Working Triceps with Elbow pain

irish_sd · Oct 5, 2013

I have an elbow that makes it extremely painful to perform many tricep exercises. Overhead tricep press, skull crushers, etc gives me a sharp pain on in my elbow. Anybody have ideas on exercises that allow you to work triceps and not get such elbow pain?
There has to be others with this same problem.
Thanks

comedycentral · Oct 5, 2013

How are you with dips and close grip bench??
Don't lock out

Rest and recover the injury. Could be simple inflammation or tendinitis which could be massively reduced with rest and or some foam rolling rehab on the area

Flex2019 · Oct 5, 2013

Pain is your body sending you a message.

Rather than trying to work through, it is probably smart to figure out the root of the problem - what is causing the pain?

If it's a simple tendinitis, look into deep tissue massage, ART work, rest, ice, etc.

I have issues with my elbows quite frequently throughout the year, and some good deep tissue work often makes a huge difference.

soloartist56 · Oct 5, 2013

I have elbow pain primarily in my left elbow and have managed to work around it pain free. I cannot do dips at all. It has always given me pain. I start always with tricep pushdowns either with the rope or the V bar handle. This seems to warm my elbows up pretty good. Then I either go to the seated overhead cable tricep extension or smith machine close grip(feel it more on smith than free weight). Then the 3rd exercise is whatever I didn't do on the 2nd exercise (close grip or overhead). I don't believe it is a MUST that you have to use free weight to maximize hypertrophy on triceps. As long as the intensity is there that matters more. Funny thing is doing the seated overhead tricep extension using a dumbbell gives me pain (not so much if its the 2nd exercise) but doing it on the cable gives me zero pain even though its pretty much the same exact movement. I'm 100% pain free training triceps in this particular order.

Dens228 · Oct 5, 2013

Close grip bench, reverse grip bench, dips, etc.

Exercises where you only bend the elbow to about 90 degrees, stay within the comfort zone.

Find a grip angle that makes it work.

2000ib · Oct 5, 2013

I experience left elbow pain and what has worked for me is the following.
* Warm up with a couple light, high rep. sets.
* Change up the exercises according to pain level tolerance, even if you do so every time you train.
* CHANGE UP HAND ANGLE according to pain level tolerance, even if you do so every time you train. I have far less pain if I use ropes, v- handles and parallel grip bars.
* Wrap or sleeve it.

irish_sd · Oct 5, 2013

Thanks for all the responses guys!
Great ideas!

Mike28 · Oct 5, 2013

Flex2019 said:
Pain is your body sending you a message.

Rather than trying to work through, it is probably smart to figure out the root of the problem - what is causing the pain?

If it's a simple tendinitis, look into deep tissue massage, ART work, rest, ice, etc.

I have issues with my elbows quite frequently throughout the year, and some good deep tissue work often makes a huge difference.

This

MooseKnuckles · Oct 5, 2013

I started doing skull crushers with my palms down and there pain free so far where regular skull crushers cause my tennis elbow to hurt.

STEVO 47 · Oct 5, 2013

Flex2019 said:
Pain is your body sending you a message.

Rather than trying to work through, it is probably smart to figure out the root of the problem - what is causing the pain?

I agree. It could also be bursitis which I have and the more you lift the longer it will take to recover. I wouldn't even thing of doing extentions or close grip benches. Worst thing you could do. Maybe a wider grip bench with light weight. Find out the problem then give it a rest..........

mytreefiddy · Oct 5, 2013

Flex2019 said:
Pain is your body sending you a message.

Rather than trying to work through, it is probably smart to figure out the root of the problem - what is causing the pain?

If it's a simple tendinitis, look into deep tissue massage, ART work, rest, ice, etc.

I have issues with my elbows quite frequently throughout the year, and some good deep tissue work often makes a huge difference.

:yeahthat:...... IMO you should try to resolve your problem... My training partner has the same issues...both elbows...refuses to rest. He's younger and hard headed...he'd rather disguise the pain via NPP which IMO will only make things worse... Listen to your body...if you ignore it it'll FORCE you to rest.

grizzly978 · Oct 5, 2013

You need to be stretching and warming up. I get tendon pain too in my elbows, biceps, shoulders, etc. Tons of stretching and light warm ups before hitting sets.
Not to try to endorse some product but try Sweet Sweat, it makes wherever you apply it get really hot and sweaty, thus making your deep tissue feel looser. I use that stuff for my tendon and muscle pain and along with stretching and warming up , it takes away like 75% of my pain no bs.

Google&Pubmed · Oct 5, 2013

Flex2019 said:
Pain is your body sending you a message.

Rather than trying to work through, it is probably smart to figure out the root of the problem - what is causing the pain?

If it's a simple tendinitis, look into deep tissue massage, ART work, rest, ice, etc.

I have issues with my elbows quite frequently throughout the year, and some good deep tissue work often makes a huge difference.

That^

From now on if I have pain I will ice it immediately. Also go to a ortho and get it checked out. I have learned my lesson that if I ice it and also go to a ortho it will end saving me a lot more money, headache, and gains in the long run.

GymDudeVA · Oct 5, 2013

I had elbow pain in triceps exercises.

I found that dips hurt a lot less than other stuff.

I started wearing a Rehband sleeve during triceps (and some pecs) exercises, and it REALLY helped. (Warning, they run pretty small, so err on a larger size.)

matt1164 · Oct 5, 2013

I use a rumble roller on my elbows and it helps. Cheaper than art and deep tissue.

fitnesskatz · Oct 5, 2013

fitnesskatz

why not lay off couple week let the what you have imflammed calm down man,,,trying to workout is just going to prolong it,,,your not going to lose any muscle in couple weeks,,,ive had lot of elbow issues torn tricep tendon you name it,,,lay off

Darb77 · Oct 5, 2013

I been dealing with elbow pain for years in my right elbow and now occasionally in my left. It comes and goes but here lately its been lingering around a lot. Here is what helps me.

Warm up triceps ALOT. I like pressdowns really light for tons of reps.
Wear elbow sleeves
Apply something like bio freeze on your elbow/forearm and then put the sleeve on.
For me when my elbow is bad I focus more on dips, close grip bench press and press downs. skulls and overhead tricep exercises really kills me when I'm having issues.
Work your foreams out and do stretches for them. Lots of vids on you tube. forearms are the root of a lot of elbow issues.
Get an ACE ice pack and ice it down after workouts.
If an exercise hurts don't do it
Look into ART therapy if its available to you.

JustWannaBeHuge · Oct 5, 2013

My brother kept holding off to going to the ortho for his shoulder then he finally went only to discover he has a partial tear in his rotator cuff. Why not get it checked out by a professional?