Elbow Pain on Tricep Day?

If you are like millions of people, you may have experienced some tendon pain in your elbow while doing tricep exercises, specifically the classic Skull Crusher. The pain can range from mild to pretty darn excruciating. Either way, it’s a good idea to stop doing the move that seems to be aggravating your elbow or else risk further injury. Lots of people have a tendency to ignore elbow pain and opt to push through it. No pain, no gain, right?

WRONG! While that may be a great philosophy when it comes to the fabulous burning sensation your muscles get from tough exercise, tendon pain is nothing to scoff at. It’s your body’s way of telling you to stop and the Skull Crusher is one of the biggest culprits, so what is a gym-addict to do when they experience this elbow pain?

It’s easy…stop. That may be easier said than done as the skull crusher has gained the reputation of being one of the best tricep exercises out there. Don’t worry, you don’t have to stop working your triceps altogether. The truth is, Skull Crushers are not the end-all-be-all. There are other great moves you can do to isolate and build your triceps!

 Here are some great alternative tricep exercises:

1. Tricep Pull-Down: This move can be done with a cable machine or resistance band and can be done with two arms or one arm at a time.

2. Tricep Kickbacks: This move is one of the best moves to isolate your triceps. If you already implement this into your tricep routine, don’t be afraid to do multiple sets. There are different hand-position variations that can isolate different parts of your tricep muscle.

3. Bench Dips: This is a great move that only requires body weight, however you can stick a plate or dumbbell to on your lap to add more weight once you’ve become proficient. You can also kick it up a notch by trying your hand at single arm bench dips!

3. Close Grip Push-ups: Do these on the floor, with push-up stands, or dumbbells. All you need is your body weight and gravity. Take these to the next level by balancing each hand on a medicine ball.

5. Close Grip Bench Press: Knock out two birds with one stone. This move, along with the previously mentioned close-grip push-up, is not only great for your triceps, but also your chest!