[MM]

I have battled tendinitis of elbows/forearms/wrist/hands for years. One thing that really helped is exercising at a local gym on machines that work the upper body: core, shoulders, arms etc. But with COVID-19, I went cold turkey on that and not sure when I feel comfortable to restart. Do any of you suggest useful workouts with free weights and resistance band, or affordable home exercise gizmoes?

For quite a while I have been using 3 lb weights to exercise the wrists and elbows. Bend rotate wrist up and down several reps in 3 positions: palm up, palm sideways, palm down. But nothing else comparable to the resistance of the gym workouts.

 

[Hassles]

Dumbells are an extremely versatile piece of equipment. use standing or seated upon a chair and various other means.

 

[Benny]

I have battled tendinitis of elbows/forearms/wrist/hands for years. One thing that really helped is exercising at a local gym on machines that work the upper body: core, shoulders, arms etc. But with COVID-19, I went cold turkey on that and not sure when I feel comfortable to restart. Do any of you suggest useful workouts with free weights and resistance band, or affordable home exercise gizmoes?

For quite a while I have been using 3 lb weights to exercise the wrists and elbows. Bend rotate wrist up and down several reps in 3 positions: palm up, palm sideways, palm down. But nothing else comparable to the resistance of the gym workouts.

Yoga mat, 2 blocks, a strap snd good online classes. You can access stuff anywhere in the world these days

 

[B Flat]

A TRX is a valuable piece of equipment to use at home or whilst travelling.
Inexpensive and extremely versatile.

 

[Charlie J]

A TRX is a valuable piece of equipment to use at home or whilst travelling.
Inexpensive and extremely versatile.

Could you please explain the acronym?

 

[B Flat]

Could you please explain the acronym?

TRX® Suspension Training | Suspension Weight Training

TRX® Suspension Trainers™ provide world-class training for anyone, anytime, anywhere, regardless of their fitness level or goals. Learn more.

www.trxtraining.com

 

[ptung]

I've cornered in the UFC and Bellator, which is my shorthand for communicating that I've had almost every injury under the sun, and have tried almost every therapy under the sun.

Wrist, elbow and shoulder injuiries are pretty annoying in that it's very difficult to know exactly what really works and what doesn't. What works the most is figuring out what caused it (if it's a repetitive use injury) and not doing that for a while, or coming up with a substitute for it (e.g. change your mousehand to the other hand or change your mouse, or change how you use it), and then: (1) sleep lots, (2) experiment with ice and heat according to prevailing recommendations by PT professionals, to find out what seems to work and not work for you personally, (3) consider that your diet may be playing a role.

10 years ago many, many pro fighters (who live injured, pretty much continuously, and who break their bodies down more than anybody on earth except maybe field and construction workers long term) were eating variations of "alkalizing" diets.

I will say this: the best I ever felt in my life was when I was studiously eating an alkalizing diet. That is a big thing to communicate, what that really is, and how cleanly and cleverly you really have to eat to eat that way and get enough protein (red meat, fish and eggs are very acidifying). But that's worth looking into. Most of the staples are parts of any healthy or raw foods diet.

For me, to eat that way required a greens shake every morning. The good news -- and probably this is significant -- is that starting the day with a greens shake just naturally got me off coffee.

Not eating that way now, but I should be.

Icing has naysayers nowadays, but it helped me greatly.

Random additional thought: research links between stroke and chiropractic before going to chiropractors. I've benefitted from it when I had debilitating neck injuries, but I also have two jiu jitsu friends who have had strokes in their 30s that seemed likely linked to chiropractic.

One of the most annoying things about wrist/elbow/shoulder injuries is that they will puzzle and torture you for months, and then one day you will wake up and suddenly realize, Oh s---, what the hell, when did that injury disappear, I used to have an injury, didn't I?

 

[mmichel]

Dumbells are an extremely versatile piece of equipment. use standing or seated upon a chair and various other means.

+1

I'd recommend a quickly adjustable set for convenience and to save space.

I use the Bowflex SelectTech 1090, which are a little pricey, but go up to 90 lbs each.
The smaller 552s (which go up to 52 lbs each) are a bit more affordable if you don't need to go heavy. There are even less expensive options on Amazon, but I can't vouch for their quality.

The Bowflex ones work very well and feel very similar to standard gym dumbells.

 

[Keith Ridenhour]

Yeah , i wont go back to the gym. No longer need it. I have had TRX, Resistance bands (both the handle ones and the single thing for around ankles legs), a rebounder, dumbells and leg weights for around the ankles. Most importantly I have a PT I use on Skype once a week and she gives me a monthly workout and we do what we do once a week together. Just like having a private teacher for sax and flute, my PT on health has mulitplied my gains, made me accountabe and made the whole thing fun. Just my experience . Also, I've been following the book younger next year for 8 years now. Been true all 8. K

 

[Charlie J]

My wife and I also find that regular sessions with a trainer are very useful for direction and motivation.
As we get older, use it or lose it becomes reality.

 

[lostcircuits]

I mounted a bar to the ceiling by the garage door and made it a habit to do a few chin ups every time I pass under it. Long story short, a few months in I was able to do sessions of 40 chin-ups without developing tendonitis. I was forced to stop after the hernia surgery but I am back to 30 now. Just little things, one at the time build up without adding stress on the joints. Alternatively, I put a pulley under my porch with a log attached (maybe 80 lbs) and did sessions of 25 (just to "grease" the joints).

 

[ptung]

I mounted a bar to the ceiling by the garage door and made it a habit to do a few chin ups every time I pass under it. Long story short, a few months in I was able to do sessions of 40 chin-ups without developing tendonitis. I was forced to stop after the hernia surgery but I am back to 30 now. Just little things, one at the time build up without adding stress on the joints. Alternatively, I put a pulley under my porch with a log attached (maybe 80 lbs) and did sessions of 25 (just to "grease" the joints).

One word of caution about hanging and pull-ups, which I agree are potentially excellent and can be part of curing some types of problems: though we are apes and our bodies were made to hang, some people are subject to catastrophic rotator cuff injuries from hanging (especially obese or just fat people -- which if you can do 40 pull-ups you are not). BUT being fat or heavy is by no means the primary factor. Most of you probably don't know anything about jiu jitsu, but grappling athletes are some of the fittest athletes around, if they are devoted, and also functionally strong. I know a high level grappler who is normally, on average, maybe 10% or lower body fat, and an obsessive fitness student (he is a personal trainer, now). He catastrophically tore his rotator cuff, hanging, just bodyweight, while near his normal peak of performance. Granted, it's possible he had a pre-existing minor tear, but so do a lot of other people without knowing it. Hanging can be a very potent part of treatment of a rotator cuff injury, ironically.

The message is really to not follow any instructions or advice you read on a web forum without consulting your physician. Not your chiropractor. Chiropractors are chiropractors specifically because they can't be "real" doctors, even though they and acolytes will insist they are real doctors. I'm sure I just offended a bunch of people. The truth is the truth, whether anybody is offended or not. Talk to your doctor about anything that involves heavy weight on a joint or, especially, any part of your spine/nervous-system, especially if you're over 30 or 35 years old.

 

[MaxTT]

Sold all my weights and just use TRX. Body weight and core work...perfect for me.

 

[lostcircuits]

One word of caution about hanging and pull-ups, which I agree are potentially excellent and can be part of curing some types of problems: though we are apes and our bodies were made to hang, some people are subject to catastrophic rotator cuff injuries from hanging (especially obese or just fat people -- which if you can do 40 pull-ups you are not). BUT being fat or heavy is by no means the primary factor. Most of you probably don't know anything about jiu jitsu, but grappling athletes are some of the fittest athletes around, if they are devoted, and also functionally strong. I know a high level grappler who is normally, on average, maybe 10% or lower body fat, and an obsessive fitness student (he is a personal trainer, now). He catastrophically tore his rotator cuff, hanging, just bodyweight, while near his normal peak of performance. Granted, it's possible he had a pre-existing minor tear, but so do a lot of other people without knowing it. Hanging can be a very potent part of treatment of a rotator cuff injury, ironically.

The message is really to not follow any instructions or advice you read on a web forum without consulting your physician. Not your chiropractor. Chiropractors are chiropractors specifically because they can't be "real" doctors, even though they and acolytes will insist they are real doctors. I'm sure I just offended a bunch of people. The truth is the truth, whether anybody is offended or not. Talk to your doctor about anything that involves heavy weight on a joint or, especially, any part of your spine/nervous-system, especially if you're over 30 or 35 years old.

I agree, there is the rotator cuff issue and there is also the sudden fainting issue that some people may experience hanging. That's why I mentioned the pulley solution, it can be made with an investment of less than $20.- total (2 pulleys, a rope, a broomstick and a weight (wooden log, even a water balloon). And you can do it sitting, standing whatever feels best and work in incremental increases. And, I hate to admit it but I am 64 now. Time flies but you can put on some brakes.

 

[ptung]

I agree, there is the rotator cuff issue and there is also the sudden fainting issue that some people may experience hanging. That's why I mentioned the pulley solution, it can be made with an investment of less than $20.- total (2 pulleys, a rope, a broomstick and a weight (wooden log, even a water balloon). And you can do it sitting, standing whatever feels best and work in incremental increases. And, I hate to admit it but I am 64 now. Time flies but you can put on some brakes.

HOly smokes! 40 pullups at 64?! That is PHENOMENAL! 40 at any age is way beyond excellent -- good for you, man. Stoked to hear that. That is beyond awesome. 🤘🤩🤘

 

[lostcircuits]

HOly smokes! 40 pullups at 64?! That is PHENOMENAL! 40 at any age is way beyond excellent -- good for you, man. Stoked to hear that. That is beyond awesome. 🤘🤩🤘

No, not really, like I said just put a bar up somewhere where you walk a few times a day and do a few every time you pass and you'll get there in no time.

 

[B Flat]

I made an assisted pull-up machine in my workshop.
Great for doing pull ups whilst battling an injury or whilst gaining strength so as to perform them without assistance.

 

[datsaxman]

Yeah, I put up the pullup bar about a year ago. Started doing a few at a time.
Not up to 40 yet, but it is pretty easy to get up to 5-10-20-25. Once you can do ONE good one.
Assisted is a great idea too. Getting from 3 to 25 is easier than getting from 0 to 1.

 

[ptung]

No, not really, like I said just put a bar up somewhere where you walk a few times a day and do a few every time you pass and you'll get there in no time.

Ah ok lol...I thought...you know what I thought. Still, good deal. I have one random hot tip related to my own challenges (AVN, hip surgery already prescribed, but possibly avoidable for a while if I can drop enough weight): there are some very good rowing machines out there that are very affordable, these days. I can't bike, or hit the heavy bag or do any striking arts right now because it can leave me unable to walk. The rowing machine's not only therapeutic for my hips -- they usually feel better the day after rowing than the day before -- and the machine allows me to keep up at least some strength and cardio, specifically upper back and arms, for when I can surf again.

You have to be a lot more clever about how you manage your body as you age.

Re light weights, I used to lift pretty heavy (285 lbs bench for reps, 300+ lbs for 1 rep) before doing martial arts. At my physical peak (during martial arts) I was almost never using dumbells heavier than 12 lbs for deltoids and arms, though I could have been using double that at the same time, and I was not functionally weaker. You can be very strong using light weights for many reps (I used to do 3 minute rounds instead of "sets"). I'm sure I could have lifted at least 90% of the heavier weight amounts I would have been throwing around had I spend the same amount of time and dedication to lifting heavy. I wouldn't even try to lift heavy now, at 52. I know what will happen (joint injuries and inflammation).

 

[datsaxman]

True about lifting heavy. Most all of the "big weight" guys I know are messed up from it.

BIG arms and shoulders, but can hardly stand or walk. Light can build a lot of strength.