Posted: 6/6/2010 3:01:05 PM EDT
|
So I strained my elbow doing deads over a month ago and it's taking a while to get better, even doing lower weights. I was working out with 275, which is pushing it for me, and I felt a pinch in my elbow. As soon as it happened I put the weight down (I was using wrist straps). Since then any time I try to grab something with that hand it hurts, and it's really effected my lifting. I have to use straps any time I'm doing a pulling exercise.
Just some back ground: Generally when I lift I'm doing 3-4 sets of 7. I go heavy for me, and at 7 I'm usually struggling to hold form. My goals from lifting like this are size and strength. I've always been a light/small guy and I've been trying to add bulk (5'10" 165 lbs.) Other then just taking a month off to let it heal, what can I do? Is there an exercise I can do that like the DL that won't effect my elbow as much? |
|
Compare your elbow extension on both arms, see what you see.
Straps are not bad but use them sparingly (into the very heavy sets). Try and alternating grip. In my jumping days my legs could certainly lift more than my grip could hold up (even if alternating), not to mention I barely did any arm work with heavy weights so that wasn't going to aide me. There was no way I would have been able to DL over 300lbs, now since working arms I can. |
|
Skip the straps.
Also, in my experience resting an injury does nothing to heal it. Try alternating heat and ice. Deep tissue massage helps also. And do light deadlifts if you can. If not, look at it as an opportunity to improve your squat. Gaining 20-30 pounds would probably help too. |
|
I'll try skipping the straps then. I was using them because I had gotten to a point where my grip was the only thing keeping me from lfting the weight, so I strapped up. Other then that I use the on pull-type lifts once I start going heavy (320lbs pull backs and stuff like that).
As for adding 20-30 pounds, I'm working on it. I have gained a lot of strength in the last year, but haven't gained a lot of size for some reason. I would think it was beause I'm not eating enough, but I eat 3-4 meals a day and have 2 protien shakes. I'm not sure I could stomach eating more. If any of you big guys ould weigh in as to what has worked for you in putting on lean weight, please, chime in. I'll try anything at this point. Thanks. |
|
Quoted:
I'll try skipping the straps then. I was using them because I had gotten to a point where my grip was the only thing keeping me from lfting the weight, so I strapped up. Other then that I use the on pull-type lifts once I start going heavy (320lbs pull backs and stuff like that). As for adding 20-30 pounds, I'm working on it. I have gained a lot of strength in the last year, but haven't gained a lot of size for some reason. I would think it was beause I'm not eating enough, but I eat 3-4 meals a day and have 2 protien shakes. I'm not sure I could stomach eating more. If any of you big guys ould weigh in as to what has worked for you in putting on lean weight, please, chime in. I'll try anything at this point. Thanks. That's simple. Eat more. Calculate the calories you are actually eating for a couple of days, then add 500 to that and see how it goes. If you start adding weight, great, keep it at that calorie range until the weight quits being put on. Then, add more calories. For example, I have already eaten approximately 2000 calories, not including my PWO shake, meal, and dinner. Should be fairly easy for me to get to over 3000. This maintains my weight fairly well. Shots of olive oil can add calories quick, as can some heavy cream mixed into your shakes. |
|
Did you check for a difference between your elbows locking out?
You could try the extra calories with oil or cream like mentioned above, see what happens. Other possibilities in your problem to bulk. 1) the plan itself 2) eating 3) it may take you time to break your skinny guy frame (year or two) 4) You may just not have the muscle fibers to bulk up well, which if you're plan is on the up and up and eating a decent sized plate of food in those 3-4 meals a day plus protein shakes, I really can't think of any other explanation. |
|
My elbows seem to lock out evenly, but i've had partial tears in both of them before that hand me in slings for a month or two a pop.
My onlt problem with eating more alories is that I don't want to get fat. I'm sitting around 11-12% body fat right now and really don't like being higher then 14-15. I do want to put on weight, actually I have to, but without gaining too much in fat. I start the police academy in January and I would like to put on 20 or so pounds before then. I'm a hard gainer so I find myself pshing through pain to lift bigger, trying to get bigger, but I keep hurting myself. Can I lift lighter weights with perfet form and still gain size, or do I have to suk it up and push through injuries and lift big to bulk up? |
|
Quoted: You are going to have to get over not wanting to have over 12% bf. The fat gets easier to lose when you have muscle to burn it, and you also can carry that extra body fat a lot easier if you have the muscle to support it. Not to mention that you have 6 1/2 months to bulk then cut if necessary, but I doubt the academy will have a problem if you show up a little chubby but full of muscle.My elbows seem to lock out evenly, but i've had partial tears in both of them before that hand me in slings for a month or two a pop. My onlt problem with eating more alories is that I don't want to get fat. I'm sitting around 11-12% body fat right now and really don't like being higher then 14-15. I do want to put on weight, actually I have to, but without gaining too much in fat. I start the police academy in January and I would like to put on 20 or so pounds before then. I'm a hard gainer so I find myself pshing through pain to lift bigger, trying to get bigger, but I keep hurting myself. Can I lift lighter weights with perfet form and still gain size, or do I have to suk it up and push through injuries and lift big to bulk up? Just eat. Oh and can the straps, you are only cheating yourself. |
|
Quoted:
My elbows seem to lock out evenly, but i've had partial tears in both of them before that hand me in slings for a month or two a pop. My onlt problem with eating more alories is that I don't want to get fat. I'm sitting around 11-12% body fat right now and really don't like being higher then 14-15. I do want to put on weight, actually I have to, but without gaining too much in fat. I start the police academy in January and I would like to put on 20 or so pounds before then. I'm a hard gainer so I find myself pshing through pain to lift bigger, trying to get bigger, but I keep hurting myself. Can I lift lighter weights with perfet form and still gain size, or do I have to suk it up and push through injuries and lift big to bulk up? If the police academy is anything like the one my buddy is in right now, you will want that 20 lbs and more. My buddy is small, like 135lbs, and I bet he now weighs 120-125. Don't worry about the fat, that will come off in academy. As VT said, don't worry about bodyfat so much, as long as it doesn't get too sloppy. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
You are going to have to get over not wanting to have over 12% bf. The fat gets easier to lose when you have muscle to burn it, and you also can carry that extra body fat a lot easier if you have the muscle to support it. Not to mention that you have 6 1/2 months to bulk then cut if necessary, but I doubt the academy will have a problem if you show up a little chubby but full of muscle.
My elbows seem to lock out evenly, but i've had partial tears in both of them before that hand me in slings for a month or two a pop. My onlt problem with eating more alories is that I don't want to get fat. I'm sitting around 11-12% body fat right now and really don't like being higher then 14-15. I do want to put on weight, actually I have to, but without gaining too much in fat. I start the police academy in January and I would like to put on 20 or so pounds before then. I'm a hard gainer so I find myself pshing through pain to lift bigger, trying to get bigger, but I keep hurting myself. Can I lift lighter weights with perfet form and still gain size, or do I have to suk it up and push through injuries and lift big to bulk up? Just eat. Oh and can the straps, you are only cheating yourself. I don't see how using straps on the heavier sets is cheating yourself. Your legs are most certainly able to lift far more than your grip or arms can. DLs are more about the kinetic chain than grip strength. Also, it's not like squats where the bar is supported by your skeletal system than muscle strength. |
|
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: You are going to have to get over not wanting to have over 12% bf. The fat gets easier to lose when you have muscle to burn it, and you also can carry that extra body fat a lot easier if you have the muscle to support it. Not to mention that you have 6 1/2 months to bulk then cut if necessary, but I doubt the academy will have a problem if you show up a little chubby but full of muscle.My elbows seem to lock out evenly, but i've had partial tears in both of them before that hand me in slings for a month or two a pop. My onlt problem with eating more alories is that I don't want to get fat. I'm sitting around 11-12% body fat right now and really don't like being higher then 14-15. I do want to put on weight, actually I have to, but without gaining too much in fat. I start the police academy in January and I would like to put on 20 or so pounds before then. I'm a hard gainer so I find myself pshing through pain to lift bigger, trying to get bigger, but I keep hurting myself. Can I lift lighter weights with perfet form and still gain size, or do I have to suk it up and push through injuries and lift big to bulk up? Just eat. Oh and can the straps, you are only cheating yourself. I don't see how using straps on the heavier sets is cheating yourself. Your legs are most certainly able to lift far more than your grip or arms can. DLs are more about the kinetic chain than grip strength. Also, it's not like squats where the bar is supported by your skeletal system than muscle strength. The problem with straps is that for me at least, if I have to drop the weight for any reason I can do so quickly with out the straps holding my to the weight. Plus it builds your grip strength and keeps you from lifting too much which might lead to an injury. |
|
Quoted: My belief is that if you can't grip it, you shouldn't try to pull itQuoted: Quoted: You are going to have to get over not wanting to have over 12% bf. The fat gets easier to lose when you have muscle to burn it, and you also can carry that extra body fat a lot easier if you have the muscle to support it. Not to mention that you have 6 1/2 months to bulk then cut if necessary, but I doubt the academy will have a problem if you show up a little chubby but full of muscle.My elbows seem to lock out evenly, but i've had partial tears in both of them before that hand me in slings for a month or two a pop. My onlt problem with eating more alories is that I don't want to get fat. I'm sitting around 11-12% body fat right now and really don't like being higher then 14-15. I do want to put on weight, actually I have to, but without gaining too much in fat. I start the police academy in January and I would like to put on 20 or so pounds before then. I'm a hard gainer so I find myself pshing through pain to lift bigger, trying to get bigger, but I keep hurting myself. Can I lift lighter weights with perfet form and still gain size, or do I have to suk it up and push through injuries and lift big to bulk up? Just eat. Oh and can the straps, you are only cheating yourself. I don't see how using straps on the heavier sets is cheating yourself. Your legs are most certainly able to lift far more than your grip or arms can. DLs are more about the kinetic chain than grip strength. Also, it's not like squats where the bar is supported by your skeletal system than muscle strength. |
|
If you're using straps correctly, as soon as you let go the bar should be able to just drop free.
I understand where you guys are coming from but I have yet to run into injury myself or with athletes using straps as necessary. The legs are just going to be so much stronger than arms if they are pushed to their limits. |