Fix Elbow Pain From Pushups

Are you trying to do pushups but your elbow is hurting?

Sometimes really bad?

Especially when you're knocking out a lot of reps straight?

I am going to show you 4 trigger ball locations and 3 stretches that should help to immediately relieve the pain.

Keep in mind...

While this will help with more serious issues of elbow pain... this is not meant to help with:

Severe tendonitis (although it will help a lot)
Bone issues
Ligament issues (although it can help)

If you have a serious injury not due to overuse or tight muscle tissue... seek out the appropriate help.

Trigger Ball First

If you're completely unfamiliar with trigger ball therapy, you have to read these other posts:

Once you start to trigger ball on a regular basis... your body will feel insanely better. Just be careful because this gets very addictive.

Elbow Fascia Roll

Kindal smashing with a trigger ball directly behind her elbow, into the fascia and not the muscle just yet.

Kindal using the trigger ball to smash at the base of her tricep muscle where the blood flow is still sparse so she can increase it.

I prefer to use the Jill Miller Plus massage balls for this particular location.

You aren't going to roll... rather you'll smash.

A smash is when you press into a spot hard and just sit there with continued pressure... for at least a minute.

Step 1

Kneel on the floor and use a box or coffee table for this. It helps if the surface you're using is as high as chest level. You'll be able to push harder.

Step 2

Take the trigger ball and push it on the surface you're going to smash on.

Place the back of your elbow on the ball... below your tricep muscle and your actual elbow.

Make sure your forearm is perpendicular with the surface and keep your muscles relaxed. Breath to relax them.

Step 3

Press down into the ball as hard as you can for at least 60 seconds.

Don't move your arm... just smash down.

If you feel the need to move something... you can open and close your hand.

This might hurt (not a sharp pain) quite a bit.

It's okay... grit through it. When you release you'll increase blood flow through the area and you'll feel really good.

Smashing Prescription

Smash the area at least 4 times throughout the day. Probably not do it more than 6 times per day.

I would smash it one time before you workout and immediately after... and both of those count as two smashes.

Try to make one in the morning when you wake up and the last smash before your go to bed.

Smashing Modification

After you smash the area a few times... try this...

As your smashing... rather than hold your forearm at a 90 degree angle move it from nearly straight to bent slowly.

Keep it moving back and forth... slowly from 90 degrees to about straight.

It's going to feel a lot different and potentially hurt even more.

But this is what you want. You're working to break up any adhesion's and get more blood into the area.

Bicep and Tricep Roll & Smash

Kindal is using the trigger ball to smash into her bicep muscle with her other hand. She is working to loosen up her bicep which can cause the tricep to get really tight.

Kindal is smashing deep into her tricep muscle and really working the muscle tissue. This will increase the blood flow to the muscle and help provide more mobility.

The first step when doing this roll and smash is to explore... then based on your exploration you'll find the specific spots that need a good smash session.

Step 1

For your bicep muscles... press the ball into your bicep with your hand and slowly roll it around and into your muscle.

Press hard.

For your tricep muscles... you can do what we did with the elbow but focus on your tricep muscles. Roll and press in hard all around the muscles.

You're looking for sensitive spots that scream out to you.

Roll for a good minute (60 seconds) at least.

Step 2

Most likely you'll find these spots.

Reset your timer for a minute and just press into one of these spots.

Focus on relaxing the your muscles so the ball can sink into the tissue and break up those fascia adhesions better.

Again... for the bicep you'll have to press into your muscle with your other hand. Do your best to press hard and consistently. It's a little workout for sure.

intensity tip

If you don't have any crazy intense spots... here's what I like to do...

Smash hard in the "gut" of the muscle. I call the center or the main mass part of your muscle tissue the "gut".

This will help increase blood flow to the muscle tissue and you'll still get benefits from this.

Forearm Rolling And Smashing

Kindal using the trigger ball to smash the bottom of her forearm. This can help release the forearm muscles providing a little more mobility to the elbow.

Kindal smashing the top of her forearm. This will increase blood flow to the muscle tissue and allow you to release muscle tension to the elbow for increased mobility.

We will follow the same steps but now focus on your forearms.

Step 1

Roll your forearm muscles for 60 seconds. Focus more on the top of your forearm and closer to your elbow.

I prefer to roll on a table and just flip my forearm over so I can press in harder. But you can use your hand as well... I do both.

You might feel some intense pain... especially if you're a computer user.

Remember the individual spots where you feel this intense pain.

Step 2

Reset your clock for 60 seconds... pick a spot... and smash your muscle tissue.

If you're like most people... this can be very painful. Try to quiet your mind and do your best to relax your muscles so the ball can get deep into the tissue.

Try this...

When you're smashing... make circles with your wrist. This will cause the muscle to contract and relax which will further help the ball get deep.

Stretch Time

Hang Time

I know a lot of people can't really do this... but if you have a door pull up bar or access to a pull up bar...

Dead Hang!

A good dead hand is not only great for your shoulders but it's a great way to stretch out your biceps and triceps.

Hanging is tough so you'll have to work your way up to hanging for 60 seconds straight.

Pretzel Stretch

Kindal using a PVC pipe to do the pretzel strength but really focused on her tricep muscle on the arm that is over her head. This is a great stretch to do after all the trigger ball smashing.

I'm sure this has a different name... but I call it the pretzel stretch.

You may need a:

PVC pike
Boom stick
Strap
Bathroom belt
An old tank top

But if your triceps and shoulders have good mobility... you may not need anything.

You'll be able to connect your hands together!

Step 1

Take your strap in one hand.

Reach your hand up and over your head... then down behind your head.

The strap should be falling straight down your back.

Reach your other hand behind you and grab the strap.

Step 2

The goal is to get your hands so they can hold onto each other.

But if you're like me... the strap will help you pull your hands together. Just don't go crazy and hurt yourself.

Hold this for at least 60 seconds before you switch sites.

The main reason for doing this stretch is... it's a great tricep stretch to help restore natural length.

Wrist Stretches (Bonus)

After all the forearm smashing Kindal is stretching out the bottom of her forearms so she can restore natural length and take any muscle tension from her elbow.

After all the forearm trigger ball smashing, Kindal is stretching the top of her forearms to help restore the natural length of the muscle and take any muscular tension off her elbow.

You should add in some wrist stretches too.

These are great for your forearms but the stretch with your finger pointing back towards you... with the bottom of your forearms on top...

This can be a great bicep stretch.

Click here for a deep dive into these stretches .

Adding these in daily will have a huge impact on your writs... elbows... and arms.

Ready For More Mobility?

Remember... this is not meant for a serious elbow injury. However, these will help with recovery and rehab.

Did you know...

Flexibility training
Mobility training
Range or motion training

All of these are just as vital to burning fat and getting fit as strength and cardio are?

That's why in FWW LIVE... my private online strength training group ...

And Habit... my 30 day strength training plans ...

All of these styles of training are a huge part of the process.

In FWW LIVE we have a 40 to 60 minute stretch session every weekend so we can:

Recovery from the past week
Quiet down heading into the new week
Continually improve on our stretching and trigger ball therapy

In Habit , Dan and I have created entire 30 day programs based on mobility and flexibility.

These still have workouts in them... but they're not crazy intense and a huge part of each workout is stretching and trigger balls.

You can sign up for a 7 day FREE trial of FWW LIVE and experience this new type of online training.

OR... you can go checkout the back catalog of Habit's programs .

Purchase one and give it go. Once you buy it... you own it forever.

If you have any questions... DM me on my socials. I'm always sharing tips and tricks to help you fix joint pains... to get stronger... and to eat healthier as well.