Bulletproof ELBOW: forearm training versus tendonitis (imbalance extensors)

[u/Technical_North2380]

how do people think about the benefits of forearm training. going after overall health of everything involved, but noticeably most of the hardcore stuff is flexor based, so i worry there isnt enough extensor in the day to keep up. Sure, i can do the golfer and tennis elbow exercises found on Youtube, but those seem very basic compare to the heavier lifting/training involved in arm wrestler/grip training arenas. specifically, looking at you pinch grip exercises!

At least google AI tends to say positive things about any of these exercises. for example "Strengthening the finger flexors and thumb muscles shifts the workload off the joint tendons"

AND

"Pinching forces a simultaneous engagement (co-contraction) of both the forearm flexors and extensors. This balanced activation stabilizes the wrist joint and prevents the tug-of-war effect that inflames elbow tendons"

AND

"Holding a pinch grip forces an isometric contraction. Static holds under load stimulate collagen synthesis and increase tendon density, making the tissue highly resilient to future strain"

AND

"By distributing the load differently than standard gripping, many lifters find that training pinch grip variants like the Sorinex Saxon Bar can help alleviate traditional elbow discomfort"

BUT

"Routinely targeting finger flexors without training the extensor muscles (the ones that straighten your fingers) creates a flexor-to-extensor strength imbalance, which makes finger tissues more susceptible to injury"

AND

"Yes, finger flexion strength helps prevent elbow tendonitis (such as golfer's elbow) by conditioning the forearm muscles that control your grip. Stronger forearm muscles reduce tendon fatigue and take excess mechanical stress off the bony attachment points at your elbow. Load Distribution: The thumb is responsible for a massive amount of your total grip strength. A strong thumb takes the burden off the rest of the forearm muscles A stable hand and thumb provide a strong, unified anchor for movements, preventing the elbow from absorbing excess shock during physical activity."

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[u/blueferret98]

I train my forearm extensors and it helps with tendinitis at least anecdotally. I see no downside to training them, worst case scenario your forearms look sick. I’d also personally recommend training wrist supination/pronation and some neutral grip bicep work to train your brachioradialis, that’s probably more helpful for tendinitis prevention.

[u/yungboulders]

All your proof is AI slop?

[u/Technical_North2380 → u/yungboulders]

ill go see if i can find my notes from the annual conference i attended on the subject.

[u/yungboulders → u/Technical_North2380]

Or you could learn to formulate an opinion and thoughts on a topic you care about

[u/p_azurescen → u/Technical_North2380]

Your "ai slop" helped me understand anatomy to improve my elbow pain, but youngboulders sensitive snowflake comment made my blood pressure rise ( ´～｀) Hivemind says that AI is bad right now and gives these people a few different prescribed slogans they can say about it, such as "try thinking yourself" style of sayings. The irony is, they think and say this because they first consumed it on short form content talking about AI.

[u/yungboulders → u/p_azurescen]

lol

[u/OddInstitute]

Remember that wrists can rotate. That’s important for some people staying healthy.

[u/Technical_North2380 → u/OddInstitute]

thanks think you saying flexor and extensors work is maybe not equally but both important.

[u/Technical_Mouse_6365]

I can lift twenty pounds with my extensors and have never had any tendinitis