I'm QB for a flag football squad, but we played a practice game the other day and the tendon that goes from my elbow to my shoulder (biceps tendon i assume?) aches like a biatch.... This isn't the first time this has happened, and i havn't figured out how to alleviate this pain. Is there any excercises i can do to build that tendon strength up?
Football Training Question...
- Thread starter Xtreme57
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blackbeard
New member
tendons are extrememly hard to get "stronger" hence all the injuries to folks that use BIG weights..muscle growth way exceeds tendon growth or strength..
rest it up but when you are avle to do so deadlifts/back work as well as some direct bicep work will help
rest it up but when you are avle to do so deadlifts/back work as well as some direct bicep work will help
blackbeard said:
deadlifts?
would just more practice help? it just comes from throwing a bunch of deep balls, so i don't know if i should be going for more strength for bis or higher reps... it's very frustrating though... b/c after the adrenaline is gone, it's pain like nothing else
tendon "strength" is not the root of these problems. imbalances and scar tissue build-up in the surrounding muscle tissue is usually the cause. get some active release and you'll be good in no time. www.activerelease.com
also, make sure you are doing plenty of rotator cuff strengthening and stretching your pecs and triceps.
if none of this brings you relief (I'd be shocked), then look into prolotherapy. www.prolonews.com. It is a protocol for strengthening the tendons. And even though, as I said before, a lack of tendon strength is almost never the original cause of tendinitis, building up the tendon certainly can relieve the pain. Just make sure you are getting the muscle tissue taken care of (active release) and doing the strengthening and stretching, or eventually you will have the same problems.
also, make sure you are doing plenty of rotator cuff strengthening and stretching your pecs and triceps.
if none of this brings you relief (I'd be shocked), then look into prolotherapy. www.prolonews.com. It is a protocol for strengthening the tendons. And even though, as I said before, a lack of tendon strength is almost never the original cause of tendinitis, building up the tendon certainly can relieve the pain. Just make sure you are getting the muscle tissue taken care of (active release) and doing the strengthening and stretching, or eventually you will have the same problems.
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there are a number of ways to work the rotator cuff. just remember, we're talking exclusively about the EXTERNAL rotators (infraspinatus and teres minor). you are working your internal rotators already, every time you throw a football. its the imbalance in strength between the internal and external rotators that is causing the problem. so you want to focus on strengthening the external rotators, and STRETCHING the internal rotators (pecs, and to a certain extent, lats). also, as blackbeard said, some direct bicep work will help. the bicep is responsible for decelerating the arm during follow through, and a weak bicep means more stress on other structures. finally, depending on how serious you are about your football, you may want to eliminate bench pressing from your training, especially "in-season".
as far as exercises. a great one is the cuban press (keep upper arm at 90 degree abduction from the body, rotate arm forward, keeping elbow high, and return to a position where the forarm is perpendicular to the floor.) this same motion can be done using dumbells or stretch bands. also with the stretch band, keep your elbow tucked into your side, and externally rotate with the band secured to something on the opposite side, so it stretches as you "open" your arm. you can perform this same motion by lying on your side on a bench, holding a dumbell, and externally rotating from there.
as far as exercises. a great one is the cuban press (keep upper arm at 90 degree abduction from the body, rotate arm forward, keeping elbow high, and return to a position where the forarm is perpendicular to the floor.) this same motion can be done using dumbells or stretch bands. also with the stretch band, keep your elbow tucked into your side, and externally rotate with the band secured to something on the opposite side, so it stretches as you "open" your arm. you can perform this same motion by lying on your side on a bench, holding a dumbell, and externally rotating from there.
You really have to warm up the muscles you use when you play football. a QB uses his arm a lot, thus needs to really get it warmed up and stay loose. SOme good stretching and keeping it loose on breaks is the best way, and Ice immediatly when you are done, followed by stretching before you go to bed. Once you harm those tendons you are screwed. A good stretch, since your throwing motion is basically a tricep extension is to use a 5 pound weight and duplicate the motion.
ok, well i played this week, and it was a night game - i was gently stretching my arm in every direction, doing circles, doing raises in all directions with very light weight all morning/afternoon and then i played and NO PAIN!!!! I took a hot shower and put some myoflex on it (and a few other places that got rocked) and the next day it only felt like i had a light workout - no tendon pain!!! Awesome awesome awesome - i guess i just wasn't warming up well enough before - and i'm gonna have ice on hand for next week and see if that helps even more.
