Elbow Issues

[Glenn Sunshine]

I've been doing a GPP cycle (bodyweight plus KB juggling) along with working on my pullups. I've been developing pain in my elbows, between the radius and ulna and on the bottom (pinky side as I look toward my palm). It seems to be related to the pullups--when my volume moves up a bit, it gets worse and sticks around for several days. The right elbow in particular (which I injured playing football as a kid) feels a bit unstable as well. I may have an imbalance in strength between my triceps, which get a fair amount of work, and my biceps, which don't. It isn't severe pain, but it is a noticeable discomfort that occasionally gets a bit more serious. I don't want it to get worse.

I do IntuFlow close to daily.

Can anyone suggest prehab work that might fit the bill?

[Scott Sonnon]

Glenn,

The best prehab would be to stop KB juggling as GPP. Not only was it never intended to be GPP, but it's poor complement to pullups. Jerks are a more appropriate complement to pullups and are designed for GPP. With correct form (and no precondition damage) you shouldn't have any more elbow pain.

[Glenn Sunshine]

OK, I'll do that. If I understood him right, Jeff Martone suggested juggling for conditioning, which I interpreted as GPP. Could I use snatches or push presses instead of jerks? I'm not confident on my jerk form and there aren't any AKC coaches nearby to meet with.

[Scott Sonnon]

OK, I'll do that. If I understood him right, Jeff Martone suggested juggling for conditioning, which I interpreted as GPP. Could I use snatches or push presses instead of jerks? I'm not confident on my jerk form and there aren't any AKC coaches nearby to meet with.

I don't know Jeff's program, so I can't comment. However, actual kettlebell lifting in Russia, as performed by athletes into their 80s with great success, and taught by the world champion Valery Fedorenko, categorize juggling/gymnastics very low on the totem pole, because even if you train them fast or heavy, you're not going to have nearly the GPP effect as with the primary exercises that kettlebells were designed for: snatch and C&J.

Snatches done properly are not as complementary to pullups as jerks. Push-presses are acceptible, as long as you're minimizing the "strict" (military) press. Perform a true "push" on the push-press so it's a conditioning exercise and not a body-building or power-lifting (assist) exercise.

[Glenn Sunshine]

Don't judge Jeff's program on my likely misunderstanding of his intent--as I think about it, he made a comment about juggling for time as very intense, which it is. But he also emphasized "practicing" the different moves rather than "working out" with them. I picked up on it largely because it's enormously fun. It can wait, though.

I think I'm pretty good with my leg drive on the Push Press, so I don't think I'll turn it into a quasi-military press. I have problems timing the knee dip, and my arm position will need work to get a good jerk, and I can't get that without hands on coaching. So I'll work push presses for a while with the pullups and bodyweight stuff and see how that goes.

As alway, I appreciate your help.