Elbow Pain while beginning Foundations 1 and Handstand 1

I started the program at the end of last week.  I did the complete set of F1 & H1 over 2 days with mastery tests last Friday & Saturday.  This week I did the 4 day split (i.e. H1 spread over 2 days and done twice a week - so 4 days total). After the 3rd time doing the H1a split (i.e. FL/PE1, SPL/PEI, HBP/PE1, RC/PEI), I started feeling pain in my elbows.  I wasn’t sure to what degree it was related to the exercises from that day, the previous days exercises, or general achiness due to the weather, or eating gluten this week, etc. I don’t remember feeling pain during the exercises.  Prior to this program I was doing 3 months of resistance training without any joint pain.  I was doing 5 days per week of resistance training at the time.  Last week I just did one leg day.  This week I didn’t do any additional resistance training.  

 

If it is likely related to the exercises, is there a specific exercise from the list below that is more likely to be the cause either due to bad form, or lack of preparedness?   Should I choose an easier schedule, like the 3 day split, or 1 day integrated workout?   I tested into PE1 for all the foundation exercises (many 9th week) and some PE2/PE3 for handstand stuff over a few exercise days. 

 

My current location on the various exercises: 

 

H1a:
4x48s FL/PE1 
5r FL/PE1-im after each work set 

4x12r SPL/PE1 
5r SPL/PE1-im after each work set 

4x12r HBP/PE1 
10r HBP/PE1-im after each work set 

4x6r RC/PE1 
30s RC/PE1-im after each work set 

 

 

H1b: & Handstand

4x24s SL/PE1 
10R SL/PE1-im after each work set 

4x6r MN/PE1 
5r MN/PE1-im after each work set 

3x3r SLS/PE1 
10r SLS/PE1-im after each work set 

(Handstand)

10r WRS #1,#2,#3,#4 
3x1r WP/PE3 
4x4r FKP/PE1 
3x1r WR/PE3 
3x1r FTP/PE3

3x12s HS/PE2 
10s HS/PE2-im after each work set 
 

Thanks for your advice and any suggestions.

 

What kind of pain o and how intense?

I had pain in my elbows as well for the first couple of months. It started in week 2 I think and from there it fade off slowly.

At the very beginning besides F1 and H1 I was doing ladder pullups and handstand pushups.

To be short I realized that pullups + RC (I started on the same week you are) was causing brachialis pain. Also my elbows weren't used to lock all the way and HBP was though on them.

Ditched the non F1 H1 stuff and went for massage on upper body (especially forearm and arms) and slowly the pain went away.

My suggestion is besides massage take it easy on the first month or 2, these exercises are working a ROM that your body is not used to and you need to give it time to adapt.

Start slow and keep progressing safely.

Forgot to mention K tape also helped a lot.

I felt a dull pain which I imagine was somewhat similar to what arthritic pain feels like.   I am not too worried as long as it doesn't mean I am doing something wrong.   Do you know which of the foundation exercises are mostly likely to cause elbow pain if done wrong?

 

I was doing 5 days a week of strength training prior to starting gb, and then just did 1 day of legs the first week.  Now I am doing just gb F1 and H1 on a 4 day split without additional strength training.   I am a bit unhappy about the possibility of loosing muscle, but harming the joint seems worse.   My understanding is that some people do leg workouts along with F1 & H1.  I may try to add that back in, or do a 3 day split and 1 day full body strength training.  

I guess HBP and RC are the most demanding in terms of joints at least for me.

I had the same fear of losing muscle mass but fortunately some guys on the forum managed to convince me to ditch the other workouts I was doing.

Now I do F1 4 times a week and on the "lower body" days I also do Deadlift or Squat following 5/3/1 prior to do F1.

Even if at first it seems nothing F1 becomes very demanding quickly.

I haven't lost much muscle mass. Only a bit on my last, my upper body is not growing much but it's becoming stronger.

I found I don't heat always enough to grow muscles...

Give it a shot you'll be surprised by the results.

Thanks again.  What do you mean by lower body days.  Do you mean the second day of the split of H1 exercises,  when you do the Single Leg Squat preparatory exercises?

Yep that's exactly what I mean :-)

Of the exercises you mentioned RC/PE1 is most likely to cause and aggravate elbow tendinitis.  Rolling the full length of your tricep (right up to the elbow) with a lacrosse ball on a countertop could help speed recovery especially if you find knots / feel tenderness during the roll.  Here's a guy using the wall to show what I mean:

 

 

Kelly Starret mobilizes the tricep / elbow area starting at about 4:48 in this vid:

 

 

Some Arm wrestlers use the lacrosse ball roll to help prevent / alleviate elbow tendinitis and I've used it in the past with success when i had a flair up.  The key is to find the knots (if any) with the ball when rolling.