Whenever I really seem to be getting somewhere, I always get f-arm tendonitis (both arms).
Anyone else with this problem?
I’ve got tons of energy in the gym… All my lifts have been increasing weekly. Skin feels tight. Life is good…
In the past I have always trained through it, because when I am doing this good it’s hard to stop. And, in the past, it has always gotten worse. During my last lay-off, it took months of not training at all to heal properly.
I’m thinking of cutting back on pressing movements… And perhaps I’ll spend the next week or two with increased reps (15-20) and really trying for perfect form. Cut back on upper body, up the leg training… bodycore… cardio…
It sounds as if you have some kind of structural issue in your shoulders. I am no doctor but I have had more than my share of shoulder issues. Have a competent chiro or ART specialist look you over. Strengthen your scapula and shoulder blades and external rotators. I have found the “face row” to be a whole different form of stimulation that I have never felt before. I think Michael Robertson just did an article on it. He and Alwyn Cosgrove have written about shoulder pain a lot. Look them up.
Whenever I really seem to be getting somewhere, I always get f-arm tendonitis (both arms).
Anyone else with this problem?
I’ve got tons of energy in the gym… All my lifts have been increasing weekly. Skin feels tight. Life is good…
In the past I have always trained through it, because when I am doing this good it’s hard to stop. And, in the past, it has always gotten worse. During my last lay-off, it took months of not training at all to heal properly.
I’m thinking of cutting back on pressing movements… And perhaps I’ll spend the next week or two with increased reps (15-20) and really trying for perfect form. Cut back on upper body, up the leg training… bodycore… cardio…
What can I do? (please do not say rest and ice)[/quote]
Don’t work through tendonitis, let it heal; you’re just shooting yourself in the foot.
What exercises in particular tend to aggravate it, do you know?
[quote]mikeh3 wrote:
It sounds as if you have some kind of structural issue in your shoulders. I am no doctor but I have had more than my share of shoulder issues. Have a competent chiro or ART specialist look you over. Strengthen your scapula and shoulder blades and external rotators. I have found the “face row” to be a whole different form of stimulation that I have never felt before. I think Michael Robertson just did an article on it. He and Alwyn Cosgrove have written about shoulder pain a lot. Look them up.[/quote]
thanks for the response… But i’m confused: are you saying that i might be getting FOREARM tendonitis because of my shoulders?
I’m not trying to be a smart ass here, I’ve just never heard of it before.
Interestingly enough, i think i have shoulder issues. (some forward rotation, possibly mild impingement of right shoulder)
Also, I was just trying out face-pulls today… Interesting coincidence. Not like it’s that popular…
[quote]double1 wrote:
Don’t work through tendonitis, let it heal; you’re just shooting yourself in the foot.
What exercises in particular tend to aggravate it, do you know?[/quote]
Thanks for the response. Do you think I can get away with lighter weights, higher reps?
I think benching probably is the worst. Not lately, but I used to get major pain from bench. And I always benched too heavy. Maybe wide grip chins too… After it flares up, just about everything makes it hurt. Hammer curls maybe. Mostly it starts to hurt after a workout.
The woman who taught my personal training course was a competitive bodybuilder, she said that she would get it all the time as well… And like me, she didn’t like to take time off because of it. (this was about 6 years ago, during my first flare up) She mentioned that it was pretty common, but never gave me any advice on what to do.
I figure she didn’t know.
If I had to guess, I’d say it’s most likely due to poor form. I’ll admit it, I get sloppy to lift higher weight, probably more often than I should.
bro I get that all the time too. Its a major issue. Most bodybuilders get it sooner or later once they start using some real weight. I’m still looking for ways around it. emm…
Basiclly its unnatural for someone to be extremely strong at low body weight. Some guys were made to lift huge weights; they have the tendonitis and build for it, thick bones. Others don’t have such genetics and their muscles get “too strong” for there build so to speek.
What I’ve found that helps is not drying out so much. Keeping a few pounds of extra water helps out a lot. Not dropping your salt intake too low, not over dieting, etc…
Come contest time your going to feel pain anyway, it hurts. A lot of pros are addict to pain killers like nubain because of this. Best not to dry out too hard until the very last minute.
Always helps to lift less weight of course. Try “slow” tempo like 4/0/6 seconds per rep and such. Less rest inbetween the sets. The harder you make an exercise the less weight you have to use, resulting in less harm to the tendons.
[quote]chrisrodx wrote:
bro I get that all the time too. Its a major issue. Most bodybuilders get it sooner or later once they start using some real weight. I’m still looking for ways around it. emm…
Basiclly its unnatural for someone to be extremely strong at low body weight. Some guys were made to lift huge weights; they have the tendonitis and build for it, thick bones. Others don’t have such genetics and their muscles get “too strong” for there build so to speek.
What I’ve found that helps is not drying out so much. Keeping a few pounds of extra water helps out a lot. Not dropping your salt intake too low, not over dieting, etc…
Come contest time your going to feel pain anyway, it hurts. A lot of pros are addict to pain killers like nubain because of this. Best not to dry out too hard until the very last minute.
Always helps to lift less weight of course. Try “slow” tempo like 4/0/6 seconds per rep and such. Less rest inbetween the sets. The harder you make an exercise the less weight you have to use, resulting in less hard to the tendons.
good luck bro. [/quote]
Holy crap that sounds exactly right. I’ve got pretty small joints, and thin bone structure.
I’ll definately try the slower rep scheme, good idea.
I’ve had the same problem, for me it took three months of complete rest to get rid of it!! I didn’t lift anything heavier than a cup of coffee because everytime it felt better in the past I’d forget and carry a few “heavier” thing and I was back to square one. Three months of complete rest was what cured me. Voltaren and other anti inflammatories didn’t make any difference.
Hey, thanks Eric. Tendinosis is exactly right… Which is why I’ve had it on and off for so long, and why it look at LEAST 4 months to heal last time.
I only had the beginning of that ache in my right forearm after training “whole body push” on thursday. Which spawned this thread, and my desire NOT to get back into that training through the hell thing again.
My plan so far:
lighten the weight in all upper body exercises for at least 1 week, maybe 2 (15 to 20 or slow-mo reps). I might consider changing my whole style of lifting from a rep range point of view… I really like 5-8… but maybe I should be focusing 10-15 most of the time, with only quick cycles of 5-8, and nothing under 5… Man… No ego reps…
more upper body stretching, biceps, forearms, etc.
i’m at the end of a mesocycle and am working on a new routine… So I will have to think of a training split that will be productive but take in to account more upper body recooperation.
I’m finally back 100% from last summers knee tear… Most of the time since last summer I’ve been focusing on upper body. Well, here’s my chance to turn the focus back to lower body.
Anyway. Thanks all for your replies! More than I thought I’d get… And way more helpful. I’m off to the gym!