Reply With QuoteI know this isn't the first response, but many people actually get this from their powercleans and think it is from squats. Are you SURE that you're not using your arms at all on your powercleans?
Elbow Pain from Squats
See pg 32 of SS. The "Headache Like Soreness" in the elbows. I got it.
Started feeling it around 215, 225, somewhere in there. By 245 my elbows hurt all the time, especially the right one, could barely put on the parking brake in my car.
Took almost 2 weeks off from lifting completely, started back at 225#, and whadda ya know, it's back. Not as bad as before, but it's there. It starts hurting after I squat, generally goes away, but can be aggravated by pulls, presses, yard work, etc.
Reading through the archives it looks like a number of people have dealt with this, and I'd appreciate any thoughts, tips, experiences, etc. Did you have to stop squatting entirely? What about pulling and pressing?
Perhaps I need to reset to a weight that is so light I can focus 100% of my attention on correct arm positioning?
Member
I know this isn't the first response, but many people actually get this from their powercleans and think it is from squats. Are you SURE that you're not using your arms at all on your powercleans?
Member
I went through a bit of this when I tried to narrow up my squat grip (wide shoulders and long arms). At some point, it was just too narrow, and it was torquing my elbows. Try widening it up a hand width or so, and adjusting how much you are lifting your elbows; you might just be inadvertently intercepting too much weight.
Member
I have a bad habit of straining my elbows/shoulders on the squat. In order to resolve this the big thing for me was setting my back (contracting lats, traps, mid/lower back) and using a thumbless grip. I still pull the bar with my arms too much occasionally but these two points on set up have reduced the problem dramatically.
Member
There are two good threads on this board regarding the elbow pain. Each has useful recommendations. SEARCH FUNCTION.
Aside from the ideas in those threads, I used chalk for the first time yesterday (300x5,5,5) and it was the most amazingly stable squat session since I was around the 200 lb range. Really solid, no bar movement or slipping in the hands. Now there are other things that you probably need to do for shoulders/elbows, but chalk rocks.
Member
Smitty, i highly recommend chalking your posterior delts, too. Even better.
I've read every thread on this subject in it's entirety. Lots of good advice, little in the way of follow up (how long it took, what worked, etc.).Originally Posted by smitty
Member
I thought my "battered elbow" thread was the most extensive on the subject. There was probably every conceivable suggestion in that thread. I did multiple follow ups as well.
Did you read it?
EDIT: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=14589
Member
Hi Mikey,
What works is ice, rest, & ibuprofen.
I have had this twice--unracking, reracking, a slipping bar (even 1 rep will do above BW) are all possible instigators.
Of course, the problem is that you are carrying the weight on your arms at some point in the lift, and your arms can't handle 200+ pounds. Chest up, elbows back, thumbless grip all help.
Don't relax until the bar is completely secure in the rack, even relaxing as you set it down can do it.
Also, wider grip really does help depending on morphology, even letting your pinky (and maybe ring finger) not sit on the bar can help.
Good luck, I did the same thing during my SS run, took about two weeks of no squatting or pulling movements to recover.
Sami, I did read that whole thing a couple of weeks ago. Forgot about that one, yes there was some very good stuff in there.
You didn't stop squatting, right? Jusst used high bar till your arms were better?
Posting Permissions