# Painful Forearms?



## goodgabba (Jan 3, 2006)

Hello to everyone at uk-muscle!

i've been training for 2 months and have noticed that on certain days, mainly chest and bicep days, i find my forearms ache more (and for longer) than my chest muscles and biceps. could this be due to bad form/technique or perhaps due to weak wrists/forearms that just need to build up? furthermore, i notice my forearms aching moreso using barbell compared to dumbells.

thanks for any info


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## RAIKEY (Jun 30, 2005)

do you curl with a straight bar or e-z bar.?

when using db's your wrist can follow the line it needs to so doesnt put this strain on the forearms.

this is why your f/arms dont hurt using dumbells.

when you use a striaght barbell to curl with it forces your palms directly upwards as you lift, and can put a strain on wrists/forearms.

(i personally love this feeling and do straight bar curls on purpose)

but may i sugest dropping this excercise and using a E-Z bar for curls .

just till you find out whats causing the pain,

but then i would be tempted to reintroduce them as your grip and forearms become more deleloped .

you could even try , when dumbell curling, to gradually bring the dumbell to a parrelel line to the floor during the lift,

this way, *you* have control of how far to go, and not, the bar.


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## RAIKEY (Jun 30, 2005)

apologis if this is confusing but i,ll dig out some pics if it is.

oh, and welcome on board mate.


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## goodgabba (Jan 3, 2006)

Thanks for your reply Raikey, and no, i don't use an e-z bar because they don't have one at our gym *sighs*. I think i will take your advice and slowly introduce the barbell curls when i've experimented with the parallel dumbell curls you suggested. out of interest, do your forearms still hurt after straght-bar curls or are they quite used to it by now?


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## megatron (Apr 21, 2004)

most probably Carpel Tunnel syndrome... the muscles get infmaled and restrict the tendons causing pain for longer than just muscle pain. Stretches!!!!!


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## RAIKEY (Jun 30, 2005)

no, mine are fine after straight bar curls , but the main reason i do these is it give me a better feeling in the bicep,.

i read somewhere on here that some guys use the e-z bar the opposite way!!!.....ie there litle fingers are higher than the thumbs .

i cant even hold an empty bar like this , never mind lift it!..

also, a gym that doesnt have an E-Z bar should feel ashamed when they take your money on the way in.


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## goodgabba (Jan 3, 2006)

thanks for the above comments raikey/megatron. i think i'll have to do some proper stretches and sort out my bicep curls in order to get around these achey forearms!  )


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## RAIKEY (Jun 30, 2005)

if its just an ache i think you'll be fine...

if you get a numbness or tingling in the thumb,fore finger,middle finger and halfway up the ring finger , then megatron could have something .

but imo if it was C T S (which as mega said is pressure on the median nerve)

i,m sure you'd know about it.

as you said, see how it goes and report back in a week or two.


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## Tinytom (Sep 16, 2005)

I spoke to a reflexologist last night about this problem because I get it too. He shows me a way to relieve pressure by pressing the thumb in a line up the underside of the forearm i.e. if your hand was turned up like for a barbell curl.

This is supposed to relieve pressure on the forearms.


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## RAIKEY (Jun 30, 2005)

Tinytom said:


> I spoke to a reflexologist last night about this problem because I get it too. He shows me a way to relieve pressure by pressing the thumb in a line up the underside of the forearm i.e. if your hand was turned up like for a barbell curl.
> 
> This is supposed to relieve pressure on the forearms.


i'm gonna try this as i have big probs with forearm pump..

its frustrating when your curling and have to let go/drop the db/bb cos the pump in ur forearms causes the grip to go weak .

i tried strapping meself to the dumbell, open hand grip,cables, but i end up failing the set earlier than i should, cos the pressure is too much ,

if it starts to effect my bicep development i'll be distraught.


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## goodgabba (Jan 3, 2006)

excellent, this is definately something i can incorporate into my routine if i start to feel discomfort, thanks Tinytom.

[edit] my forearms also get overly pumped at times Raikey, the muscle goes practically solid and my grip is considerably weakened [/edt]


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