My elbow is popping / cracking...

[stitch1z]

I've been working out again since late August. I don't have a lot of equipment, but this is what I've been doing

Bench press:
1x30 140lbs
2x25 140lbs

With really intensive bag training in between each set. I can't stress the intensity of the bag training enough.

I do that three days a week and do legs and cardio on Tuesday and Thursday.

The issue is, after my workout Monday, I noticed some loud ass cracking in my elbow / tendon area while doing pushups. When I rotate my fore arm in normal ways it feels pretty sore and straightening my arm out even hurt a bit yesterday (Tuesday).

It's feeling better today, but still crack-a-lackin'. Anyone experience this before or have any idea what it is? Or what I should do?

[bail3yz]

I get cracking in my elbows when I do pushups also.. not sure what it is.. I just ignore it lol.. I am smart :)

[stitch1z]

I get cracking in my elbows when I do pushups also.. not sure what it is.. I just ignore it lol.. I am smart :)

I've never had this before and it's only in my left elbow. Right now, just straightening my arm out, it goes "crack-ack". lol

I really don't want to mess it up worse because I'm finally beginning to see some progress in my upper body. So I don't know if the best thing is to lay off the bag, or lay off lifting or both for a while...
I really knock the piss out of my bag, it's not uncommon at all for me to end up with stress fractures in my wrists if I don't watch it. But I don't know if it's that or just the lifting.

[southpaw447]

Do you lock your elbows when you do push-ups, bench press and hit the bag?

[stitch1z]

Do you lock your elbows when you do push-ups, bench press and hit the bag?

I don't lock up when I'm pressing, but I have a bad habit of locking my elbows up when I do push-ups.

I suppose I also lock my elbow up when I throw my jab and the occasional hay maker.

[southpaw447]

I don't lock up when I'm pressing, but I have a bad habit of locking my elbows up when I do push-ups.

I suppose I also lock my elbow up when I throw my jab and the occasional hay maker.

That may be be your problem, so uuuuuuhhhhhm, try not lock out.

If it's painful it might be inflammation so Ice it, get some ibuprofen and maybe rest or at least take it easy for a few days.

If it doesn't get any better after all that, I'd see a doc

[Bas]

most likely is that your tendon is inflamed. i got slammed once when sparring when i used to do a bit of mma training and i landed badly on my elbow. it was swollen and really painful for a week or so. eventually it got better and i could lift weights again. but to this day it cracks during the first rep or two when i bench and i have to be careful with it when doing tricep exercises as well. i asked my physio about it and he said it basically get enlarged when its inflamed and never really goes down. moral of the story, just be careful with it, ice/advil it if ur in pain. and dont try and work through the pain when lifting, take the day off bench/triceps and try again after a few days. hope this helps.

[M.W.]

Welcome to the club. I have the same problem.

My elbows get burnt out and inflammed when I handle heavy loads. It's only been my second week going heavy and they're already hurting.

What I do to combat it is use icy cold once or twice a night, wear compression sleeves when flat benching, and make sure to have someone unrack a load 90% of my 1RM or higher. Unracking the weight is what causes my problems but I'm sure the overall heavy workload isn't helping my joints either.

Good luck with it. It sucks and I know what you're going through.

[Thaispider]

my elbows are pretty mashed from BJJ anfd MT , in the mornings they click like crazy lol