Weightlifting aches and pains - any suggests for alternative exercises?

[Dan]

Hi folks, I know that some of you are into lifting in a pretty serious way, and I'm hoping to get some thoughts on specific exercises that I can do while taking a break from my current routine.

I've been doing pullups, chinups, dips and crunches for about 18 months, all with bodyweight only (using neither assistance nor added weight). I worked up to 2 x 10 pullups, 2 x 10 chinups, 4 x 10 dips, and usually do this 3 days / week. I added push-ups about 3 months ago, but haven't gotten very far with those, about 2 x 25, usually 3 days / week.

Anyway, I recently did a 3-day sea kayak trip, and noticed some minor elbow pain from paddling. Now I'm noticing the same pain after exercising. It's nothing serious now, but I'm assuming that it's my body telling me to take some time off. I ran through knee pain in college with permanent consequences, so I'm taking this kind of seriously.

I'm thinking I'll continue the crunches and pushups, but take a week or two off from the pullups, chinups and dips. Can anyone suggest alternatives to those exercises that I can do in the meantime? I have pretty limited access to equipment - a chinup bar, some small hand weights, and a crummy multi-exercise weight machine in our office that includes a lat pull-down is about it, so something I can do with little / no equipment would be optimal.

Also, any technique tips on what I'm doing now? I usually don't descend all the way to lock out when doing chinups, but I do come all the way down for pullups most of the time -- is that a problem? I'm pretty good about doing controlled lifts rather than flinging myself up with momentum, but it's definitely an area that I need to keep thinking about. Anything else I should keep in mind?

[Allee]

It sounds like you might have a touch of tendonitis. The first thing I'd do is find someone who does active release and do a few sessions with them, and see if it sorts it out. I had chronic elbows from lifting and kickboxing, and suffered through workouts for years before I got to the point where I couldn't lat pull any more. Three sessions with an active release guy and the elbows were back to, if not 100%, pretty damn close.

AR breaks down the scar tissue that forms from multiple small injuries, and restricts the movement in the joint. Be prepared to sweat and probably swear, but for me at least, it's pretty close to magic.

It doesn't sound to me like you're overtraining, so that's what makes me suspect it's pretty minor.

[Beckmann AG]

Now I'm noticing the same pain after exercising. It's nothing serious now...

Depends on what you consider serious.

As Allee suggests, there is a very good chance you are in the early stages of tendonitis. Your prior workout regimen involved sustained finger clenching/ wrist articulation, combined with fully loaded ROM at the elbows with load spikes at either end of the range. The kayaking brought this all to the fore despite reduced loading, due to the relatively fixed angle of the elbows for a sustained period, again combined with finger clenching.

And possibly lower ambient temps, and reduced personal hydration levels.

The usual reversal involves at the very least cessation of the aggravating activity. This doesn't mean you have to sit on the couch and do nothing, but you do need to modify the nature of your exercising. E.G., operating a tennis racquet might aggravate the elbow, but XC skate poling might not. One important difference being the associated finger activity at the point of contact.

For the short term, frequent the pool. Then find alternate ways to tone the specific muscles initially targeted; ways that don't involve gripping and/or a 'halt' in the articulation at the elbow.

[two_ravens]

Or change something else? When I have joint or tendon pain I just quit all sugar. If that doesn't fully do it, I get rid of all flour. (I eat almost no flour of any sort anyway, so for me sugar makes the biggest difference.)

YMMV :)

(p.s. As a former bodyworker, I am also a big fan of AR and many other modalities as well....)

[BobD]

Make sure you are not gripping free weights too tightly. it reduces circulation.

Mineral deficiencies can cause all kinds of problems with muscles, tendons, and joints, especially Mg deficiency. I try to avoid demineralized water (RO), or softened water. Epsom Salt bath is a quick fix for boosting Mg.