Bicep arm curls

metaoblivia

Recently I bought a set of 3.64 kilo (8lbs) free weights to use while I'm at home.

I'm having a problem with the bicep arm curls. It makes my right arm very sore just below the elbow area. And when I curl, it feels very strange, like the bones in the elbow joint are clicking. That actually happens as I attempt to straight the arm back down. My left arm is completely fine.

I've checked my form and it seems that I'm doing it correctly.
I should also point out that this usually happens when I attempt bicep arm curls; I was just so irregular at doing an arm work out at the gym that I ignored it.

Also worth mentioning that I have a mild case of EDS, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Basically, it means that my joints are hypermobile due to a cartilage deformity. Because of this, my joints are weaker than normal and have a tendency to hyper extend. It's more prominent on the right side of my body, but my elbows are some of my least hypermobile joints. They straighten completely, but they don't extend beyond that.

So I actually have two questions - could I be doing something wrong, and if I am, given the nature of the soreness, what might that be and how can I fix it? And as a follow up, if I'm not doing anything wrong, what sort of arm exercises could I do that would work the same muscles without causing the pain?

Thanks!

Killme00

Two questions:

1) Are you fully extending?
2) What weight is your handbag? no joke

dioltas

Hi,
How many repetitions do you usually do? Do you experience the pain whenever you try to bicep curl, like at the start and right through? Or is it after a good few curls. Maybe you are doing too many reps?

Khannie

Never liked curls myself. Always found them uncomfortable. How did you get on the last time you tried a pull up?

metaoblivia

I try to fully extend, but it's really, really uncomfortable to release the arm all the way down so I normally don't. The discomfort starts immediately as I begin lowering my arm.
My hand bag is actually a shoulder bag, but it's about 5lbs.
I try to do 2 sets of 15-20 right now. The discomfort starts immediately with the first curl and gets worse as I continue.

metaoblivia

Khannie wrote: »

Never liked curls myself. Always found them uncomfortable. How did you get on the last time you tried a pull up?

Oh I can't do pull ups. I've never been able to manage one or get anywhere close to one.

Vegeta

What variation of curl are you doing do you know?

Have you tried hammer curls and do you have the same result?

metaoblivia

I don't know what variation I do, but I would call it the normal one. I haven't tried hammer curls.

Vegeta

metaoblivia wrote: »

I don't know what variation I do, but I would call it the normal one. I haven't tried hammer curls.

Cool, give them a go and see if there is still any pain. I'd guess so but I find them less sore on the joints, especially the wrist so maybe they'd be a bit better on the elbow.

Would you be able to hold the weight at the halfway position do you think, an isometric hold like this

metaoblivia

I think I could hold it in that position, but lowering it would be the problem.

the drifter

this post has been up and hour and our resident curl expert hasnt replied...L where are you?

Vegeta

the drifter wrote: »

this post has been up and hour and our resident curl expert hasnt replied...L where are you?

Ah lets try and keep this one a bit serious.

I know curls get a lot of stick and they're not in my current program but lets face it, if you want your biceps to grow then they're pretty important

Vegeta

metaoblivia wrote: »

I think I could hold it in that position, but lowering it would be the problem.

Do you get this pain in everyday life too or just curling?

I don't want to hand out medical advice but this may be beyond us mere mortals and need the advice and treatment of a professional

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Does it cause you pain to do unweighted curls?
What kind of warm up are you doing?

metaoblivia

Vegeta wrote: »

Do you get this pain in everyday life too or just curling?

I don't want to hand out medical advice but this may be beyond us mere mortals and need the advice and treatment of a professional

Generally just with curling. Just that motion of curling the arm and setting it back down. It's fine curling without weights (not right now though because the forearm is so sore).
For warm up, I do some arm stretching. I don't start with the curls, I work up to them.

r3nu4l

I'm not being funny but as you have stated that you have a medical condition I would suggest that your first port of call be to a doctor*.

Have you been to see a doctor and told him/her you've begun this programme? It may be that free weights aren't for you or that you should wear an elbow support while doing them. Either way, perhaps a doctor will know.

*When I say doctor here I don't mean a GP, I mean a specialist who knows an awful lot about your syndrome.

metaoblivia

I just wanted to update and say I tried the hammer curls that Vegeta recommended yesterday, and they worked out very well. The stress that came with the normal bicep curls wasn't present. So thank you Vegeta, and thank you everyone else for your help and suggestions!