[five-0]

I also like...

www.trainforstrength.com
www.powerathletesmag.com (archives section)

[Dimmak]

Also, another option to train with are sledge hammers.....
work similar to Clubells and cost alot less....

[five-0]

There's actually an article on sledgehammer training @ powerathletesmag.com.
I printed/saved it.
Best.

[California Jack]

Glock13,

How did your bout with only using compound movent turnout? Have you noticed any setbacks in your strength?

Jack