A workout split that saves my poor old elbows

[tobymax123]

The past few months I've had pretty bad pain in my right elbow, at both the outer and inner tendons, like tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. I'm slowly rehabbing it with various exercises and stretches I've found here and on Youtube, and with ice. It's getting better, slowly.

So when I started at a new gym on Jan. 2 I decided on a new workout program with no arm pulling movements that would aggravate the elbow. No pull ups, no rows, no face pulls, etc. Deadlifts are the only back work I'm getting. I'm completely new to deadlifts, and loving it.

So here's the workout split I've settled into. Curious to know if anyone has any input, advice, or experience with elbow-saving workout routines like this.

I'm doing 45-50 minute workouts (60-65 on leg day), typically 8 to 12 reps for each exercise unless noted otherwise.

Day 1, Shoulders:
- OH presses on machine, 4 sets (not with db, because hoisting them up hurts the elbow)
- Lateral db raises, 3 drop sets (light weight, very high reps, because using higher weight hurts the elbow)
- Front db raises, 3 drop sets (again, light weight, very high reps)
- Back to the machine for 4 more sets of OH presses
- Sadly, no more face pulls for now.

Day 2, Deadlifts, Abs, Cardio
- Deadlifts, 6 sets, 4 to 8 reps
- Hanging V-ups, 4 sets
- Cable crunches, 4 sets
- 6 minutes of plank, then 20 min cardio

Day 3, Chest
- Incline bench press, 4 or 5 sets
- Decline bench press, 4 or 5 sets
- Cable flyes or machine flyes, 4 or 5 sets
- Barbell pullovers, 4 or 5 sets
- No flat bench, because somehow they hurt my elbow and my shoulders.

Day 4, Legs
- Leg press, 4 sets
- Squats, 5 sets
- Straight-leg calf press, 4 sets
- Seated calf raises, 4 sets
- Leg curls, 4 sets

Day 5, Off.

Then repeat.

After 3 weeks of this, so far so good. Since it's a 5 day split, obviously I will repeat a workout within a week, like this past week I did shoulders on Monday, then again on Saturday.

Thoughts, comments, advice?

I'm due for my annual check-up in March, so if the elbow isn't better by then I'll certainly address it with my doc.

[jellodirt]

The past few months I've had pretty bad pain in my right elbow, at both the outer and inner tendons, like tennis elbow and golfer's elbow. I'm slowly rehabbing it with various exercises and stretches I've found here and on Youtube, and with ice. It's getting better, slowly.

So when I started at a new gym on Jan. 2 I decided on a new workout program with no arm pulling movements that would aggravate the elbow. No pull ups, no rows, no face pulls, etc. Deadlifts are the only back work I'm getting. I'm completely new to deadlifts, and loving it.

So here's the workout split I've settled into. Curious to know if anyone has any input, advice, or experience with elbow-saving workout routines like this.

I'm doing 45-50 minute workouts (60-65 on leg day), typically 8 to 12 reps for each exercise unless noted otherwise.

Day 1, Shoulders:
- OH presses on machine, 4 sets (not with db, because hoisting them up hurts the elbow)
- Lateral db raises, 3 drop sets (light weight, very high reps, because using higher weight hurts the elbow)
- Front db raises, 3 drop sets (again, light weight, very high reps)
- Back to the machine for 4 more sets of OH presses
- Sadly, no more face pulls for now.

Day 2, Deadlifts, Abs, Cardio
- Deadlifts, 6 sets, 4 to 8 reps
- Hanging V-ups, 4 sets
- Cable crunches, 4 sets
- 6 minutes of plank, then 20 min cardio

Day 3, Chest
- Incline bench press, 4 or 5 sets
- Decline bench press, 4 or 5 sets
- Cable flyes or machine flyes, 4 or 5 sets
- Barbell pullovers, 4 or 5 sets
- No flat bench, because somehow they hurt my elbow and my shoulders.

Day 4, Legs
- Leg press, 4 sets
- Squats, 5 sets
- Straight-leg calf press, 4 sets
- Seated calf raises, 4 sets
- Leg curls, 4 sets

Day 5, Off.

Then repeat.

After 3 weeks of this, so far so good. Since it's a 5 day split, obviously I will repeat a workout within a week, like this past week I did shoulders on Monday, then again on Saturday.

Thoughts, comments, advice?

I'm due for my annual check-up in March, so if the elbow isn't better by then I'll certainly address it with my doc.

I've had elbow pain for quite some time and found the culprit to be how I sleep. When I lay on my side it puts pressure on my elbow and irritates it. I've trained myself to sleep with the hand of the elbow I would be laying on cupping the opposite shoulder. This keeps it out from under you.

[evo3129]

Day 1, Shoulders:

- Sadly, no more face pulls for now.

I've been battling golfers elbow on and of for a year myself. Bloody frustrating isn't it.

I love facepulls as well but they are terrible on the elbows. Consider rear delt flys, either bent over with DB or using the pec deck in reverse. They aren;t so bad on the elbows I find.

[paolo59]

Elbows can be a royal pain, that's for sure!

[oldsuperman]

The bottom line if the exercise hurts? Then don't do it at all. Lifting lighter after healing will help you from re-injuring it again. While trying to get it back into shape. Again it is pretty simple. Ice 20 mins, first thing in the morning, before training and after training and before bed. Use your anti inflammatory like Aleive my favorite and stay a way from Tylenol as if will do nothing for the inflammations. It usually takes about 6 weeks for a total healing. Best of luck to you.