dumbbells and slight hurt in the elbow

Hello!

I have recently started to exercise in my home. I have been doing
some curls and my elbow has been hurting lately. I have been doing
these curls while standing up and while sitting in a chair (with my
elbow just next to my knee).

It doesn't hurt when I touch it, but when I flex my arm I "feel it".
Is this type of discomfort normal, or does this indicate that I am
doing it wrong somehow?

I am NEW to this, so please excuse my ignorance. After seeing some
dumbbells in the store I decided to buy them and thereafter found some
exercises on the Internet to follow. A fitness gym would be more
appropriate, but unfortunately I don't have easy access to a gym where
I live.

Thanks!

<excitizen@ownmail.net> wrote in message
news:1179746119.066944.95280@b40g2000prd.googlegro ups.com...
> Hello!
>
> I have recently started to exercise in my home. I have been doing
> some curls and my elbow has been hurting lately. I have been doing
> these curls while standing up and while sitting in a chair (with my
> elbow just next to my knee).
>
> It doesn't hurt when I touch it, but when I flex my arm I "feel it".
> Is this type of discomfort normal, or does this indicate that I am
> doing it wrong somehow?
>
> I am NEW to this, so please excuse my ignorance. After seeing some
> dumbbells in the store I decided to buy them and thereafter found some
> exercises on the Internet to follow. A fitness gym would be more
> appropriate, but unfortunately I don't have easy access to a gym where
> I live.
>
> Thanks!

It is good to back off periodically. Many people train 3 weeks on, 1
week off/easy. You might try taking a few days off, or at least using
lower weights and/or less volume, and then ease back in and see how you
do.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

Thanks for responding.

As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?

Thanks!


> > Hello!
>
> > I have recently started to exercise in my home. I have been doing
> > some curls and my elbow has been hurting lately. I have been doing
> > these curls while standing up and while sitting in a chair (with my
> > elbow just next to my knee).
>
> > It doesn't hurt when I touch it, but when I flex my arm I "feel it".
> > Is this type of discomfort normal, or does this indicate that I am
> > doing it wrong somehow?
>
> > I am NEW to this, so please excuse my ignorance. After seeing some
> > dumbbells in the store I decided to buy them and thereafter found some
> > exercises on the Internet to follow. A fitness gym would be more
> > appropriate, but unfortunately I don't have easy access to a gym where
> > I live.
>
> > Thanks!
>
> It is good to back off periodically. Many people train 3 weeks on, 1
> week off/easy. You might try taking a few days off, or at least using
> lower weights and/or less volume, and then ease back in and see how you
> do.
>
> -S-http://www.kbnj.com

On Mon, 21 May 2007, excitizen@ownmail.net wrote:

> I have recently started to exercise in my home. I have been doing some
> curls and my elbow has been hurting lately.

Your body will take some time to get used to the exercise. Stick with
light weights and lots of reps for a few weeks, then start to bring the
weight up. You shouldn't have persistent joint pain.

> I am NEW to this, so please excuse my ignorance. After seeing some
> dumbbells in the store I decided to buy them and thereafter found some
> exercises on the Internet to follow.

Just curls, or other stuff to? You definitely want to be doing more than
just curls!

tom

--
Sometimes it takes a madman like Iggy Pop before you can SEE the logic
really working.

"excitizen" <excitizen@ownmail.net> wrote in message
news:1179752027.631338.116340@y18g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
> Thanks for responding.
>
> As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
> Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?

Internet diagnosis is worth what you pay for it. I have no idea if
you're doing something incorrectly (unlikely, IMHO), or are just
suffering from a bit of "too much too soon." People do curls in almost
infinite variety, but I don't do them at all so I don't want to make
suggestions as to which way may or not be best for you. Suffice it to
say that palms facing downward is a bit less common than palms facing
upwards, and palms facing each other is somewhere in between, at least
to the best of my limited knowledge.

> Thanks!

No problem. For another way to work your arms plus a lot of other
things, try pullups instead of some of those curls.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com


>
>> > Hello!
>>
>> > I have recently started to exercise in my home. I have been doing
>> > some curls and my elbow has been hurting lately. I have been doing
>> > these curls while standing up and while sitting in a chair (with my
>> > elbow just next to my knee).
>>
>> > It doesn't hurt when I touch it, but when I flex my arm I "feel
>> > it".
>> > Is this type of discomfort normal, or does this indicate that I am
>> > doing it wrong somehow?
>>
>> > I am NEW to this, so please excuse my ignorance. After seeing some
>> > dumbbells in the store I decided to buy them and thereafter found
>> > some
>> > exercises on the Internet to follow. A fitness gym would be more
>> > appropriate, but unfortunately I don't have easy access to a gym
>> > where
>> > I live.
>>
>> > Thanks!
>>
>> It is good to back off periodically. Many people train 3 weeks on, 1
>> week off/easy. You might try taking a few days off, or at least
>> using
>> lower weights and/or less volume, and then ease back in and see how
>> you
>> do.
>>
>> -S-http://www.kbnj.com
>
>

In news:5bdumbF2rfe6iU1@mid.individual.net,
Steve Freides <steve@fridayscomputer.com> typed:
> "excitizen" <excitizen@ownmail.net> wrote in message
> news:1179752027.631338.116340@y18g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>> Thanks for responding.
>>
>> As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
>> Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?
>
> Internet diagnosis is worth what you pay for it. I have no idea if
> you're doing something incorrectly (unlikely, IMHO), or are just
> suffering from a bit of "too much too soon." People do curls in
> almost infinite variety, but I don't do them at all so I don't want
> to make suggestions as to which way may or not be best for you. Suffice it
> to say that palms facing downward is a bit less common
> than palms facing upwards, and palms facing each other is somewhere
> in between, at least to the best of my limited knowledge.
>
>> Thanks!
>
> No problem. For another way to work your arms plus a lot of other
> things, try pullups instead of some of those curls.
>

That's really not gonna help if he has a bicep related injury, is it !!!


--
Bully
Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill

Generally, this means too much weight. Also, form (e.g., you many be
swinging them? Are you locking out your arms?). Be advised, also,
that some exercises may be "riskier" than others (stuff like barbell
rows and presses are said by many to aggravate the shoulders' rotator
cuffs).

Basically, listen to your body. Discomfort is "normal" in the sense
that everyone experiences them -- but not normal in the sense that
your body's not happy with the movement you're doing! IOW, everyone
needs to find their own "zone" of optimal training. That's part of
the challenge of this sport: discovering who and what you are by how
you and your body responds to various stimuli.



On May 21, 7:15 am, exciti...@ownmail.net wrote:
> Hello!
>
> I have recently started to exercise in my home. I have been doing
> some curls and my elbow has been hurting lately. I have been doing
> these curls while standing up and while sitting in a chair (with my
> elbow just next to my knee).
>
> It doesn't hurt when I touch it, but when I flex my arm I "feel it".
> Is this type of discomfort normal, or does this indicate that I am
> doing it wrong somehow?
>
> I am NEW to this, so please excuse my ignorance. After seeing some
> dumbbells in the store I decided to buy them and thereafter found some
> exercises on the Internet to follow. A fitness gym would be more
> appropriate, but unfortunately I don't have easy access to a gym where
> I live.
>
> Thanks!

On Mon, 21 May 2007, excitizen wrote:

> As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
> Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?

Your palms should be facing forward; the motion is a bit like an underarm
throw (a really bad underarm throw), what we call a supinated grip.
However, you may not be able to hold the dumbbell by your side like this,
if it sticks out too much; in this case, hold it with a neutral grip (palm
towards you), and rotate your wrist as you bring it forward from your
body.

If you keep the grip neutral throughout the lift, this is a variation
known as a hammer curl; it targets the brachioradialis rather than the
biceps, which you probably don't want to do.

Allow me to introduce you to ExRx - basically the best collection of
weight exercises around:

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

tom

--
GOLDIE LOOKIN' CHAIN [...] will ultimately make all other forms of music
both redundant and unnecessary -- NTK

"Bully" <bully62@proteinbars.co.ok> writes:

> In news:5bdumbF2rfe6iU1@mid.individual.net,
> Steve Freides <steve@fridayscomputer.com> typed:
>> "excitizen" <excitizen@ownmail.net> wrote in message
>> news:1179752027.631338.116340@y18g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>>> Thanks for responding.
>>>
>>> As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be
>>> faced? Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction
>>> as my body?
>>
>> Internet diagnosis is worth what you pay for it. I have no idea
>> if you're doing something incorrectly (unlikely, IMHO), or are just
>> suffering from a bit of "too much too soon." People do curls in
>> almost infinite variety, but I don't do them at all so I don't want
>> to make suggestions as to which way may or not be best for
>> you. Suffice it to say that palms facing downward is a bit less
>> common than palms facing upwards, and palms facing each other is
>> somewhere in between, at least to the best of my limited knowledge.
>>
>>> Thanks!
>>
>> No problem. For another way to work your arms plus a lot of other
>> things, try pullups instead of some of those curls.
>>
>
> That's really not gonna help if he has a bicep related injury, is it
> !!!

You never know. I had what was probably a similar issue with my left
bicep. Pullups hurt, but chins (especially narrow grip chins) didn't.
Now my left elbow only hurts when I try and do several sets of pullups
in a row.

I would suggest that the original poster replace the exercise that
hurts with another similar exercise that doesn't. If you can't find
an exercise that is pain free then try using far less weight.

Jason

On May 21, 2:33 pm, Tom Anderson <t...@urchin.earth.li> wrote:
> On Mon, 21 May 2007, excitizen wrote:
> > As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
> > Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?
>
> Your palms should be facing forward; the motion is a bit like an underarm
> throw (a really bad underarm throw), what we call a supinated grip.
> However, you may not be able to hold the dumbbell by your side like this,
> if it sticks out too much; in this case, hold it with a neutral grip (palm
> towards you), and rotate your wrist as you bring it forward from your
> body.
>
> If you keep the grip neutral throughout the lift, this is a variation
> known as a hammer curl; it targets the brachioradialis rather than the
> biceps, which you probably don't want to do.
>
> Allow me to introduce you to ExRx - basically the best collection of
> weight exercises around:
>
> http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
>
> tom
>
> --
> GOLDIE LOOKIN' CHAIN [...] will ultimately make all other forms of music
> both redundant and unnecessary -- NTK

On May 21, 2:33 pm, Tom Anderson <t...@urchin.earth.li> wrote:
> On Mon, 21 May 2007, excitizen wrote:
> > As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
> > Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?
>
> Your palms should be facing forward; the motion is a bit like an underarm
> throw (a really bad underarm throw), what we call a supinated grip.
> However, you may not be able to hold the dumbbell by your side like this,
> if it sticks out too much; in this case, hold it with a neutral grip (palm
> towards you), and rotate your wrist as you bring it forward from your
> body.
>
> If you keep the grip neutral throughout the lift, this is a variation
> known as a hammer curl; it targets the brachioradialis rather than the
> biceps, which you probably don't want to do.
>
> Allow me to introduce you to ExRx - basically the best collection of
> weight exercises around:
>
> http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
>
> tom
>
> --
> GOLDIE LOOKIN' CHAIN [...] will ultimately make all other forms of music
> both redundant and unnecessary -- NTK

Tom,

Thanks for your reply. I like the website you listed.

I tried curls with the neutral grip last night, and my elbow wasn't
bothered at all. But, as you said, that exercises a different
muscle.

I have only been doing push ups and curls so far, but I will
experiment with some of the other exercises from the web site. From
the replies I am getting it sounds like I should do a variety of
exercises, using light weights to get my body accustomed to these
movements.

Thanks!

On Tue, 22 May 2007, excitizen wrote:

> I have only been doing push ups and curls so far, but I will experiment
> with some of the other exercises from the web site.

Please do. I would suggest shoulder presses, bent-over rows, and lunges or
squats, to get you started.

> From the replies I am getting it sounds like I should do a variety of
> exercises, using light weights to get my body accustomed to these
> movements.

Quite so. Not too light, though - you do need to get used to moving
against resistance. For some exercises, bodyweight is enough, but for
something like a curl, it's not. Just don't overdo it to begin with!

tom

--
the logical extension of a zero-infinity nightmare topology

Tom,

Thanks for your reply. I like the website you listed.

I tried curls with the neutral grip last night, and my elbow wasn't
bothered at all. But, as you said, that exercises a different
muscle. I will experiment with some of the other exercises from the
web site.

>From the replies I am getting it sounds like I should do a variety of
exercises, using light weights to get my body accustomed to these
movements.

Thanks!


On May 21, 2:33 pm, Tom Anderson <t...@urchin.earth.li> wrote:
> On Mon, 21 May 2007, excitizen wrote:
> > As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
> > Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?
>
> Your palms should be facing forward; the motion is a bit like an underarm
> throw (a really bad underarm throw), what we call a supinated grip.
> However, you may not be able to hold the dumbbell by your side like this,
> if it sticks out too much; in this case, hold it with a neutral grip (palm
> towards you), and rotate your wrist as you bring it forward from your
> body.
>
> If you keep the grip neutral throughout the lift, this is a variation
> known as a hammer curl; it targets the brachioradialis rather than the
> biceps, which you probably don't want to do.
>
> Allow me to introduce you to ExRx - basically the best collection of
> weight exercises around:
>
> http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
>
> tom
>
> --
> GOLDIE LOOKIN' CHAIN [...] will ultimately make all other forms of music
> both redundant and unnecessary -- NTK

On May 21, 2:33 pm, Tom Anderson <t...@urchin.earth.li> wrote:
> On Mon, 21 May 2007, excitizen wrote:
> > As I am standing and doing the curls, where should my palms be faced?
> > Towards my legs or facing forwards in the same direction as my body?
>
> Your palms should be facing forward; the motion is a bit like an underarm
> throw (a really bad underarm throw), what we call a supinated grip.
> However, you may not be able to hold the dumbbell by your side like this,
> if it sticks out too much; in this case, hold it with a neutral grip (palm
> towards you), and rotate your wrist as you bring it forward from your
> body.
>
> If you keep the grip neutral throughout the lift, this is a variation
> known as a hammer curl; it targets the brachioradialis rather than the
> biceps, which you probably don't want to do.
>
> Allow me to introduce you to ExRx - basically the best collection of
> weight exercises around:
>
> http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
>
> tom
>
> --
> GOLDIE LOOKIN' CHAIN [...] will ultimately make all other forms of music
> both redundant and unnecessary -- NTK

Tom,

Thanks for your reply. I like the website you listed.

I tried curls with the neutral grip last night, and my elbow wasn't
bothered at all. But, as you said, that exercises a different
muscle.

I have only been doing push ups and curls so far, but I will
experiment with some of the other exercises from the web site. From
the replies I am getting it sounds like I should do a variety of
exercises, using light weights to get my body accustomed to these
movements.

Thanks!