It was a clear black night,
A clear, white moon,
Coach J was at the gym, to get his lift in soon,
He found himself a bench, and started on his own,
Smashing every set, and tracking on his phone.
– Warren G (probably)
If you wish, you can grab the N.W.A. Newsletter Playlist on Spotify here, all of the songs that have been featured in the newsletter are on the playlist.
Happy Friday, Coach J here from Anyman Fitness – and welcome to the latest edition of The N.W.A. Newsletter.
Each week with the N.W.A. Newsletter, I give you the best Nutrition, Weightlifting, and/or Attitude advice for you to start to use in your life today.
Tens of thousands of people have used this exact newsletter to gain muscle, lose fat, and become a better version of themselves…
Without any further ado, let’s get started..
N.W.A. Tip Of The Week
Far and away the #1 injury I see with my clients is tendonitis.
It’s so common, it’s almost seen as a “rite of passage”.
Very few lifters who train consistently for years completely avoid it.
I’ve been through many bouts of it myself – sometimes it’s been so painful I couldn’t brush my teeth or even bring a cup of coffee up to my lips.
These days, though, I’m completely symptom free of tendonitis.
Through trial-and-error I’ve been able to keep my elbows healthy for years, and stay in the gym without any problems.
If you suffer – or have suffered – from tendonitis, here are my tips and strategies for eliminating this annoying weightlifting injury.
Tendonitis is an “overuse” injury; you get it when you perform a specific action repeatedly over time.
Usually with weightlifting, this is due to “pulls” and bicep curls.
Pulldowns, rows, and any sort of a bicep curl can put unwanted pressure on the elbow joint, and cause inflammation and pain.
Your 1st strategy is to remember to always keep your grip “loose” for all pulls and curls (and use weightlifting straps for all pulls/rows).
When you overgrip the weight, you start to use your forearm more than you should.
This causes your muscle fibers in your forearms to tense up, which is one of the sources of tendonitis.
A simple fix – keep your grip as loose as possible. Think of your hands as “hooks” to hook the weight, and think “pull with your elbows” for all rows.
Getting weightlifting straps like these will help immensely.
With straps, you can lift the weight easier while keeping your grip nice and loose.
Versa Grips are also very popular and work well (although they are much more expensive than simple straps).
Your 2nd strategy is to always use a pronated grip for all lifts (this means with your palms facing each other).
When you lift with a barbell, your elbows (and shoulders) are at an unnatural angle.
The angle is much more natural when your hands are facing each other at all times.
This can be tough with a barbell.
Consider switching to dumbbells, or machines in order to accomplish this.
This goes for pushes as well as pulls.
Perform dumbbell shoulder presses with your hands facing each other and your elbows at a 45 degree angle.
Perform dumbbell bench presses the same way.
Perform all pull ups and pull downs with your hands pronated.
Always use this strategy in the gym, and your joints will thank you.
Your 3rd strategy is to secure this elbow brace.
The company that makes this brace should be giving me a commission; I’ve recommended it to hundreds of clients.
I’ve tried many types of elbow braces, and this one is far and away the best.
The velcro straps at the top and bottom will alleviate any muscle that is overcompensating, and “smooth out” the contractions, making lifting less painful.
I use one of these on each elbow when I lift, and have for years.
Your 4th strategy – if you’re still in pain – is to secure a tendonitis therapy bar like this one.
Again, tendonitis is an overuse injury.
With repeated movements, often times, one specific muscle strand will “take over” for the others.
This is what causes the pain and inflammation – instead of your muscle fibers working as a “team”, one strand does all the work and the other fibers take the “day off” so to speak.
A tendonitis therapy bar helps to “wake up” the dormant fibers, and strengthen the surrounding musculature.
Hop onto YouTube and research “tendonitis therapy bar exercises” and you’ll find plenty to use.
Do them 1-2 times per day, and you will quickly strengthen your surrounding muscle fibers and reduce the pain you feel.
Your final strategy is to use HEAT, not ice.
If all else fails, use a heating pad frequently on the affected area.
DO NOT USE ICE.
You want to promote blood flow to the area, not restrict it.
Cold restricts blood flow.
Heat inhibits blood flow.
A heating pad for 20 minutes each day will help you recover from tendonitis more quickly.
If you combine these strategies, I would be surprised if you didn’t nip the problem in the bud.
There’s nothing worse than wanting to work out, and not being able to.
Happy lifting!
I currently have a few spots open on my personal, 1:1 roster for coaching.
I team up closely with my 1:1 clients and we work together on an individualized approach for success.
To learn more about this unique, “All In” experience, tap here and fill out this quick form – it will go directly to my email inbox.
Looking forward to speaking with you.
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There’s no reason why kids (or anyone) should be able to consume 90% THC oil discreetly in high school without teachers or parents having any clue.
It’s wrecking the mental health of millions of kids.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Anyman Fitness N.W.A. Newsletter.
I’ll be back next week.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Best, Coach J
Anyman Fitness
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