Forearm pain from deadlifts.
jacklis
Posts: 280 Member
I am really getting into my lifting, and I dig it when my trainer throws on more weight, but I am frustrated that after my first set my forearms start to crap out and then I start to loose grip.
I now wear gloves and that has made it possible for me to deadlift 135 lbs and up to 20 reps, but I can't seem to get past 12 reps for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th set.
I have read a bit on the forums and couldn't find anything that really spoke to building up the tolerance in forearms- any suggestions on how to strengthen these?
thanks.
I now wear gloves and that has made it possible for me to deadlift 135 lbs and up to 20 reps, but I can't seem to get past 12 reps for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th set.
I have read a bit on the forums and couldn't find anything that really spoke to building up the tolerance in forearms- any suggestions on how to strengthen these?
thanks.
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Replies
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That's a lot of reps. Why not just cut down on those?0
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Why so many reps?0
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Personally, gloves should NOT be used UNLESS you have issues with calluses. Wear lifting straps or use chalk.
Why are you trying to do 4x20 on a deadlift?
Random and completely off topic, but Ami5000psu you are beautiful. Bye.0 -
cut the reps, do some PNF stretches for your forearm after your workout., there is a great video on youtube to help you out. You have a lot of small ligaments in your forearms and it takes a lot of time to heal them so be careful. good luck.0
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12 10 8 6
why are you doing so many reps. every trainer ain't a good trainer just because they are certified doesnt mean they know what the heck they are doing0 -
My guess (because I have the same issue) is that what you are actually feeling your 'grip' failing (it starts with a pulling and pain in the forearm). You can mix in a number of exercises which help build hand / grip strength (there are even machines to help with this at some gyms).
Try doing less in your first set as was suggested and if need be actually set the weight back down onto the floor for a second and readjust your grip between every few reps. You can also try staggering your hand position between sets (left palm facing away, right palm facing you, alternate each set).0 -
Have you tried with mixed grip?
I would also like to second the advice of ditching the gloves in favor of chalk.0 -
Unless you're trainer is trying to build muscle endurance instead of strength, that is a lot of reps.
Forearm hurts because you don't have good grip strength yet. But if you're doing that many reps, it's like hanging on a pullup bar, you're doing it for endurance.
For strength, cut it down to 12 and under. Personally I would have you do between 6-12 reps with as much weight as you can safely.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Okay, at the risk of getting flamed by other posters, I'm not going to tell you to question your trainer or do your own thing because that is not what you asked. If you feel that this person is a reputable trainer who knows what he is doing, then do what he is telling you. You can start by telling him what is happening with your forearms. I think girls tend to have weaker hands/forearms then men in general and it takes work to build those up.
Are you using an over/under grip? I find that to be helpful, although it was awkward at first. Also, leave your hands slightly relaxed. If you are tense and white-knuckling the bar, that will tire your arms out really quickly.
Also, Farmer's Carries are the BOMB for building up your hand/forearm strength. Use dumbells or kettlebells if you have access to them. Start with 15 pounds or so in each arm, and just walk for 100m or so several times. They kill at first, but then you will find all things that include grip like (KB swings and pullups) to be easier! When you start getting really heavy on the farmers carries (I recently did a workout at crossfit that had me carrying 35# in each hand), then everything else with 10, 15, or 20 pound dumbells suddenly seems really easy!
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Agree about the reps. Those are endurance training reps.
Mixed grip might benefit you. Personally, I use Versa Gripps for my deads and rows. Allows me to increase my weight.0 -
Lower reps. You may still get forearm pain and it's something you may have to just deal with until your forearms strengthen.
And, if gloves help then use them.0 -
I used to have similar issues. But then I didnt do nearly as many reps as you. I helped mine by changing to Romanian DL ( I just couldn't get my form right on regular DL and it was really effecting how much I could lift, was making no progress) and changing to using a mixed grip. Also perseverance. Lots of it ;-))0
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Personally, gloves should NOT be used UNLESS you have issues with calluses. Wear lifting straps or use chalk.
Why are you trying to do 4x20 on a deadlift?
Random and completely off topic, but Ami5000psu you are beautiful. Bye.
As a woman who also lifts, this is bad advice. Wear gloves. It will help with your grip as well as reduce/minimize callouses.
As for the other, if you're deadlifting 135 pounds for 20 reps, your one rep maximum is getting close to elite status. That's some serious strength.
Figure out your one rep max, take it down to 80-90% of that, and lift for 5 or so reps. Your forearms will thank you.0 -
As a woman who also lifts, this is bad advice. Wear gloves. It will help with your grip as well as reduce/minimize callouses.
what's wrong with callouses?0 -
Personally, gloves should NOT be used UNLESS you have issues with calluses. Wear lifting straps or use chalk.
Why are you trying to do 4x20 on a deadlift?
Random and completely off topic, but Ami5000psu you are beautiful. Bye.
As a woman who also lifts, this is bad advice. Wear gloves. It will help with your grip as well as reduce/minimize callouses.
As for the other, if you're deadlifting 135 pounds for 20 reps, your one rep maximum is getting close to elite status. That's some serious strength.
Figure out your one rep max, take it down to 80-90% of that, and lift for 5 or so reps. Your forearms will thank you.
Gloves reduce grip strength
Grip strength is needed to deadlift
Therefore, to deadlift effectively you shouldn't wear gloves.
My opinion. You don't have to like it, but it certainly isn't bad advice. Having said that, the strongest guy in my gym wears gloves. It's up to you; if you're not competing then wear gloves by all means.
How many powerlifters have you seen were gloves?0 -
Personally, gloves should NOT be used UNLESS you have issues with calluses. Wear lifting straps or use chalk.
Why are you trying to do 4x20 on a deadlift?
Random and completely off topic, but Ami5000psu you are beautiful. Bye.
As a woman who also lifts, this is bad advice. Wear gloves. It will help with your grip as well as reduce/minimize callouses.
As for the other, if you're deadlifting 135 pounds for 20 reps, your one rep maximum is getting close to elite status. That's some serious strength.
Figure out your one rep max, take it down to 80-90% of that, and lift for 5 or so reps. Your forearms will thank you.
Gloves reduce grip strength
Grip strength is needed to deadlift
Therefore, to deadlift effectively you shouldn't wear gloves.
My opinion. You don't have to like it, but it certainly isn't bad advice. Having said that, the strongest guy in my gym wears gloves. It's up to you; if you're not competing then wear gloves by all means.
How many powerlifters have you seen were gloves?
Why is your advice always so forceful and off base? If someone uses gloves and it helps them, why does that bother you so much? I know that this is a shocking realization, but not all gyms allow chalk. Some bars have particularly abrasive surfaces. Deal with it.0 -
Why is your advice always so forceful and off base? If someone uses gloves and it helps them, why does that bother you so much? I know that this is a shocking realization, but not all gyms allow chalk. Some bars have particularly abrasive surfaces. Deal with it.
What was forceful about it? I said:
"It's up to you; if you're not competing then wear gloves by all means." Did I say wearing gloves makes you a pu88y? No I didn't.
What was off base about it? I said:
"How many powerlifters have you seen were gloves?" Okay fair point that "Therefore, to deadlift effectively you shouldn't wear gloves" might be a little off base but nothing I said was flat out wrong.
It doesn't bother me at all. I just don't want to see OP injured. The only thing that bothers me is you calling me out like this.
This is a little more forceful:
Despite your sarcasm, I know not all gyms allow chalk. Mine doesn't. That's why I said "Wear lifting straps or use chalk". "Or" is a conjunction offering alternatives. That's what I did. The OP asked for advice, I gave her mine.0 -
Why is your advice always so forceful and off base? If someone uses gloves and it helps them, why does that bother you so much? I know that this is a shocking realization, but not all gyms allow chalk. Some bars have particularly abrasive surfaces. Deal with it.
What was forceful about it? I said:
"It's up to you; if you're not competing then wear gloves by all means." Did I say wearing gloves makes you a pu88y? No I didn't.
What was off base about it? I said:
"How many powerlifters have you seen were gloves?" Okay fair point that "Therefore, to deadlift effectively you shouldn't wear gloves" might be a little off base but nothing I said was flat out wrong.
It doesn't bother me at all. I just don't want to see OP injured. The only thing that bothers me is you calling me out like this.
This is a little more forceful:
Despite your sarcasm, I know not all gyms allow chalk. Mine doesn't. That's why I said "Wear lifting straps or use chalk". "Or" is a conjunction offering alternatives. That's what I did. The OP asked for advice, I gave her mine.
I'm calling you out because you also posted idiotic garbage on my wall when I made the mistake of friending you. Your quixotic quest to attack any post workout shake that didn't have the perfect macro balance was equally amusing and irritating.
There is nothing wrong with someone using gloves. I realize it's not the powerlifting thing to do, but if it helps someone then drop it. Besides, the OP is clearly not powerlifting.0 -
If your losing your grip, use the mixed grip - one hand over and hand under.
Personally I say embrace the callouses.0 -
Thank you for ALL the advice.
I have tried the under/over, resetting etc. and while they help I am still tiring out in the forearm. It is probably a matter of building up the strength (as most things are), and I appreciate the suggestions.
I will take everything into account, discuss with my trainer (whom I do have a great deal of respect for) and go from there.
:drinker:0 -
As a woman who also lifts, this is bad advice. Wear gloves. It will help with your grip as well as reduce/minimize callouses.
As for the other, if you're deadlifting 135 pounds for 20 reps, your one rep maximum is getting close to elite status. That's some serious strength.
Figure out your one rep max, take it down to 80-90% of that, and lift for 5 or so reps. Your forearms will thank you.
135x20 doesn't translate to an elite 1RM at all. 20 reps is endurance training, not strength training, and it's a completely different load on your CNS than a 1RM is. You can't plug that into a 1RM calculator and think, "I can deadlift xxx pounds". (most 1RM calculators won't let you use more than 10 reps anyway, and most are completely inaccurate until you get down to using 3 reps or so as the number to calculate from). The only way to know your 1RM is to test it, and if someone is only doing high rep/endurance stuff like 20 reps, then they need to take 8-12 weeks and TRAIN for a 1RM test by gradually working from the higher reps down to lower reps/heavier weight.
I totally agree that 5 reps is a better target on deads. Personally, unless it's a warmup set, I wouldn't ever do more than 5 reps. Even that is a lot when you start getting the weight up there. Do 5 singles instead, or groups of 2 or something. More sets, less reps if you want to keep the volume of the lift up there. 10 sets of 3 is better than 3 sets of 10 with deadlifts. The reason I say this is it's too easy to have your form break down as you get fatigued performing a long set like 20 reps. The OP could feel her grip failing and make some kind of jerky motion to correct that and end up with some serious problems.
As far as the gloves thing goes, I've never been a fan, but as a former competive lifter, gloves are not allowed, and you train as you would compete. Chalk, and nothing more. Gloves get slippery when they get sweaty. Better for the OP to focus on form and technique and lowering the reps so grip isn't a factor. Using the over under grip is the best way, and if you feel the need, alternate which hand is over/under each set. I use the same grip each time, just my preference.0 -
As a woman who also lifts, this is bad advice. Wear gloves. It will help with your grip as well as reduce/minimize callouses.
what's wrong with callouses?
My callouses are my trophys0 -
Agree about the callouses- they are a sort of trophy. When I hold out my hands to show my trainer he gets really pumped and verbally rewards them.
The gloves were more for my grip because I am a sweater- and the bar was slipping before I tired out, which caused me to try and grip harder, which created quicker fatigue in the forearms....0 -
I've read that gloves makes your grip weaker because it makes the bar thicker ultimately. Like everyone said, less reps. I do a 1x5 with my deadlifts once i get to my working weight.0
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mixed grip or wrist straps
I prefer the wrist straps0 -
I second the farmer carries. When I started out at Kettlebells, they had us load up 2 barbells with 100# and in buddy pairs, carry them around the box by the fat ends for 2 minutes at a time for 3 sets. My grip improved by leaps and bounds just from doing that ONE time. We never were able to carry them for a full 2 minutes at a time, either. Just had to shock the hell out of those forearm muscles, I guess.0
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So, on the topic of farmer carries - would my walking lunge sets -I am holding 25 lbs dumb bells in each hand- accomplish the same task?0
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Thank you for ALL the advice.
I have tried the under/over, resetting etc. and while they help I am still tiring out in the forearm. It is probably a matter of building up the strength (as most things are), and I appreciate the suggestions.
I will take everything into account, discuss with my trainer (whom I do have a great deal of respect for) and go from there.
:drinker:
There are other workouts to increase grip strength -- hanging from a bar (i.e.) I wouldn't do that many reps either. over/under grip is awesome when getting to higher weights.
You can try using the "hook grip" start the bar in your fingers not your palm. I find less tension on my forearms.0 -
I am really getting into my lifting, and I dig it when my trainer throws on more weight, but I am frustrated that after my first set my forearms start to crap out and then I start to loose grip.
I now wear gloves and that has made it possible for me to deadlift 135 lbs and up to 20 reps, but I can't seem to get past 12 reps for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th set.
I have read a bit on the forums and couldn't find anything that really spoke to building up the tolerance in forearms- any suggestions on how to strengthen these?
thanks.
That's a lot of reps, I've never gone over five. Lift heavy and do singles and doubles.0 -
Ain't nothing wrong with gloves.
EatLikeAnAthlete--your advice will come off as less forceful if you do not phrase everything using imperative syntax. "Look it up" -- that's an imperative. "I would suggest looking it up"--that is not an imperative. Imperatives issued to strangers come off as overly forceful.
OP, more to the point--do you do exercises such as pull-ups? They improve forearm strength a lot, too. I would say that farmer carries might be too similar to deadlifts, mechanically. Try pull-ups/chin-ups, with different types of grips.0
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