Getting joints of steel

Hi coaches!

I started my fitness journey 5 years ago by reading the gymnasticbodies book. I used it for a year to do BW exercises (I achieved the straddle planche for 5 seconds or so!).

Later on I switched my schedule to more of a bodybuilding routine and eventually powerlifting. I always had relatively good mobility (I have a bit of hyperflexibility). Eventually, I also took up climbing, that was a bad idea.

After training upper body on a Friday evening and a heavy session of climbing early in the next morning I started to develop elbow pain (tennis elbow)... For 6 months I have been on and off deep tissue massage/dry needling with almost 0 training, only legs. Eventually, it went away and I started putting weight on the bar, not even at 40% of my old time maxes, around 2 months in, pain came again. 

That was about 2 weeks ago, got some physio sessions and the pain/tightness is completely gone again. Since for the past 6 months I have been losing weight this might be a good time to start with gymnastics training, get back my strength and turn my elbow tendons into steel! 

Here's my question, is the fundamentals course enough? Is the optimal course to get my joints ready? (for example, I can do 20 push-ups and my elbow is just fine next day, pain is unnoticeable unless I do bw pull-ups). I have just done day 1 and the whole thing felt more like what I would do as warm-up or cool-down together with my mobility work. 

Bear in mind I don't want to start a program that might jeopardize my elbow again. What do you suggest?

Hi Gerard,

Thanks for reaching out and welcome to the GymnasticBodies community!

Fundamentals is a gentle introductory course to GST and is designed to discover imbalances and limitations before moving on to the other courses. 

There are no established sets and reps for Fundamentals. You are only required to do the follow along for a given day but are welcome to 'play' with some of the other movements you are having trouble with. At the end of the course all the exercises will build in to a daily limbering routine. Most students continue to use this routine as a warmup before their Foundation workout as they progress. 

If you really want to advance your training, I would suggest to begin with the Foundation series after Fundamentals. This is definitely the most complete course in order to build a strong well rounded physique. From your background I'd be careful to begin with and Fundamentals sounds like a good start. If you are experiencing any pain I'd highly reccomended to consult with a physio or other medical professional before starting Foundation or any other courses. First rule when it comes to training is never train through pain. 

Please let us know if you have other questions. 

 

Okay, so I will spend this 30 days of playing first! 

Thanks

@Gerard Garcia Torrents I'm in the same boat as you. Prior to starting fundamentals I was having issues with my elbow anytime I would clench my first and turn it from palm down to palm up. I too have been getting 1-2 deep tissue massages a month which immediately following the massage and the day after I feel great. I took quite a while off from weightlifting my upper body but to no avail I was still having some elbow discomfort with the motion I described above...I didn't think that completely laying off my arm would help at this point so I tried the GB fundamentals. Since starting the GB fundamentals I would say that the strain is in the upper part of my elbow now, actually at the bicep. The crab walks are killer and definitely smoked me - but personally it doesn't feel like a tear or anything like it, it feels like the pain/soreness you get from trying a new exercise/building strength. I've definitely had to get used to all this elbow locking out which I think is creating a lot of strength back in my elbow and I'm going to give fundamentals a go despite my history of tennis elbow as well. I do have a doc apt. scheduled June 10 (hoping to just confirm with an MRI that nothing is actually severely damaged) which I believe is the case. But I personally think the fundamentals course has helped strengthen a once weak elbow/joint.

@Gerard Garcia Torrents How did your 30 days go?