Elbow pain while bench pressing can be a real bummer. Pain at the elbow is commonly referred to as "Lifter's Elbow" and is associated with overuse and improper form.

But it doesn't have to be that way! Avoiding Lifter's Elbow can be as simple as making a few technique modifications when you head to the gym.

In this article, we'll discuss the causes of Lifter's Elbow, and share some tips on how you can modify your bench press form to reduce your risk of developing elbow pain. We'll also include some exercises to help strengthen the muscles around your elbows.

By following these suggestions, you can keep your elbows healthy and ensure maximum performance during all of your bench press workouts.

Understanding Lifter's Elbow

Lifter's elbow, also known as tennis elbow, is a common injury that occurs when the tendons in the forearm become inflamed due to overuse. This condition can be particularly problematic for weightlifters who frequently perform exercises that place stress on the forearm muscles, such as the bench press. While the bench press is an effective exercise for building upper body strength, it can also exacerbate existing elbow pain or cause new injuries if proper form and modifications are not implemented.

Modifications to Avoid Lifter's Elbow During Bench Press

Grip

One of the most important modifications you can make to avoid lifter's elbow during the bench press is to adjust your grip. The standard grip for the bench press places the barbell across the palm of your hand, which can put unnecessary stress on the tendons in your forearm. Instead, try using a thumbless grip or a false grip, where you wrap your thumb around the bar but do not wrap your fingers around the thumb, to reduce the tension on your forearm muscles.

Wrist Positioning

Another important modification is to adjust your wrist positioning. The improper placement of your wrists during the bench press can lead to a number of injuries including lifter's elbow. Instead of keeping your wrists in a straight position, try to bend them slightly back towards your forearms or use wrist wraps to support them. This will allow the weight to be shifted to the stronger muscles in your upper body, and reduce the pressure on your forearm.

Elbow Placement

Finally, proper elbow placement can be essential to mitigating elbow pain and preventing injury. Beginners to the bench press often let their elbows flare out to the sides, which causes unnecessary stress on the elbow joints and tendons in the forearm. Rather, you should keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body while performing the bench press. This position helps activate the larger muscles in the chest and shoulders while minimizing pressure on smaller muscles in the forearm.

According to a physical therapist, "Avoiding lifter's elbow during the bench press requires attention to detail and proper form. By modifying your grip, wrist positioning, and elbow placement, you can minimize the risk of injury and improve the effectiveness of your workouts."

To avoid lifter's elbow during bench press, modify your grip, wrist positioning, and elbow placement.

Proper Technique

Proper bench press technique can help lifters avoid elbow pain and keep their joints healthy. Here are some tips to ensure proper technique while performing a bench press:

Maintain proper form: Keep your back and head in contact with the bench, keep your feet flat on the floor and your butt on the bench. Grip the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Keep your elbows tucked: While lowering the bar to your chest, make sure your elbows are not flaring out to the side. Keep your elbows tucked at a 45-degree angle to your sides.

Squeeze your shoulder blades: As you lift the bar off the rack, squeeze your shoulder blades together. This will help keep your shoulder joints stable and reduce the risk of injury.

Lower the bar with control: Lower the bar to your chest with control, avoiding bouncing it off your chest. This will help prevent unnecessary stress on your elbow joints.

Push the weight up with your chest muscles: Press the weight up using your chest muscles, rather than pushing with your arms. This will help take the strain off your elbow joints.

It's also important to remember to warm up properly before performing any heavy lifting. A proper warm-up routine can help increase blood flow to your muscles, improve range of motion, and reduce the risk of injury.

Proper bench press technique can help lifters avoid elbow pain and keep their joints healthy. By maintaining proper form, keeping elbows tucked, squeezing shoulder blades, lowering the bar with control, and pushing the weight up with chest muscles, lifters can reduce the risk of elbow pain and injury.

Warm-up Exercises

Before starting any weightlifting activity, it is important to warm up properly to avoid injuries. This is especially true when it comes to bench presses, which can cause elbow pain if not done correctly. Here are three warm-up exercises to prevent lifter's elbow:

Arm circles

Begin with arm circles to loosen up the shoulder and elbow joints. According to an Australian study, "Arm circles increase blood flow to the joints, making them more efficient in movement."

To perform arm circles, stand with your arms straight at your sides and slowly rotate them forward in a circular motion. Do 10 circles, then reverse direction and do 10 more.

Shoulder blade squeeze

The next exercise is a shoulder blade squeeze. This exercise targets the upper back muscles, which can become weak and cause elbow pain if not properly warmed up.

To do a shoulder blade squeeze, sit or stand up straight with your arms hanging loosely at your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Wall push-ups

To further warm up your chest and triceps (the primary muscles used in bench pressing), do a few sets of wall push-ups. This exercise also helps improve your range of motion.

Stand about one arm's length away from a wall, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your palms flat on the wall at shoulder height. Slowly lower your body toward the wall, bending your elbows, then push back up to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions.

Warm-up exercises are essential for preventing lifter's elbow during bench presses. Arm circles, shoulder blade squeezes, and wall push-ups can help prevent muscle strains and improve your range of motion.

Modifications for Elbow Pain

If you are a weightlifter, particularly into bench press, and feel elbow pain, you may be experiencing "Lifter's elbow". The pain and discomfort can be caused by a number of underlying issues such as tendinitis, bursitis, or elbow joint damage, to name a few. Here are some modifications that can help you avoid elbow pain when performing bench press exercises.

Modify Grip: One modification you can do is to switch from a conventional bench press grip to a Dumbbell bench press. This modification may help with elbow pain as it has shown to decrease the amount of stress on your elbow joint.

Limit Range of Motion: Another modification is to limit the range of motion, try performing the floor press. It is similar to the bench press, but instead, you perform it lying on the floor. This modification will help limit the range of motion and minimize stress on the elbows.

Warm-Up: Proper warm-up before a bench press can also help to alleviate elbow pain. Try some light stretching or use a resistance band before you start to exercise. This will help prepare your body with a good blood flow to your arms and may help with elbow discomfort.

Reduce Weight: It is also worthwhile to consider reducing the weight. Weightlifting that is too heavy or involves excessive weight can lead to more stress on your joints. It is better to reduce the weight and avoid elbow pain.

These modifications to your bench press can help you avoid elbow pain by decreasing stress on your joints. Consider modifying your grip, limiting the range of motion, proper warm-up techniques, and reducing weight. Remember, it is important to take care of your joints and allow them proper time to heal if you do experience any pain.

Accessory Exercises for Elbow Support

As any serious weight lifter knows, elbow pain can be a major obstacle to progress in the gym. However, there are several accessory exercises that can help alleviate strain on the elbows during bench press and other pressing movements, ultimately preventing the dreaded "lifter's elbow".

Dumbbell Pull-Overs

One of the oldest and most effective accessory movements for bench press is the dumbbell pull-over. This exercise, primarily targets the chest and back, but it also serves to loosen up the rotator cuff and alleviate strain on the elbows. As an added bonus, it also helps increase mobility in the shoulders which will also decrease the pressure on the elbows during bench press.

Pin Presses

Another accessory movement that can help alleviate elbow pain during bench press is the pin press. Basically, the lifter sets up in a rack with the barbell resting on pins at the lifter's chest level. From there, the lift is performed by pressing up from the pins, which reduces elbow strain and allows the lifter to focus on explosive power.

Skull Crushers with a Twist

Regular skull crushers can put a lot of strain on the elbow joint, but this variation is a little easier on it. Instead of lying on a bench, the lifter starts in a seated position. They use dumbbells instead of a barbell, which allows for more freedom of movement to prevent joint strain. During the movement, the palms are turned up instead of down. This slight adjustment takes the pressure off the elbow and puts more focus on the triceps.

Reverse Grip Bench Presses

Another option to relieve pressure on the elbows is to switch up the grip on bench press with reverse grip bench presses. This variation shifts the focus to the upper chest, shoulders, and triceps while taking the strain off of the elbows. As a bonus, reverse grip bench presses reduce the need for shoulder mobility while providing a full range of motion for the elbows.

Cable Flyes

Lastly, cable flyes can be a great accessory exercise for reducing elbow pain during bench press. This alternative allows lifters to still work on their chest, albeit at a relatively low intensity. By targeting chest muscles from a different angle, lifters can work around elbow issues without losing time in the gym.

Adding extra exercises to your training program can help relieve elbow pain during the bench press.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Whether you are a veteran or a novice in bench pressing, elbow pain is likely to catch up with you at some point if you are not careful. When this happens, the recovery and rehabilitation phase is crucial for getting back to lifting without pain or risk of reinjury. In this section, we'll discuss some of the best practices to follow during the recovery and rehabilitation phase.

Rest and Recovery

The first step to recovery is to rest your elbow. Avoid any activities that can cause further irritation or discomfort. This can include bench pressing, but also other exercises that put too much stress on your elbow joint, such as triceps dips or heavy overhead presses. Resting for a few days or a week is usually enough time for your muscles and tendons to heal.

Ice the Affected Area

Applying ice to the affected elbow can help reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain. Ice packs or iced towels can be applied to the elbow for 15-20 minutes a few times a day. This can also be done after each workout to help prevent any further injury.

Stretch and Massage

Stretching and massaging the affected muscles can help with blood flow and muscle relaxation. Gently stretch your elbow and forearm muscles, and use a foam roller or massage ball to knead the muscles in the affected area. This can help reduce any tension and promote healing.

Do Rehab Exercises

Rehab exercises can help strengthen the muscles around the elbow joint, which can help prevent further injury. Some recommended exercises include wrist curls, grip strength exercises, and reverse curls. These exercises should be done with light weights and high repetitions, building up gradually as your elbow recovers.

Work with a Physical Therapist

A physical therapist can help you develop a customized rehabilitation plan based on your specific needs and goals. They can also provide guidance on proper form and technique to prevent future injuries.

Recovery and rehabilitation are essential aspects of overcoming elbow pain caused by bench pressing. Rest, ice, stretching, rehab exercises, and working with a physical therapist can help speed up the recovery process and prevent future issues.

Nutrition for Joint

Nutrition plays a critical role in maintaining healthy joints and reducing joint pain. A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce inflammation, which is a common cause of joint pain.

Here are some anti-inflammatory foods that can help reduce joint pain:

• Fatty Fish: Fatty fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3s can reduce joint pain and stiffness, and improve joint function. Examples of fatty fish include salmon, tuna, and sardines.

• Turmeric: Turmeric is a spice that contains a compound called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin can help reduce joint pain and stiffness, and improve joint function.

• Dark Leafy Greens: Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach are high in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation and joint pain.

• Red and Purple Fruits: Red and purple fruits such as cherries and berries are high in anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and joint pain.

• Nuts and Seeds: Nuts and seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients that can help reduce inflammation and joint pain. Examples of nuts and seeds include almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds.

• Ginger: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce joint pain and stiffness. It can be consumed fresh, dried, or as a supplement.

• Olive Oil: Olive oil contains a compound called oleocanthal, which has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help reduce joint pain and improve joint function.

Including these foods in your diet can help reduce joint pain and maintain healthy joints. It is also essential to stay hydrated and maintain a healthy weight, as excess weight can put additional strain on joints.

Proper nutrition can play a crucial role in reducing joint pain and maintaining healthy joints. A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce inflammation, which is a common cause of joint pain. Foods such as fatty fish, turmeric, dark leafy greens, red and purple fruits, nuts and seeds, ginger, and olive oil are all rich in anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce joint pain.

Conclusion

Conclusion Most lifters know about the bench press. But do you know about the lifter's elbow? If you're uncomfortable performing any other shoulder movement, you're not alone. Lifter's elbow is a common problem that can occur when you do any shoulder movement that puts a lot of stress on the elbow. The following are 3 modifications you can make to help avoid lifter's elbow: 1. Change the grip The grip you use when performing any shoulder movement can affect the risk of developing lifter's elbow. If you find that your elbow is getting sore, try using a wider grip instead of a traditional grip. 2. Use a support device If you find that you're struggling to perform the movement correctly, you can use a support device to help you. This can be a weight vest, a band or a foam roller. 3. Strengthen the rotator cuff If you're struggling to perform the movement.