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Bicep Tendonitis?


Razorman

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I've got it from heavy squatting, and it's affecting grip. I had to ice my arms after today's grip workout..........

I'm like, "why am I missing the last bit of the close (of this #3)" when WHAM I had to drop the gripper and ice up.

This happen to others? If it's not the wrist, it's the bicep. I don't get it.

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It is actually pretty common OldGuy. 2 factors: compressive forces on the clavicle/acromion process due to heavy load can cause irritation on the origin of the bicep tendon as its origin is next to the supraspinatus. This irritation can cause tendonitis. 2nd Issue would be lack of flexibility in the teres, ant. delts, biceps, forearms, wrists. With the squat reaching back to grab the bar, AND squatting down with the weight requires a certain cervical/thoracic flexibility. If you are inflexible, this will irritate the insertion of the bicep tendon near the inside elbow.

Edited by smitty
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I sometimes cramp up in the traps while holding the bar during squats. Currently I am not even doing squats. I find the position to be a little too cramped. Instead I do heavy shrugbar lifts from a 5'' platform to increase the range. I realize I am straying from grip, but if grip is your first priority you dont want other training to be a detriment to it.

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Razorman,

I am willing to bet that this tendonitis is coming from your benching but being irritated by squats.

Have you considered going to dumbbells instead of the restrictive barbell for a few weeks/months of your benching routines?

-Napalm-

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I would have to agree with Jedd; very rare to have such levels of compression injury as mentioned above. Usually only seen in professional athletes who are under an intensive training segment, eg.: training twice day nearly everyday.

I also am thinking you have injured it while bench pressing or when performing some modified shoulder pressing or maybe a heavy set on biceps with a bad technique in form on a failed rep. Ice and heat... lay off it for a week or so.

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I used to hate squats, mainly because I could never get the bar to fit "just right" on my back. It got to the point I was more worried about the bar shifting around on my back than getting my form right. I finally got the Manta Ray and no more worries. Try it... it worked for me.

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No offense, but most people who use the manta ray in my experience:

a.) either don't know how to squat or

b.) have bad form squatting.

I am sorry, but I do not recommend using the manta ray for squats. I do not think it will solve the problem of biceps tendonitis, either.

-Napalm-

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I know it might sound like an expensive solution, but it is one that I'm considering due to shoulder problems......Ironmind sells a cambered bar(slightly bent) that they call the "Buffalo Bar". It is allegedly easier to find that "sweet spot" on your back, and its easier to hook your arms over, resulting in less compression.

Jedd, what's your thinking on this???

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Proper form and the right weight selection is the only way to reduce the risk of injury. All the pads in the world won't help if you have bad form. In general guys will always go for a weight that their legs and glutes can handle, that their lower back erectors and other accesory muscles cannot. Usually the result is injury to some other body part compensating for poor development elsewhere.

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Ironmind sells a cambered bar(slightly bent) that they call the "Buffalo Bar". It is allegedly easier to find that "sweet spot" on your back, and its easier to hook your arms over, resulting in less compression.

Jedd, what's your thinking on this???

I've never used it. Plus, I think Razor can work the bugs out of his form himself. He can cure the tendonitis just by taking the right therapeutic measures combined with proper warm-up, stretching and preventive shoulder training, a subject which I could discuss for hours.
Proper form and the right weight selection is the only way to reduce the risk of injury. All the pads in the world won't help if you have bad form. In general guys will always go for a weight that their legs and glutes can handle, that their lower back erectors and other accesory muscles cannot. Usually the result is injury to some other body part compensating for poor development elsewhere.

There may be a slight form flaw in Razor's technique, but I'm not going to tell him to go and liit the weight. He is a serious squatter. He'd laugh me off the forum if I said that. Razor's smart. He can make the appropriate tweeks to get himself right again.

-Napalm-

Edited by Jedd Johnson
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You can rsolve the problem by taking a few days off and switching to front squats. This is the best move you'll ever make.

I know what a tendonitis is as I always have it at summer from playing tennis.

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Yeah, I agree. My post was in the context of those who lift to impress others in the gym rather than train properly, not to be taked as a slam on one person directly. I was actually thinking in reference to a kid I saw in my weight training class at college just last week. He looked to be about 19-20, and build like an ox. His neck was the diameter of some guys legs. Anyway, He had 315 going for a few partial reps, then continued to add up to 500 total and showed off his horible form for all to see. Its alot of weight but when you dont even get your legs past 45 degrees and your slamming plates around just to get attention, you almost deserve whats coming to you.

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Thanks for the suggestions.

I think it's a combination of a previous pull, relentless gripping, and benching.

I don't think benching's a big part of it, because I keep my elbows in and bench with really good form. My squat form is pretty good, too, with wide hand spacing and good bar placement. The gym's squat rack is one where one setting is too high and the other too low, with really really deep J-hooks, so I'm probably tweaking myself unracking and reracking the weight.

I'm going to order neoprene sleeves, and squat AFTER bench.

How to adjust the grip routine is another matter. Maybe going one day on, one day off, rather than daily.

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And, er, my usual training regimen is three times daily four days of the week, twice daily two other days. I do my core workouts M,T, Th, F (ME squat, ME bench, DE squat, DE bench) AM, do accessory workouts with bands in the evenings, and grip and lever at lunch.

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I think it's using the grippers that caused the tendonitis. Squating just sort of aggrivated it. At least, that has been my experience. Pressing movements hurt my elbows more than my biceps.

In the past, working hard on the grippers has given me the same bicep probelms. I really think it's due to some muscle imbalances in your arm. And, the best way I've found to fix these problems is to use a wrist roller. That's the same advice I always give about any type of tendonitis, but it's always worked for me, and for guys I've lifted with.

As for the Manta Ray, I agree that it's garbage. Unless you are a very skinny person, the manta ray sits high up on your shoulders, almost up on your neck, instead of on your shoulders where you want the bar to be. I guess it could be useful to change up your leverages, and work your squat from different angles, but using it everytime you squat just seems like a bad idea to me.

Also, if your lifting Westside, your triceps are probably getting tons of work. Make sure that you do enough bicep stuff to balance everything out.

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I usually do a lot of front squats...has been my priority for years.The Safety squat bar is a nice option too and the gym has one of those.

However,I Recently started doing 'reguar'back squats again with a thick bar.This IS sweet!! :cool

60 inches between the collars and it's made of solid cold rolled steel.DON'T try to squat with a hollow thick bar ,we've bent two of them(just normal use not dropping them)But a thicker bar is very easy on the shoulders.A lot of older dudes with 'tore up'shoulders squat on it also.They sell for about $225??.Really nice if you have tight shoulders or if you have already tore your shoulders up. 1.1 ton capacity :blink .Sweet.

i agree though flat bench with a barbell(which i don't even bother to do anymore)tears up your shoulders one way or another. i flat press with dumbells now or inchine with dumbells.I think the squat further antagonizes the shoulders thus you get the tendonitis and arm pain/bicep tendonitis.

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Jedd-

You warm up and stretch to freaking much. No wonder your workouts take 3 hours! :whacked

Razor-

When on Westside I had serious elbow tendonitis. The culprit was speed benching as my joints hyper extend slightly and the speed benching was forcing them into hyperextension as I locked out.

fixed it by making sure I did not snap the lockout at the top. The result was no more tendonitis.

Tou-the only problem is Razor is a powerlifter. Front fronts dont tend to help the back squat to much-therefore, it would not be wise for him to do fronts on a regular basis.

Rick Walker :rock

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Rick - thanks for calling me a PL. Coming from you, that's a compliment!

I don't snap the weight to full extension on speed days, I get it to where three more inches would lock it out, then reverse. I NEVER snap joints, especially with weight!

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I had tendonitis in both biceps a few years ago. Heavy bicep work and a record

setting snowfall (lots & lots of shoveling) did on number on me. After changing

every exercise I did that had any effect on biceps the pain would not go away.

Physical therapy, heat, cold even Arnica didn't make a difference. I then used

Glucosamine/Chondroitin and in three weeks the pain was cut in half and after

six weeks it was completely gone. I train back, biceps, grip and pulling work

much harder now and to this date (knock on wood) have had no recurrence of

pain in the bicep tendons. I gave some to my friend who had a balky knee and

he saw similar results.

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No chondroitin - I have a family history of prostate cancer.

I don't follow ya razor... I'm not sure if thats where you're supposed to supplement :blink:unsure

Seriously, I've never heard of side effects from either of these. What brand did you get BTW, I've noticed significant diferences brand-to-brand in creatine and I wanted to try something reliable...

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