When I do overhead presses with full range of motion, I can feel something popping back into place in my elbows, like a nerve or tendon during first quarter of the upward push. I don't think it's normal, and it's definitely unpleasant. I can avoid it if I don't lower the weights all the way, but then I'm not working the entire range of motion.
Overhead press
- Thread starter Grover
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if by "whole range of motion" you mean doing dumbell military presses and lowering them till your arms cant go any lower, that is your problem. You should come no lower than 90 degrees at the elbow (some will say slightly further) But if you are lowering the weights till your elbows are hitting your obliques, don't. You will feel that something is sliding back into place becasue you are putting undue pressure on the triceps tendon (as well as others) when performing full ROM. When you start to push the weight back up, the tendons are so stretched they have less strength, causing the pain or sliding you are talking about. true strength does not come from the ends of lifts, ie, the full extension or contraction of a lift. if it stops with lighter weight, it seems to me that you are lowering the weights too far and aggravating those tendons.
I disagree with blackandom. It's great that you're using full ROM if you have the mobility to do so, there's no "rule" that says you can't go lower than 90 degrees in the elbow.. I don't know where all this 90 degree stuff comes from, but it's everywhere. In some cases you might want to restrict range of motion, for example if you lack the mobility to do an exercise with good form through the entire ROM or if you have an injury that requires it.
Where is this snapping? Is it on the inside of the elbow? at around the area of your medial epicondyle? (google it for a pic) If so it is probably the ulnar nerve. Quite a few people have it (the snapping, that is. Everyone's got the nerve
) and if it bothers you, you could see your doctor about it. Does the snapping come with any tingling down towards your pinky?
Where is this snapping? Is it on the inside of the elbow? at around the area of your medial epicondyle? (google it for a pic) If so it is probably the ulnar nerve. Quite a few people have it (the snapping, that is. Everyone's got the nerve
) and if it bothers you, you could see your doctor about it. Does the snapping come with any tingling down towards your pinky?