big triceps training for someone with tendinitis

[rangers97]

yes, unfortunately I have been bitten by the elbow tendinitis bug in my left elbow. I basically can't move a heavy weight doing skull crushers or tri pushdowns. I can, however, so far do pretty much all of my pressing movements with a little bit of pain, but nothing too bad. Unfortunately, I love doing triceps and I feel they are not as big or developed as they should be, considering what I lift on some of my pressing exercises, and I think my bis are out pacing my tris which is a no no. So my question is, what can I do to get big(ger) triceps, without the benefit of doing a skull crusher or a pushdown? I mean will close grip bench presses and dips be enough for what I want? Are there any suggestions as to what I can do as far as alternate exercises or ways to help alleviate this problem?

Thanks

 

[Mudge]

Start with things like close grip or reverse grip benches, dont go crazy with a super narrow grip. My hands are JUST to the sides of my ribs (forefinger where the knurls begin on the bar).

Do much less, if any:

Overhead tricep pressing
Skull crushers

Dont force your elbows inside when doing overhead pressing and the like, let yourself be natural. On a bench or close grip bench I bring my elbows in a bit but not in an uncomfortable manner. Much of it is how low you go on the chest. I do essentially no more overhead work nor lying french press/skullcrushers and my arms are doing just snazzy. Much less elbow stress with a CG.

 

[SPIKE1257]

I had tendinitis in my left elbow. The pain sucked and it got to the point where I had to start taking cortisone shots. It seemed that the shot would take away the pain for maybe 3 or 4 months. Finally after only about 3 shots (in a 1 Year period) the cortisone did nothing. The pain was so bad it hurt just to turn a doorknob. At this point there aren't many choices, so I elected for the surgery. This was 8 years ago, after the surgery and the few weeks rehabilitation period my elbow was back to 100%. Haven't had a problem with it since.

 

[rangers97]

what kind of surgery is it? What do they do to it? I would have to assume, since I already saw a PT once about it that it is not too serious, it just hurts like hell when I do a tricep exercise, so I don't do em! I really dont know what they can do for my particular case at this point unless I purposely make it worse

 

[Cold Iron]

Start with things like close grip or reverse grip benches, dont go crazy with a super narrow grip. My hands are JUST to the sides of my ribs (forefinger where the knurls begin on the bar).

Do much less, if any:

Overhead tricep pressing
Skull crushers

Dont force your elbows inside when doing overhead pressing and the like, let yourself be natural. On a bench or close grip bench I bring my elbows in a bit but not in an uncomfortable manner. Much of it is how low you go on the chest. I do essentially no more overhead work nor lying french press/skullcrushers and my arms are doing just snazzy. Much less elbow stress with a CG.

I always thought you has to keep your elbows in on excercises like skull crushers. Good to know, for 1, it hurts my elbows keeping them in like that and 2, if i let them go natural I can lift much more.
I guess I always kept them in b/c its harder that way and I felt like I was cheating myslef when I let them flare out.

 

[Mudge]

I always thought you has to keep your elbows in on excercises like skull crushers.

I remember that old "rule" too, but yeah forcing yourself to bring them in is unnatural. What you could attempt, is to use a wider grip, but I still dont really dig heavy skulls much, they still bug me eventually. You bend your arm more on a skullcrusher seated or lying down versus a CG bench, this coupled with people bringing the arms close together is not going to make for happy elbows.

When I CG bench I also stay about 3 inches off the chest or so, I dont go all the way down. I actually like boards for this when they are in the gym, I like to use 2 boards which is about 4 inches.

 

[SPIKE1257]

what kind of surgery is it? What do they do to it? I would have to assume, since I already saw a PT once about it that it is not too serious, it just hurts like hell when I do a tricep exercise, so I don't do em! I really dont know what they can do for my particular case at this point unless I purposely make it worse

Surgery is only used as a last resort alternative.I don't remember the exact name of the surgery, but what they do is they open you up near the elbow, cut the tendon by the elbow then they clean the end of the tendon and where the tendon connects at the elbow then reattach it.

 

[dbolman]

Surgery info's rather grizzly. Go with medial/lateral head motions like bench dips & CGBs using an E-Z curl bar.

I think extensions are indespensible and aren't the same as doing CGBs. In order to continue to be able to do them long-term, after the injury's healed I'd suggest the need for a good warmup-a couple of light sets, done slowly to ensure good blood circulation. Then, moderate weight and moderate reps-still very effective for the muscle. If you still have elbow problems after this, lower the weight further and increase the reps-still highly effective. Also, on any kind of 2-hand extensions, whether seated or lying, use a dumbell-better tri stimulation and much easier on wrists and elbows because of the greater range of motion. Elbow positioning's irrelevant.

 

[Cold Iron]

I remember that old "rule" too, but yeah forcing yourself to bring them in is unnatural. What you could attempt, is to use a wider grip, but I still dont really dig heavy skulls much, they still bug me eventually.

Thx. First, I'll try just letting them drift out a bit(which I do near the end of sets anyways, to get those last reps in). If that doesnt work, I'll give the wider grip a try, though I've exclusivly done these with an EZ bar thus far, so I will have to change that up.

Good looking out. I think my kness aleady have tendonitis, so the last thing I need is some more in the elbows...