Elbow Pain + Silent Click

[Benjamin Montgomery]

Hi All,

I've checked out the various elbow threads and none of them quite match up with my elbow situation, so I'm going to share.

Let me start with a few facts:

I'm 23 years old.

I'm just getting into bodyweight strength training (BtGB arrived today )

I've had no previous injuries.

I've been pretty active most of my life, except for the past four years of college. (I casually rock climbed)

I have horrible mobility/flexibility (slight-moderate internal rotation, poor t spine flexibility, poor wrist flexibility/strength, super tight hamstrings)

I'm on a computer for 8+ hours a day.

I've been working on full body mobility and basic strength for a couple of months and I'm trying not to get too excited about all of the cool bodyweight exercises. To prevent injury, I'm willing to go as slow as I have to. Anyway, yesterday I did 1 pushup and 1 pullup on the minute for 30 minutes. I started out doing pushups on my hands (which I don't normally do) and my right elbow and shoulder started to hurt about halfway through. I switched to pushup bars and the pain decreased significantly. However, it lingered for a while after the workout. (I've done 3x5 pullups and 3x8 pushups on bars with no pain)

When really focusing on my elbows, I noticed that my right elbow makes a little clicking feeling (no noise) whenever my arm fully extends. The clicking feeling is very soft when my arm is straightened in a "bicep curl" position and becomes stronger when extending in a "hammer curl" position. My left arm actually makes a soft clicking feeling in the "hammer curl" position, but not in the "bicep curl" position. I unfortunately don't know enough about physiology to know what's going on. I'm assuming that I have some imbalance/weakness which I could remedy with some basic band strength exercises. (Also, I'm left handed.)

Should I lay off pushups and pullups until my mobility/basic strength is better?

[Cole Dano]

The numbers you are doing are pretty low, especially as you are doing singles. If you have no pain i wouldn't worry about laying off.

I have a similar elbow click from falling too many times on a skateboard. Its not a problem you need to worry about if there is not any pain associated with it.

I would recommend you add some high volume work as well though. Wall push ups, feet assisted pull ups for example.

If you have access to bands there are a few exercises i have found very helpful. High rep biceps curls and triceps extensions. And the Front Chest Pull. To do a FCP keep one arm straight at shoulder height to the side, the other arm bent at the chest, first pull the band like you would a bow string to the armpit and then straighten that arm to the side.

I also do this diagonally across the body as pre for Muscle Ups, as it works in a similar way to the transition.

[Benjamin Montgomery]

Thanks for the recommendations MrBrady. I'll start doing some high volume work and try out the exercises you mentioned.