Pain in forearms while doing bb curls.

[DerickVonD]

LAtely I've been getting pains in my forearms while doing barbell curls. I even dropped the weight 10lbs and added in another set and I still get this pain. I do hammer curls after bb curls and I believe this is effecting my hammer curls, by hurting my forearms before I do my hammer curls. I should point out I have some wrist tendinitis. Should I just try using an ez bar?

 

[crazyfool405]

on the pinky side?

if thats the case your forearms are too weak and you must increase forearm and grip strength

 

[chocolatemilk]

I had the same problem

my forearms were hurting at one point too and I realized it was because I moved my wrists while I curled.. sorta like doing a forearm workout ON TOP of the curl together. I would curl my wrist as I came up working out my forearm too.

See if you're moving your wrists around while curling. Keep them straight and rigid. this made the pains go away for me.

and definitely hop on the EZ bar... IMO BB sucks and puts your wrists in an unnatural position and on top of that subjecting them to high weights in that position.

 

[DerickVonD]

on the pinky side?

if thats the case your forearms are too weak and you must increase forearm and grip strength

Yes...does this mean I have to lower the weight on curls? I feel so weak, I'm only curling 35lbs. Could I use the same weight using an ez curl bar? I hammer curled 30lbs today. First set 6 second set 4. I'm probably going to lower the weight so I get get atleast 8 reps on my first set and atleast 6 on my second.

 

[crazyfool405]

easy bar will be less painful but as the weights get heavier itll still hurt

every workout you doo wrap the bar in a towel to thicken the bar... do pullups with towels hanging to increase grip strength, farmers walks .. everything and anything you can. after a month it should be less painful and youll have pretty decent forearm development.

 

[youngandfree]

That is called growing pains. Pretty normal. One day you will realize they don't hurt anymore.

 

[ShadowFury]

Really nothin' to add to what they've all said. Work on your grip and also switch to EZ bar. It's much less awkward, and doesn't put your wrists in such a weird position (and I've also found I'm less prone to moving my wrists while using the EZ curl). I had the exact same prob before I switched over to EZ curl/DBs mainly. Even though the EZ curl helps, I still would do the farmer walks and such for your grip.

 

[DerickVonD]

Really nothin' to add to what they've all said. Work on your grip and also switch to EZ bar. It's much less awkward, and doesn't put your wrists in such a weird position (and I've also found I'm less prone to moving my wrists while using the EZ curl). I had the exact same prob before I switched over to EZ curl/DBs mainly. Even though the EZ curl helps, I still would do the farmer walks and such for your grip.

How is the ez bar compared to the straight bar, in terms of how much your biceps are worked? I read that they are worked more on the straight bar, but the ez bar is much more wrist friendly. I do hammer curls right after I do bb curls, so I didn't know if it's better I switch to using the ez bar or I just use dumb bells for all my curls.

 

[chocolatemilk]

Compensate for straight bar curls by doing pull ups + weighted pull ups and use EZ bar for curls. That's honestly all you need.

Check my log in my sig and go to page 16. Look at the muscle that popped out on my biceps from doing only pull ups and EZ bar curls (mind you I'm on DS). I never ever do straight bar curls, I never do more than 2 curl exercises for my bi's (only weighted pull ups and EZ bar curls as isolation excercises for bi's)... too many people over work their bi's and it's hard to notice over worked bi's. I notice some people do 5 exercises on strictly biceps!!! WHAAAAAA

So yes, you can have amazing biceps without doing straight bar curls. They're my enemy workout and every time I see someone doing it I cringe at the wrist stress!!!

 

[DerickVonD]

Compensate for straight bar curls by doing pull ups + weighted pull ups and use EZ bar for curls. That's honestly all you need.

Check my log in my sig and go to page 16. Look at the muscle that popped out on my biceps from doing only pull ups and EZ bar curls (mind you I'm on DS). I never ever do straight bar curls, I never do more than 2 curl exercises for my bi's (only weighted pull ups and EZ bar curls as isolation excercises for bi's)... too many people over work their bi's and it's hard to notice over worked bi's. I notice some people do 5 exercises on strictly biceps!!! WHAAAAAA

So yes, you can have amazing biceps without doing straight bar curls. They're my enemy workout and every time I see someone doing it I cringe at the wrist stress!!!

Cool thx man. It's going to be sometime before I do pullups though, I can only do 3 chinups, but atleast that's an improvement from two weeks ago when I could only do two. Also, is it a good idea to do ez bar curls and hammer curls right afterward, or should I just cut one out?

 

[chocolatemilk]

Cool thx man. It's going to be sometime before I do pullups though, I can only do 3 chinups, but atleast that's an improvement from two weeks ago when I could only do two.

OH sorry bro I meant to say chin ups NOT pull ups. Compensate for straight bar curls with chin ups. That's what I was doing. And they will improve fast if you work on them routinely. A month and a half ago I was doing 5 and burning out. Now I'm doing 10 with a 25 plate hanging from me. They are pretty easy to improve watch.

 

[DerickVonD]

OH sorry bro I meant to say chin ups NOT pull ups. Compensate for straight bar curls with chin ups. That's what I was doing. And they will improve fast if you work on them routinely. A month and a half ago I was doing 5 and burning out. Now I'm doing 10 with a 25 plate hanging from me. They are pretty easy to improve watch.

Should I do hammer curls too after I do my ez bar curls? I've been doing hammer curls after my straight bar curls and I do chinups as my first exercise on biceps days.

 

[crazyfool405]

Should I do hammer curls too after I do my ez bar curls? I've been doing hammer curls after my straight bar curls and I do chinups as my first exercise on biceps days.

do bumbell curls with light weight.

but completely isolate the biceps by having your hands not curl with the weight instead let your wrists kinda "hang" down while curling super awesome for biceps.

 

[chocolatemilk]

Should I do hammer curls too after I do my ez bar curls? I've been doing hammer curls after my straight bar curls and I do chinups as my first exercise on biceps days.

Completely up to you my man. I get growth from 2 bicep exercises done on back days and of course, any back exercises gets my biceps done too so don't forget that! They get worked all day technically on my back days with every workout... but only 2 isolations exercises for them because of this.

When do you work out your bi's? Do you do them with back day or "arm" day?

 

[DerickVonD]

Completely up to you my man. I get growth from 2 bicep exercises done on back days and of course, any back exercises gets my biceps done too so don't forget that! They get worked all day technically on my back days with every workout... but only 2 isolations exercises for them because of this.

When do you work out your bi's? Do you do them with back day or "arm" day?

On back days and the next day I do chest and triceps
this is my whole schedule



Set 1 - Back and Bis
chinups
Barbell Row (2 sets)
Deadlift (3 sets)
BB curl (2 set)
Hammer curls (2 set)

Set 2 - Chest and Tris

Bench (3 sets)
Inclined DB press (2 sets)
Inclined DB flyes (2 set)
Db Lying Triceps Extension (2 set)
cable extension (2 sets)


Set 3 - Legs S

Squats or Front Squats (3 sets)
Stiff leg deadlift (3 set) or leg curl (2set)
leg extensions (2 set)
calf raises (2 sets)
Leg Raises (2 sets)


Set 4 - Shoulders
Db Shoulder Press (3 sets)
lying lateral raises (2 set)
seated rear delt flys (2 set)
facepull (2 set)
external rotations (2 set)
BB Shrugs (3 sets)
DB Shrugs (2 sets)



Day 1: back/bi's
Day 2: chest/tri's
Day 3: off
Day 4: legs
Day 5: shoulders
Day 6: off
Day 7: off

3 sets reps 6-8
2 sets reps 8-12

I just took wrist curls out, because of my wrist tendinitis and I didn't know if I really needed to do them.

 

[chocolatemilk]

Looks golden... Mine looks just like that except I throw in a couple shoulder exercises on chest, tri's day instead of a full on shoulder workout. Only thing I would say is try for 3 sets on everything over 2. The chin ups will be a great addition... Kleen mentioned what part of the muscle on my bicep was that exploded out and attributed to chin ups so hopefully they will treat you as well as they treated me.

 

[NCAA68]

I like to end my bis workout with hammer curls right into pin wheel curls. Gets that last bit of pump going so I gotta move my head down just to get the shampoo in my hair. Also there are a lot of muscles in the back so you might want to cycle a third lift in there. Pull ups, lateral pulldown, cable or hammerstrength row, rainbows, facepulls. Pick one and then next week pick a diff one and so forth. Same advice I guess for tris. Theres skull crushers, french press, kickbacks, weighted dips. Idk just imho

 

[lonewolf0420]

Cool thx man. It's going to be sometime before I do pullups though, I can only do 3 chinups, but atleast that's an improvement from two weeks ago when I could only do two. Also, is it a good idea to do ez bar curls and hammer curls right afterward, or should I just cut one out?

I found that when I couldn't do a pullup, if I attempted it at least once a day, in about a weeks time I was able to get one done. Same when I first started trying chin-ups.

 

[DerickVonD]

Hey guys I tried using thee ez curl bar today and still had some forearm pain, however I did notice I curled my wrist slightly. I added a towel over the bar and on the last set I didn't have the forearm pain. It was strange gripping the ez bar at first, because I never done it before. Thank you guys for telling me about using a towel, my forearms were really pumped today.

 

[Bnatural]

Try wrist rotations to warm-up your forearm muscles.
Use light weights, 10lbs per db is fine.
Keep elbows at sides, elbow bent to 90 degrees, focus on rotating wrists in and out (Supination, pronation). do 1-2 sets for 15 reps.

 

[chocolatemilk]

Derick.... I was doing chin ups the other day and felt the same forearm pain I used to and figured out how to stop it... for me at least. It's not so much about curling wrists. If your condition is the same as mine try this:

When curling, and you finish your last rep, let your arms hang with the weight still in your hand for 3-4 seconds before you put the weights down.

When I was doing chin ups, I instantly dropped after I finished and instantly felt pain. However, every time I hung on the bar with extended arms for 3-4 seconds then let go, no pain at all. Same with dropping weights instantly when curling. Let your arms loose but hold onto the weight for 3 seconds before putting it down.

Try it bro it honestly works like a charm for me now and let me now if this helps...

 

[DerickVonD]

Oh I forgot to ask, when curling with the ez bar should I do a narrow or wide grip?

 

[lonewolf0420]

Depends on whether your trying to put emphasis on the inner or outer head. YOu don't have the same room for grip width as with an straight bar, but you can still move around for focusing on particular heads.

Change it up week-to-week.

 

[DerickVonD]

Depends on whether your trying to put emphasis on the inner or outer head. YOu don't have the same room for grip width as with an straight bar, but you can still move around for focusing on particular heads.

Change it up week-to-week.

Would I need less weight using the narrow grip? The narrow grip seems slightly heavier.

 

[Wudog]

LAtely I've been getting pains in my forearms while doing barbell curls. I even dropped the weight 10lbs and added in another set and I still get this pain. I do hammer curls after bb curls and I believe this is effecting my hammer curls, by hurting my forearms before I do my hammer curls. I should point out I have some wrist tendinitis. Should I just try using an ez bar?

when you get the pain, do you have problems opening and closing your hands or anything along those lines?

 

[DerickVonD]

when you get the pain, do you have problems opening and closing your hands or anything along those lines?

no and the pain goes away afew minutes after I'm done curling.

 

[lonewolf0420]

Would I need less weight using the narrow grip? The narrow grip seems slightly heavier.

If you need to lighten the load to stay in your rep range, so be it. Its like some guys aren't as strong doing incline db curls as they are at doing standard db curls.

 

[DerickVonD]

I noticed that the ez slips alot in my hands and its hard for me to keep a good grip on it. I get my pain with a narrow grip than a wide grip. I'm really thinking of just using wrist wraps when curling and taking them off when I hammer curl nothing is working and m wrist tenditis jsut keeps flaring it I feel itll never go away.

 

[CountryLiftin]

I have the same pain as you, my friend. I had it for a few months back in the winter months, but I just stopped bis all together in spring because I started running and just never hit my bis hard at all... the pain went away, but this summer I started to bulk again and as my curls have increased, this pain has come back. Ive had it about a month or a little longer, on the bottom (pinky side) of my forearm. I was told it was because the muscle is under developed in my forearm, and because of the wrist movements, as has been said above. I am going to the that towel idea next time I go over to the gym. I also agree that the slow release helps, I have to do it with most of my exercises that use my forearm at all now because of the pain, but I notice that it goes away alot quicker. I also use the hammer curls and keep my wrists turned in ( or not flat) as long as possible during the reps, to help keep stress off the wrist. I never ever do BB curls anymore, they are horrible.... I do BB rows though. the EZ bar is great, but I still feel pain in there. Im up to doing 3 sets or 105 for 5 reps or 3 sets of 95 for ten. and it just kills my forearms. I often will have pain for over a week after a hard bi exercise. but lately it seems that my forearms have gotten a little strong, as I did lower weight for more reps. maybe this will help you to train up to it? I did the wrist rolls etc and they just made it hurt even more. anyways just letting you know, your not alone!

 

[DerickVonD]

Well I did my curls holding the weight for a few seconds and using a towel. This seems to work well, I only had slight pain on the first set. I wonder, will strengthening my forearms make my wrist tendinitis go away faster?

 

[Bnatural]

Well I did my curls holding the weight for a few seconds and using a towel. This seems to work well, I only had slight pain on the first set. I wonder, will strengthening my forearms make my wrist tendinitis go away faster?

a big it depends. tendinitis can come about from various issues, but overuse is one of them, and using wrist strengthening exercises would be a bit of stress on the wrist and tendons

 

[DerickVonD]

a big it depends. tendinitis can come about from various issues, but overuse is one of them, and using wrist strengthening exercises would be a bit of stress on the wrist and tendons

I have the tendinitis from squatting improperly. After I curled I think my wrists felt alittle better if that makes sense and theyre less sore today, they actually arnt sore but I have this weak feeling in them. Since I learned to squat without hurting them the pain is going away, but I still have this weak feeling in my wrists, is that a sign of healing? Also isn't the ez bar good for people with wrist problems? I stopped wrist curls and the only curls I do now are hammer curls and ez bar curls.

 

[lonewolf0420]

I sometimes (like right now) get that pain in my wrist when I twist it that far over, simulating a bb curl. It sux

 

[kingk0ng]

My forearms always hurt when I do barbell curls with an Olympic barbell. If you're doing them with an Olympic barbell (45lbs), then try doing them with an E-Z bar.

 

[DerickVonD]

My forearms always hurt when I do barbell curls with an Olympic barbell. If you're doing them with an Olympic barbell (45lbs), then try doing them with an E-Z bar.

I do use an ez bar. I can't curl with a flat bar. I just really hope and pray this tendinitis goes away soon. I have more of a weak feeling now than a sore feeling. I'm guessing if I wear wrist wraps while curling and and doing tricep extensions wont help my forearm development.

 

[andrewcb]

my roommate has the same problem<or i should say had.....and he was using a ez curl bar...it went away after awhile tho....so idk mayb u just messed it up a little....do u do any forearm workouts?<i dedicate 30 min to my forearms each week and its my favorite workout!

 

[DerickVonD]

my roommate has the same problem<or i should say had.....and he was using a ez curl bar...it went away after awhile tho....so idk mayb u just messed it up a little....do u do any forearm workouts?<i dedicate 30 min to my forearms each week and its my favorite workout!

hammer curls

 

[andrewcb]

hammer curls

those dont cut it for me< i have no clue what they are called but u know where u get the dumbell and snap ur wrist foward....then u do a backwards 1.....then i like to do them with my arms twisted to the side......idk if that makes sense but feels like my forearms are going to bust when im done! just started working out and not a big guy at all.....165....have 14 1/2 arms and 13 1/4 forearms< also...i may be wrong....but i think the hammers was the work out that was really killing my buddys forearms as far as pain goes....but either way he didnt stop his workouts and the pain went away

 

[DerickVonD]

those dont cut it for me< i have no clue what they are called but u know where u get the dumbell and snap ur wrist foward....then u do a backwards 1.....then i like to do them with my arms twisted to the side......idk if that makes sense but feels like my forearms are going to bust when im done! just started working out and not a big guy at all.....165....have 14 1/2 arms and 13 1/4 forearms< also...i may be wrong....but i think the hammers was the work out that was really killing my buddys forearms as far as pain goes....but either way he didnt stop his workouts and the pain went away

wrist curls? I'm taking a short break from them until the wrist pain goes away.

 

[CountryLiftin]

My pain has slowly gone away as I have been working out. I went to an all bis during back workout, I never do any type of curls anymore.... Im doing this until Im completely better then Ill try substituting some curls back in once a week. My bis get plent of work from rows, so, you shouldnt have to worry they get worked plenty on your back day.

 

[DerickVonD]

My pain has slowly gone away as I have been working out. I went to an all bis during back workout, I never do any type of curls anymore.... Im doing this until Im completely better then Ill try substituting some curls back in once a week. My bis get plent of work from rows, so, you shouldnt have to worry they get worked plenty on your back day.

Well I hope you heal up soon man. Funny thing is my wrists are feelign way better after I started taking a multivitamin, but my shoulder has been flaring up.

 

[CountryLiftin]

Look up the sleeper stretch for your shoulder, you can also do with with bungees at your gym. and I take black cherry juice concentrate in the mornins as a supp and it has done wonders with joint pains esp elbow and shoulder.... but yea Im healin good same to you! Ive had shoulder problems a whileee

 

[DerickVonD]

Well most of the pain has gone away atleast when I ez bar curl with a wide grip with a narrow grip I find I'm more likely to get the pain. I start off rapping the bar with a towel to thicken it, then I put 10 pounds less on the bar then what I'm supposed to be curling and I do one whole set with that weight and then add 10 pounds and do my regular sets. Is it better to be standing when you curl or curling at a preacher station? My biceps haven't grown much at all in the past 3 months. I'm curls 50Lbs on each arm, so I'm curling 100Lbs with the ez bar, but my biceps are still around 13" unflexed. Flexed they're about 15". I hope they grow soon I want big arms, but my biceps don't seem to grow much.

 

[andrewcb]

dang my arms are the same* but i still seem them growing a hair every week.....i do concentrated slow preachers and flex at the top and just a standard curl on a incline...i hold 1 arm up and flex it and do a rep with the other arm...then hold that arm in a flex and do a rep with the other arm< then some medium paced hammer curls but i dont flex on those...seems to be working for me i am noticing more of a peak

 

[MM11]

I had the same problem. It ended up being tendinitis. An anti inflamitary( cissus) and wrist wraps helped me. It acts up still from time to time. Fish oil also helped a lot. I don't know that your situation is tendinitis just thats what I had with similar symptoms.

 

[DerickVonD]

I had the same problem. It ended up being tendinitis. An anti inflamitary( cissus) and wrist wraps helped me. It acts up still from time to time. Fish oil also helped a lot. I don't know that your situation is tendinitis just thats what I had with similar symptoms.

Yeah I have tendinitis. I'm trying to build my forearms though so I haven't been using wraps when curling. How long did your tendinitis last btw? I got mine from squatting wrong. I've had it about 3 months so I hope it goes away soon.

 

[drinkyboy]

Like CountryLiftin said try the sleeper stretch! If your after stimulating growth, nothing is gonna work like bb curls...cambered bar curls dont hit all heads of the bicep as well. Fish oil is your friend!! and make sure you get plenty of rest and food. How many days a week do you lift if i may?

 

[MM11]

Mine is still there. It has flair ups from time to time. I've learnt to deal with it. When it hurts extra cissus and fish oil really help. Along with occasional icy hot.

 

[DerickVonD]

Would it matter much in terms of gaining mass if I just switch to dumbbell curls?

 

[drinkyboy]

I think db curls would be great. Many people have some sort of "handicap" when lifting in terms of aches and pains. Just find what works for you and be as pain free as can be. If the cambered curls work for ya, then stick with em! I think some tend to over think it and its not necessary. These are just my opinions by the way. What worked for the last man might not work for you. Trial and error.