Can’t do ANY resistance training

[Ironface]

My left elbow has been experiencing tendonitis on-and-off for months. I have tried reducing the frequency of my workouts to accommodate, to no avail.

A few days ago I was doing trap bar deadlifts and the pain was so sharp and severe I had to stop after the 1st working set.

It’s gotten to the point where I can’t even do push-ups without pain. Sometimes during the day it will just randomly hurt.

Am I doomed to become a sloth for the foreseeable future, or is there another option? Right now I’m thinking all I can do is abs and cardio.

[SuffolkPunch]

I had tendinitis in the past - seemed to be worst when doing curling. I found that some self administered ART worked quite well. Just consisted of putting pressure on the tender spots of the elbow while manipulating the elbow joint back and forth and rotating the hand this way and that. Find the sore spot and press down on it until it releases. Sounds like yours is more severe though so it might be better to seek out a physio.

[air2fakie]

Have you a tried a "tennis elbow" velcro/hook & loop wrap that goes around the forearm near the elbow (rather than the elbow itself) which has a little pad that presses against the outer part of the forearm near the elbow?

If you wrap that tight you might find it alleviates pain whether on the inner or outer tendons of the elbow in a way a normal elbow wrap doesn't. You'd probably still need to lower the weight on exercises, but it might make pain bearable & help it heal while you still lift.

You might also want to get an X-ray to make sure there's not something else going on like bone spurs etc.

[GeneralSerpant]

I would up frequency (instead of lowering0 and reduce RPE.

[Ironface]

I would up frequency (instead of lowering0 and reduce RPE.

Frequency was already high (full body every other day) and RPE low (3x10 with 15RM was a typical scheme I used)

[GeneralSerpant]

Frequency was already high (full body every other day) and RPE low (3x10 with 15RM was a typical scheme I used)

In my experience, cooling off from the exercise more for a matter of weeks tends to let it go away, to which point I can train regularly again at the eod frequency and catch back up rather smoothly. Otherwise now I will go once a day at the least and it's pretty much a non-issue.

Also I wasn't necessarily talking about your whole workout, just the exercises localized at the issue, unless that is full body anyhoo.

[lsiberian]

I would switch to unilateral work and do whatever I can tolerate on the bad arm. Might be a 5lb dumbbell, but I find getting blood flowing helps.

[ChunkBuster]

I’ve had tendonitus a couple of times.

I had to take some time off then used low volume on pulling exercises (especially chin ups).

I’ve not had for a few years now.