Lack of elbow extension

[Jason Threatt]

I hope I have not overlooked this topic on the forum. I am new to GST but have been very active all my life. I lack elbow extension (more in the left than the right) in both elbows. This problem gets worse when I am overhead but is always a problem. When I do handstands or catch weight overhead my elbows rebound and eventually collapse under heavy loads. What stretches should I do to help this? As a side note my shoulder flexion is terrible also. Thanks for any help it would be greatly appreciated. The picture is my elbow at full extension 

[Alessandro Mainente]

Hi Jason basically I cannot really help you and no one here can.

The nature of the problem must be diagnosed first. if it is a tissue limitation I need to know WHERE from you after seeing a physiotherapist, If there is a bone restriction in the joint you need to confirm that with an X-ray exam.  in this case, there is nothing you can do.

[Jason Threatt]

I have had X-rays and there is no bone restriction and I have talked to more than one pt before but nothing they do seems to help

[Alessandro Mainente]

The only cases where actually I can see an elbow extension reduction it is due to repetitive strain on the elbow like the wing Chun practice and the chronic bicep works like a body builder. in the first case nothing to do, on the second one stretch the shoulder extension and the bicep was the solution.

[Jason Threatt]

Thanks. This may sound crazy but I grew up on a hay farm and carried hundreds of thousands of bales of hay from the time I was very young until I was 20yo. I'm assuming this could be considered chronic bicep work. I will try the shoulder extension stretches. Thanks for your input. 

[Ryan Bailey]

9 hours ago, Jason Threatt said:

I hope I have not overlooked this topic on the forum. I am new to GST but have been very active all my life. I lack elbow extension (more in the left than the right) in both elbows. This problem gets worse when I am overhead but is always a problem. When I do handstands or catch weight overhead my elbows rebound and eventually collapse under heavy loads. What stretches should I do to help this? As a side note my shoulder flexion is terrible also. Thanks for any help it would be greatly appreciated. The picture is my elbow at full extension 

Hi Jason,

You are farm strong, that's awesome!

It is hard to tell at that angle in the picture if it is a lack of elbow extension or your natural carrying angle because your thumb is held vertical. see this diagram: It is easier to see from a front view.

Either way, it makes sense there could be some lack of extension of the elbow joint from the repetitive hay work you mentioned.  What can help is closed chain exercises that require co-contraction around the elbow joint in either straight arm bodyweight support or from progressive hanging work.  These are found in the straight arm strengthening elements of the Foundation courses.  I have noticed these improvements in the elbow regions myself (from my own chronic ocean paddle racing and its strain at the elbows) training through the earlier straddle planche, sidelever, and manna progressions.

Ryan

 

[Jason Threatt]

Thanks Ryan. I have just started GST so I have not got to those progressions yet but am looking forward to them to see if they help.