Elbow pain while squatting

[Dan Murphy]

#15563

Any suggestions for elbow pain while squatting? My elbows have been flaring up as soon as I get to a plate with the straight bar. Pressing movements give me now pain. Just the damn straight bar.

I’ve added curls in the past and got some relief. Ive also been throwing on my elbow sleeves which helps a bit. Just wondering what others have done.

[Murph]

#15568

Do you wrap your thumb around the bar or use a false grip?

[Dan Murphy]

#15570

Wrap the thumb. Haven’t tried false grip too many times.

[Murph]

#15578

With elbow pain we usually go to a false grip.

It doesn’t always fix it but it usually does. That is one of the primary reasons we coach the false grip on the squat.

I don’t suggest making changes now as I believe you are pretty close to a meet????

Light, high rep incline db curls often do wonders for elbow pain.

How far form a meet are you?

[Dan Murphy]

#15582

I’ll start throwing the curls back in the rotation.

I’m actually around 16 weeks out still. I’ve had meet directors in the usapl tell us we cant use a false grip. Not sure if it’s in the rule book. Probably is because they have dumbass rules. I’ll have to check

[Murph]

#15588

From 2016 USAPL Rule Book (could not find a newer version:

The lifter shall face the front of the platform. The bar shall be held horizontally across the
shoulders, hands and fingers gripping the bar (a “thumbs around” grip is not required). The hands
may be positioned anywhere on the bar inside and or in contact with the inner collars.

So, it seems that a false grip is allowed.

I suggest watching the squat course and the grip section on the false grip.

Give it a shot.
16 weeks is enough time to see if it works.

[Matt]

#15589

Something else to think about is adding an extra day between the day you squat and the heavier of the pressing days.
This won’t help the squatting problem obviously but the extra day might give you enough rest to help with the pressing pain.
Biceps work (like both Murphs said) and stretching/releasing the pecs, in my experience, help with the elbow pain.

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