Curls (Forearm Pain)

[FinaLover]

Whenever I do any type of curl with the bar or dumbbells i get a shooting pain down my forearm. This has been going on for a while and i thought it would just pass but it keeps up. There is minimal pain during my sets, but in that second i let go of the weight i get this shooting pain. this is really killing my bi workout, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as to the cause or alternate exercises.

[Short_Guy]

I used to have the same problem, but I just worked my forearms till they could take the abuse with massive quantities of rolls and wrist curls. I found out that weak forearms were f'ing up my bi and back workouts in the same manner you mention.

I just started going super-heavy on the forearm excercises till they could take the abuse I knew my back and bis were really capable of handling.

Hope that's somewhat helpful.

[painintheazz]

I sometimes get pains when I do curls with my hands too far apart on the bar. I have found that moving my hands closer together has helped with the pain.

Pain

[willpharmd]

I get the same problem sometimes. When i let go of the bar, i get a shooting pain down my forearm extensors. I've noticed it happens more with a straight bar than with an EZ curl bar. So I started doing wrist curls(reverse wrist curls) with dumbells and haven't had any more problems with it.

Give it a try with dumbells.

[Jdawg50]

Straight bar kills me

[mammoth]

I have the exact same problem! I can't do cambered bar or barbell curls. As soon as I loosen my grip it get the same feeling as you describe. I have a weird question for ya: How tall are you? Do you have long forearms? I am 6'8" and I have talked to a few tall bodybuilders who said they experience the same issue. I am not sure exactly what causes this. Instead of trying to force myself to do these exercises I just use different ways of doing the same thing. For instance instead of doing cambered bar preacher curls I will just use two dumbells instead of a cambered bar and I will turn my wrists in just enough to alleve the pain. I still get a great workout doing it this way. Make sure that your wrists are straight and not bent up or down for that too can cause pain. You don't HAVE to incorporate barbell curls in your training to get good gains on your biceps.

Also if doing hammer curls with dumbells hurts you then it is quite possible that you could have some sort of injury.

Good luck and if you figure it out then please let us know.

[BIG TEXAN]

Well at least I don't feel alone anymore.....I get the same pains when I let go of the bar when doing curls.

[FinaLover]

Thanks for the responses, i have talked to a few other guys in the gym and it seems to be more commom than i thought. I am 6'1 so it may be a height thing, but 6'1 is definately not 6'8. I guess i am going to switch it up a little and start working my forearms a little more than i usually do. I hate wrist curls but i guess i will just have to get used to it. Thanks again.

[zzo18]

I had stressed the tendons in my forearms by doing preachers. I was most likely overstressing them by using a bit too much weight too often and always using a spotter to get an extra 3 or so reps. I found that rest, ice, and chromium have really helped. Also, like Mammoth said, make sure you keep you wrists straight.
-zzo

[pittbull7]

heres one for you..i have forearm splints.they are just like shin splints and are caused by squeezing too hard on the bar,specifically in bicep movements....

[houseofpain]

i had the same problem for quite some time, but i stepped up the wrists curls and eventually the problem went away, my current partner constantly complains about his forearms on bi day yet he never does forearms, he just works through the pain, and this is exactly what you must do but i definately think the forearm workouts would help.