I can't straighten my arms!!

Bengaboy

Bengaboy

Bengaboy

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Joined
1 Sep 2007
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I have decided to go to the gym, again...

Anyways, 1st time this year and I did a moderately light workout and everything was fine, bit sore in the morning but ok.

Today, I can't straighten my arms. Where the elbow is on the inside of the arm it has sort of locked. To straighten my arm, I need to wedge my fist on a table and lean into it to get it straight.

This isnt the 1st time it has happened, and it is better than the previous times - so I know it will go away. I would like some advice on how to prevent this, because stuff like this really puts me off going again - gaining muscle is not worth it!! :p

As I say, any advice would be worth it - you are talking to a fitness noob :)
 
Djdom56 said:
Stop doing so much bicep work.


srs
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I wasn't though, I was doing the lat pulldown thing, chest press thing and the thing where you sit down, have a thing you lean on and pull the two things towards you (for the back I believe?).

I know biceps were probably being used somewhat, but not the same as a full on bicep work out.
 
I always get that after I do biceps having not been for a while. You'll be OK in a day or two, and it will ease off for subsequent sessions.
 
Bengaboy said:
I have decided to go to the gym, again...

Anyways, 1st time this year and I did a moderately light workout and everything was fine, bit sore in the morning but ok.

Today, I can't straighten my arms. Where the elbow is on the inside of the arm it has sort of locked. To straighten my arm, I need to wedge my fist on a table and lean into it to get it straight.

This isnt the 1st time it has happened, and it is better than the previous times - so I know it will go away. I would like some advice on how to prevent this, because stuff like this really puts me off going again - gaining muscle is not worth it!! :p

As I say, any advice would be worth it - you are talking to a fitness noob :)
Click to expand...

To me it does sound like a case of serious noob DOMS. I had the same exact thing once and only once, right as I started training 3 years ago.

I couldn't move my arms what so ever and it was like that for 2 days or so. The only thing that's come close since is the odd muscle spasm after a workout if I'm low on potassium lol

Bengaboy said:
So this is a usual thing - I am guessing from major excursion? Do you guys who go regularly still get it sometimes?

What I did, you guys probably did in your sleep, for me it was a lot!
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No, not usual. For how bad you say it is right now, that's temporary.

Of course you may still get DOMS even when you have some gym time under your belt, but it won't be nothing like you have now. Your body will adapt and get used to you lifting those weights and applying stress to those muscles.

The only time I really get DOMS these days is if I change my Rep/Weight range or do an exercise I haven't done in a while. Even then the DOMS are not like my newbie DOMS.

You'll also learn to live with DOMS, to an extent you won't even realise you've got it. BCAA's can help when taken during/after a workout but it's not guaranteed.
 
Bengaboy said:
I wasn't though, I was doing the lat pulldown thing, chest press thing and the thing where you sit down, have a thing you lean on and pull the two things towards you (for the back I believe?).

I know biceps were probably being used somewhat, but not the same as a full on bicep work out.
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All i read there was; thing, thing, thing.

Educate yourself before you lift, go to exrx.net.
 
Bengaboy said:
I wasn't though, I was doing the lat pulldown thing, chest press thing and the thing where you sit down, have a thing you lean on and pull the two things towards you (for the back I believe?).

I know biceps were probably being used somewhat, but not the same as a full on bicep work out.
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The lat pull down and the row will use your biceps heavily. That doesn't mean don't do them it means you were doing them worn and trying to make your tiny arms do the work your massive back should be doing. Consider reading up on how to perform back exercises properly but in general as long as you focus on 1) pulling your shoulders back so that the top of your upper arm doesn't tilt forwards and 2) pinching your shoulder blades together, then you will probably be fine.

Watch this:

I have had it so that I can't straighten my arms but only once so if you correct the form and keep going you will be fine.

Hydration, salt balance, general calorie intake, sleep, warmup/warmdown and experience all have an affect on DOMS. As has been mentioned there are some supplements you can take that will help recovery (glutamine is my favourite) but I wouldn't worry about them for now, unless you want to of course. Make sure you eat enough protein and smash carbs post training and drink more water than you have ever done before and you'll be surprised how much of an effect that has.
 
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:D

My experience of it was about 2.5 years ago just before I went on holiday to Italy for a week. I couldn't straighten my arms the entire time I was there, it looked like I was walking around waiting to accept a gift from someone :(.
 
I prescribe more bicep work. If your arms aren't completely folded up on themselves, putting you into permenant boxing stance, then there is room for improvement.
 
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Djdom56 said:
:D

My experience of it was about 2.5 years ago just before I went on holiday to Italy for a week. I couldn't straighten my arms the entire time I was there, it looked like I was walking around waiting to accept a gift from someone :(.
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"mi scusi, bipidy bopidy bipidy"
 
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