Pin Firing Clarifications

[Dr. Manhattan]

Coach and/or Anybody Interested,

Prefacing with many thanks for the knowledge shared. And, I am sorry for ANOTHER pin firing question.

I am 99% sure it’s tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) in the right arm. (Had golfer's elbow [medial epicondylitis] - left arm years ago and no pain with chins then, either. If relevant, it simply faded away on it's own or I haven't managed to fire it up again.)

Comment/question: Chins (and time/days after) are not painful in the tender area; otherwise, fairly acute pain that can radiate up/down from elbow. Does this mean I am misdiagnosing tennis elbow/lateral epicondylitis? And/or, am I assuming/doing something wrong?

First 3 pin firing sessions and stats below:

53 year old male
~190 lbs.
Squat = 350 x 5 x 3
Pull = 365 x 5 x 3
Press = 165 x 5 x 3
Bench = 235 x 5 x 3

Pin firing sessions:
Date = 10-27-22: Chins (after presses)
11 sets of 4 = 44 reps
9 sets of 3 = 27 reps
Total reps = 71 reps
Pain during chins = virtually none
Pain day after = no worse than standard

Date = 10-31-22: Chins (after bench press)
9 sets of 4 = 36 reps
14 sets of 3 = 42 reps
Total reps = 78
Pain during chins = virtually none
Pain day after = no worse than standard

Date = 11-4-22: Chins (off day)
20 sets of 4 = 80 reps
7 sets of 3 = 21
Total reps = 101
Pain during chins = virtually none
Pain day after = no worse than standard

Had to travel following week and hotel had no rack to do chins! Pain continues; no change in intensity. I plan to continue/reset sessions but wanted to check to see if I am missing something.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If chins don't affect it, it's not medial/lateral epicondylitis. Get a diagnosis. Or drive up here and let me look at it.

[Dr. Manhattan]

If chins don't affect it, it's not medial/lateral epicondylitis. Get a diagnosis. Or drive up here and let me look at it.

Thank you Coach. Hells bells! There is NO argument in my comment that all self-testing protocols I find ("Mills" test, etc.) and pain location seem to indicate tennis elbow but I will trudge over the local quack and get his opinion. You're too far and I'm too ugly for you to tolerate.

To clarify my sessions - chins result in ALMOST no pain. But, it's not uncomfortable and doesn't get worse as sets/reps progress. And I assume by "affect" you mean that chins don't produce measurable pain/discomfort. Most of what I've read is that pin firing will eventually product intense pain and dread and I certainly haven't experience that.

[Dr. Manhattan]

Coach,
I'm sure you were joshing about driving up but I will be driving through WF next Wednesday en route to AZ. So, if you're serious and will be around Wednesday mid-morning, I'll drop in and trade a bottle of BT for your diagnosis. And just delete this crap if you are tired of dealing with it.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I get there mid-afternoon, if you can wait.

[Dr. Manhattan]

I get there mid-afternoon, if you can wait.

Thanks again. Is my ETA between 1-2 PM too early? If so, I can push to 2-3 PM.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Plans changed last night, I'm out of town Wednesday.