# Bicep pain when throwing chain punches.



## dnovice (Mar 27, 2009)

I have been feeling pain in my left bicep, at the elbow end, after I throw over 150 chain punches in a row. It feels like the pain i get when I've overexerted my biceps through using weights for bicep curls. Its probably because I'm using my bicep to pull back my punch after the strike. 

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you deal with it?


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## profesormental (Mar 28, 2009)

Hit something.

Also, be careful with hyperextension of the elbow. Do them slowly with perfected technique.

Velocity comes with Familiarity. The reps will make sure that you do it fast and right.

If not, you'll be attacking with mosquito bites instead of cannon shots.

Hope that helps.

Juan M. Mercado


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## geezer (Mar 28, 2009)

dnovice said:


> I have been feeling pain in my left bicep, at the elbow end, after I throw over 150 chain punches in a row. It feels like the pain i get when I've overexerted my biceps through using weights for bicep curls. Its probably because I'm using my bicep to pull back my punch after the strike.
> 
> Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how do you deal with it?



Lately I've been getting pains all over, especially joint pain. But not bicep pain... _yet_ (knock on wood). Assuming you didn't strain or tear your muscle, I'd suggest going a bit easy on the punches... maybe use about 80% of your normal power and try to relax the bicep as much as possible. In my style of WT we extend our punches 100%, mainly using the delts and triceps to do the hard work of snapping out the punch (think_ "yang"_). The biceps just do the easy job of retracting the punch (think _"yin"_).  Concentrate on relaxing the biceps as you chain punch. If you are not over-tensing your biceps when retracting and you still have pain, perhaps your muscles have gotten excessively tight from doing a lot of curls? If so, perhaps a stretching regimen could help. BTW if this keeps up, get the advice of a qualified professional, not just us web jockeys!


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## dnovice (Mar 28, 2009)

profesormental said:


> Hit something.


 
I usually practice at home where i don't have a punching bag so I've been punching air. I'll try hitting a pillow and see what effect it has. 




profesormental said:


> Also, be careful with hyperextension of the elbow. Do them slowly with perfected technique.


 
I'm definitely worried about this. I continually assess the strain, ie. whether it hurts or not in throwing punches, when i chain punch. This could be the reason since to be vigilant of hyperextension I could be slowing down my punches unconsciously with my biceps. interestin.



profesormental said:


> Velocity comes with Familiarity. The reps will make sure that you do it fast and right.


will do. 



profesormental said:


> If not, you'll be attacking with mosquito bites instead of cannon shots.


I try to throw them hard, using speed and structure. Also, I do a lot of push ups to strengthen my triceps for throwing punches so hopefully my punches don't end up as mosquito bites. 



profesormental said:


> Juan M. Mercado


 

thanks Juan. 



geezer said:


> Lately I've been getting pains all over, especially joint pain. But not bicep pain... _yet_ (knock on wood). Assuming you didn't strain or tear your muscle, I'd suggest going a bit easy on the punches... maybe use about 80% of your normal power and try to relax the bicep as much as possible.


 
I'll try this. 



geezer said:


> If you are not over-tensing your biceps when retracting and you still have pain, perhaps your muscles have gotten excessively tight from doing a lot of curls? If so, perhaps a stretching regimen could help.


 
I think this might be the problem. Although, I haven't lifted weights in a while I do feel a bit more tension in my left bicep versus my right. Maybe i strained it during the week somehow or during throwing punches as i said above to juan, and its showing itself during strenuous exercises. I'll stretch before hand.



geezer said:


> BTW if this keeps up, get the advice of a qualified professional, not just us web jockeys!


 
I hope it doesn't. 

Thanks man for the advice.


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## dnovice (Mar 28, 2009)

So my bicep is definitely strained. It hurts even when I'm not working out. 

So I'm completely lower my chain punches to the tens, until it heals.


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## CuongNhuka (Mar 28, 2009)

dnovice said:


> So my bicep is definitely strained. It hurts even when I'm not working out.
> 
> So I'm completely lower my chain punches to the tens, until it heals.


 
If you continue to exercise through pain/discomfort/injury the problem could easily become chronic. I have chronic knee pain in both knees, my left shoulder, and a chronic cough that comes with chest pain. The funny thing is, if I had taken another day off, one knee and my shoulder would be fine. The cough and chest pain is another matter entirely. 
The moral of the story: if you are hurt, take a few days off and pop some ibuprofen. Return to training when you can do so without developing a 'trick elbow'.


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## dnovice (Mar 28, 2009)

CuongNhuka said:


> The moral of the story: if you are hurt, take a few days off and pop some ibuprofen. Return to training when you can do so without developing a 'trick elbow'.


 
Thanks for the feed back CuongNhuka. You're absolutely right. I'll cut out the chain punches for a week and see how my bicep feels.


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## profesormental (Mar 29, 2009)

Greetings.

Interestingly enough, doing Sil Lum Tao in a relaxed, slow, controlled, comfortable manner (for the knees and joints) is about the best thing for rehabilitation.

The other forms work as well...

Who would've thunk it? 

Also the body puts "brakes" on movements that it thinks will hurt it, which makes us slower, if proper alignment mechanisms are not done. The really fast ones do them all the time if you look close enough. Very few teach these mechanisms.

Enjoy!

Juan M. Mercado


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## profesormental (Mar 29, 2009)

Ohh... and get better soon! IT sucks to be hurt, so heal fast!!


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## dnovice (Mar 29, 2009)

profesormental said:


> Ohh... and get better soon! IT sucks to be hurt, so heal fast!!


 
Thx profesormental.


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## koenig (Mar 29, 2009)

Does it feel like DOMS or does it feel like you've damaged/torn/pulled something?


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## dnovice (Mar 29, 2009)

Hey koenig,
 Not sure what a DOMS is but I believe it should only be a strain. It feels like when you overexert yourself when doing bicep curls. I've had a torn tendon once and it doesn't feel like it.


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## dnovice (Apr 2, 2009)

So my bicep is feeling a lot better. I haven't done any hardcore chain punching practice like was adviced, and will not do any until next week wednesday. However, from sparring I think i jammed my fingers and twisted my wrist. 

Hope my pinky is and middle finger are just jammed and not fractured.


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## trudesea (Apr 14, 2009)

At first I got a lot of elbow pain after chain punching about the same as you, around 150.  It was because I was too tight.  I learned to relax and not use as much muscle . 

My punches became much faster, and with more force, and no pain.

The more relaxed you are, the more you can accelerate the punch.

Now, if I can only relax my shoulders when blocking the high gates   After about 50 blocks on my left side, I'm done


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