My arms have been incredibly sore since my 8x8 biceps/chest/forearms workout this past monday. Specifically, it is the middle part of my middle arm, from the top of the wrist flexors to the bottom of my biceps. I'm sure it was from all the curls I was doing, but I am curious if there is a way to help avoid it in the future? I'm not too sold on the idea of stretching preworkout, but if thats what it takes, I would be willing to try it. Here is a crude picture of the area I'm talking about. The sore spots are indicated by the black arrows.

Jason

Stop working out so I can beat you!

All kidding aside, try different types of curling exercises. If you are using the ez-curl bar change your hand setting from the opposite of what you were doing (inside-->outside). If not, go to the straight bar instead of the ez-curl. Just do something different.

You maybe stressing that particular part of the muscle due to where your wrist are set during the exercise.

i've read that drinking lots of water helps because it dilutes the lactic acid buildup...

My arms have been incredibly sore since my 8x8 biceps/chest/forearms workout this past monday. Specifically, it is the middle part of my middle arm, from the top of the wrist flexors to the bottom of my biceps. I'm sure it was from all the curls I was doing, but I am curious if there is a way to help avoid it in the future? I'm not too sold on the idea of stretching preworkout, but if thats what it takes, I would be willing to try it. Here is a crude picture of the area I'm talking about. The sore spots are indicated by the black arrows.

Jason


Do you streatch GOOD post workout ??? I know this make a wold of diffrence for me.

You might have stressed a tendon or ligament. I've seen a couple posts on this forum (myself included) where a person has done that.

How long have you been working with 8x8s? If you were doing Max-OT, for example, you might be jumping from 24-54 total reps to 64, which at the upper bound isn't so bad. But if you were doing 3x10, you'd be jumping from 30 to 64, which is huge.

I did 8x8's for a while and it was a lot of fun. :db: I usually used 10 or 15 second rest periods.

Do you streatch GOOD post workout ??? I know this make a wold of diffrence for me.

That may be a good idea. Honestly when I finish my last set, I just get up and leave. I'll give it a try.

How long have you been working with 8x8s?

This is my first week actually. I finished up a max-ot cycle back in June and tried a couple of other programs until I decided on 8x8's.

I'm thinking what may have caused some of the soreness, is holding onto the weights between sets instead of putting them down. Still sore btw, but it hasn't affected my workout too much, just hurts to straight my arm out all of the way.

Jason

You may have slightly injured the tendon by using too much weight. I wouldn't do curls again until the pain is gone and then maybe go a bit lighter or take some more time to warm up.

Ice and Ibuprofin help tons with tendon injuries. I know this because i am the king of tendonitus. :D

Are you sore, or are you actually "hurt", I lift alot but often when i try a new exercise I end up getting sore, I would say dont worry about it, you prolly just hit some new muscles, if not work em light the next day (real light, just up to where they begin to become fatiged) I do that if I havnt lifted for a couples weeks. Lift hard first day, then second day really light but same exercises, helps me with soreness its just a way to strech the exact muscles out

Do you warm up the muscle group you are working?

I start with a real light weight. I curl the weight and at the same time flex the muscle. The weight feels light, but flexing the muscle does get the muscle pumped. I also do stretch the muscle group, before lifting. The older you get the more important stretching becomes.

Injury can occur for many reasons. You could put more strain on the muscle group than is beneficial and compensate a weak arm by utilizing the stronger arm to much. You may not notice you are doing this unless you see you’re self-leaning slightly toward the injured arm in the mirror.
You could also be over training a muscle group, which is pretty common. Your body can only heal so much damage at a time.


I believe that if I have the kind of soreness that you are describing, then one of the above is the culprit for me.

Just my 2 cents

Do you warm up the muscle group you are working?
Injury can occur for many reasons. You could put more strain on the muscle group than is beneficial and compensate a weak arm by utilizing the stronger arm to much. You may not notice you are doing this unless you see you’re self-leaning slightly toward the injured arm in the mirror.

I'd never heard of that, but last week I think it was exactly what I did. My GF got me a curling bar so I was using it for a bicep workout, whereas I usually just used dumbbells. I had a huge headache that day for some reason and just couldn't get into the workout...and my left wrist (weaker arm) felt really strained the next couple of days. I figured my right arm was picking up the slack when the left failed and it put to much pressure on that side. No big deal, it hurt pretty bad for a couple days and then all was well.

I still decided that it would be a good idea to take a week off all the same. I'd been feeling overworked that week on a lot of workouts after having made great progress before that. I felt like I was straining my shoulders all the time.

You may have slightly injured the tendon by using too much weight. I wouldn't do curls again until the pain is gone and then maybe go a bit lighter or take some more time to warm up.


I only had 2 10's on an ez curl bar, so I'm sure the weight was light enough. I tried the ice suggestion and it actually seemed to help.

Do you warm up the muscle group you are working?
I usually do 20 reps or so just using the bar for my warmup. I'm sort of leary about actually stretching before because I strained my hamstrings a while back doing pre deadlift stretches.

It's not as bad today, I'll try some of these suggestions before this sunday bicep workout and post an update.

thanks

Jason

I get the exact same pain when I first come back to the gym after taking some time off, in that exact same spot where your arrows are. I had to learn the hard way, but your doing too much weight, or too many sets. I did this 2 or 3 times when I was younger and I was so sore, that I couldnt even extend my arm or I would scream in pain.

Just back up the sets some and you will be fine. More is definatly not better in this case and your stressing the muscle too much for sure.

In my opinion, bi's should be around 5 sets total. 2 sets of barbell curls, 1 set of hammer curls, 1 set of reverse curls, and 1 set of concentration curls as a finisher. Its a small muscle group and not much more stimulation is needed, although it is the beach muscle and sometimes its hard to hold back...lol.

Sounds like you have a bad case of DOMS ( Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) This happens when you hit your muscles with a level of stress they are unused too, in your case the 8x8 routine. The pain is caused by micro trauma in the muscles. Ice,NSAIDS and streching will help but rest is your real friend.

I think it's fine to continue with the routine. If it is only DOMS then teh pain will be lessened after the next workout, infact light exercise can help. As another poster mentioned it is important to differeintiate between pain caused by an injury and muscle soreness,

As a final aside there is no proven link between the amount of DOMS and muscle growth.

Ger