A Simple Drill for Elbow Pain During Pull Ups and Rows
Pull ups and rows tend to punish the same spot: the inner or outer side of the elbow, right where the forearm tendons meet the bone. The pain shows up after a long set of kipping pull ups, a heavy bent-over row, or a weekend spent chipping away at a new one-rep max. It usually starts as a dull ache that turns sharp when you twist a jar lid or shake hands.
Over the past year I have been tinkering with a short drill that seems to calm things down, and I figured I would write it up properly over on nflsociallab.com for anyone who trains pulling movements regularly. It is not a fix for a serious tear, but it has made my own training more consistent.
What tends to aggravate the elbow
Most lifters who complain about "pull up elbow" are dealing with either medial epicondylitis on the inner side (often called golfer's elbow) or lateral epicondylitis on the outer side (tennis elbow). Both come from repetitive gripping combined with wrist flexion or extension under tension. Rows add a pronation twist that the elbow does not love, while pull ups force the forearm flexors to hold your entire body weight from a dead hang.
If you climb at bouldering gyms in Melbourne or train at outdoor rigs along the Yarra, you probably know the feeling. The volume is high and the grip rarely gets a true rest.
The drill itself
The drill is a slow eccentric reverse wrist curl. Sit on a bench, hold a light dumbbell (3-5 kg is plenty to start) with your palm facing down, and rest your forearm on your thigh. Let the wrist drop toward the floor under control, then use your other hand to lift the weight back to the top. Repeat for two sets of 12 to 15 reps per side.
The eccentric phase is what does the work. It loads the tendons gently and improves their tolerance to the stretch they get during a pull up or a heavy row. Most people notice the elbow feels looser within a couple of sessions.
Slotting it into a warm-up
I do the drill right after a few banded shoulder dislocates and before my first working set. It takes about three minutes. On days when I know I am going to do higher volume pulling, I add a second round after my main work as a kind of cool-down for the forearms.
If you train at one of the Brisbane outdoor calisthenics parks along the river, the drill is easy to run through on a bench before hopping on the bars. Cold Hobart mornings make it especially useful, since stiff tendons complain more.
Small grip and form tweaks that help
Changing the way you hold the bar can take pressure off the elbow. A thumbless grip reduces forearm recruitment slightly, while adjusting your scapula position so you pull from a packed shoulder instead of a shrugged one shifts load away from the elbow and into the lats.
Reducing over-gripping is underrated. On rows, let the weight hang in your fingers rather than death-crushing the handle. Your grip will still hold, and the elbow will thank you.
How often and how to progress
For the first two weeks, do the drill three times per week. Once the pain settles to a background annoyance, drop to twice per week as maintenance. Add a little weight or slow the eccentric down to three or four seconds if it feels too easy.
Track how the elbow feels the day after a heavy pull up session. That delayed signal is the most honest one you will get.
When the drill is not enough
If you have sharp pain, swelling, or tingling in the fingers, stop and see a physiotherapist. In Australia, a GP can refer you under a Chronic Disease Management plan if it has been hanging around, and many physio clinics in Sydney and Perth bulk-bill part of the cost. Do not push through pain that changes your grip strength or wakes you up at night.
Notes from training around Australia
A few habits seem to make the drill work better in practice. Train pull ups early in the session when the forearms are fresh, keep a log of how the elbow responds after different rep ranges, and if you are surfing or doing odd jobs on the side, expect grip-heavy days to flare things up and plan the drill accordingly.
A simple checklist before your next session
- Two minutes of reverse wrist curls with a light dumbbell
- Pack the shoulders before the first pull
- Loosen the grip on rows
- Note how the elbow feels 24 hours later
The drill is small, but consistency is what actually moves the needle. A few minutes a session, done most weeks, tends to beat the flare-ups that used to derail my pulling days. Keep the volume reasonable, listen to the tendon, and your pull ups and rows should feel smoother for longer.