elbows are killing me !

[dennis]

42 years old 12 years plus lifting experience......on gear and going heavy in gym currently.mostly 5x5 routine.My elbows started hurting 2 weeks ago on all tri's exercises..specially brain crushers..I warm up correctly..they have been hurting all week..tri's day is wednesday for me..any suggestions/?I have a high threshold for pain but something is not right..thanks, dennis

[greyowl]

Originally Posted by dennis

42 years old 12 years plus lifting experience......on gear and going heavy in gym currently.mostly 5x5 routine.My elbows started hurting 2 weeks ago on all tri's exercises..specially brain crushers..I warm up correctly..they have been hurting all week..tri's day is wednesday for me..any suggestions/?I have a high threshold for pain but something is not right..thanks, dennis

Sounds like tennis elbow to me caused by going too heavy. If so, .the only solution is to stop doing work that recruits the forearms (which effectively means all your upper body work) until the problem corrects itself, then rebuild the forearms using light weights / many reps. This means that you will have to spend the rest of your cycle working only your lower body and core, or go off cycle and restart when you have rebuilt your forearms.

See a sports doc or really good physio right away to get a diagnosis. If it is forearm / elbow tendonitis, don;t fight the diagnosis or look for miracle cures (e.g. shock way therapy, prolotherapy) etc. Ultrasound and accupuncture can help relieve pain but will not help you recover faster despite propaganda to the contrary.

In the meantime, stop doing upper body work and cut back on the amount of time you use a computer keyboard.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by dennis

.mostly 5x5 routine.

No, you're not. for one, you can't do "mostly" 5X5. That's not how it works because it's not just 5sets of 5 reps. I suggest you check out the stickies at teh top of the forum.

[dennis]

Greyowl..not what I wanted to hear man.but thanks...I crave the gym and my workouts like a drug addict craves his drug of choice..and yes my lower body and core could use the extra work.
Grizz..pardon me dude about my"mostly 5x5 routine" I have read and read and read some more about this workout.I should have said"i just started 5x5 plan 3 weeks ago "..forgive me big guy..dennis

[Ronin_]

How fast have you increased weight and reps since you started your cycle? AAS put massive strain on your connective tisue if you chase strength its even worse!

[getswoll]

First off, I'd have to agree with seeing the doc. Other than that: My elbows have pain in them until I'm really really warmed up. Since I follow a version of the dfht, by the time I get to triceps they have been warmed up a bit, but I still go and do medium weight high rep cable pushdowns to make sure they are fully warmed up. What are you doing for your warm up? I suggest adding those if you're not. Another thing I've found when doing skull crushers is that it helps to let my elbows go out a bit more instead of keeping them inline with the torso.

GS

[dennis]

I use the cable to do high rep /low weight push downs to warm up/the skull crushers i use very big weight for my size and use extreme strict form keeping the elbows in as much as possible..this is the exercise that hurts the elbows the most..i do close grip bench work after that for tri's..big heavy weight of course..this does not hurt the elbows as much but really strains my wrist's.Kinda sucks to be my age and be able to lift highweight % for my size but having joint pain that shuts you down

[Grizzly]

Ok, I still don't understand how you have "tri day" on wednesdays. Especially since you make it seem like you do multiple exercises for them on that day. Double-

You should just be doing assistance work. ie, a single exercise with minimal sets.

[getswoll]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

You should just be doing assistance work. ie, a single exercise with minimal sets.

absolutly! As far as your strict form goes, if you are in terrible pain and about to hurt youself, there is no reason why you shouldn't let your elbows come out a bit. In all honesty, it won't detract from your workout or triceps development in the long run; especially ifyou are following the " mostly 5x5 " As far as close grip goes and your wrists, your hands should be no closer than the inner gnarling.

GS

[Grizzly]

Also, ditch the skull crushers if they hurt. I've been doing them recently, but they fuck up my elbows. I'll probably just ditch 'em. Pressdowns might be gay, but they produce results and don't screw your tendons.

[Girth]

I ditched the skull crushers as well, in favor of rolling db tri ext. These allow you to perform the movement with the hands in a neutral position. Thus neither prone or supinated. Takes a lot of stress off of the elbows.

But then again, the best advice would be to just stick with dips for tri work. Or some might say that overhead press and bench would be enough as well.

[ForemanRules]

Originally Posted by dennis

42 years old 12 years plus lifting experience......on gear and going heavy in gym currently.mostly 5x5 routine.My elbows started hurting 2 weeks ago on all tri's exercises..specially brain crushers..I warm up correctly..they have been hurting all week..tri's day is wednesday for me..any suggestions/?I have a high threshold for pain but something is not right..thanks, dennis

1. See a Doctor
2. Take time off starting now
3. Most guys over 40 have trouble with the low rep stuff.....keep it at 10 reps or more most of the time, and don't train to failure.

[wildman1717]

If skull cruschers hurt, don't do them. There are plenty of other tricep exercises to do. I injured my triceps from doing heavy skull crushers, it took several months of therapy to get it back to normal. To this day I make sure I have a good warm-up and prefer cgbp's and weighted dips.

[MikeP]

I had the same problem a couple years ago. If I remember correctly theres a nerve that runs around the elbow that gets agrivated and causes the problem.Seems that skull crushers tend to fuck up everyones elbows.I now only do close grip decline presses or pressdowns.Seems to work for me and no more pain.

[dennis]

All good replies guy's..thanks.I will miss the skull/brain crushers..that exercise really get's me pumped and sore..in more ways than one obviously.It's hell to get old boy's..aches and pains are much more common now.dennis