By Dr. Antonio Parolisi
Joint physiological considerations in exercises for the elbow flexors
For the completeness of the "arm training", in the Fitness field, we are witnessing the practice of two exercises for the elbow flexors: the curl standing with the barbell and the Scott bench curl. Both require a commitment of the forearm flexor muscles on the arm, but the substantial difference lies in the elongated positions of the curl standing compared to the Scott bench.
The retraction of the biceps brachialis muscle greatly affects the stretched position of the movement, bringing compensation at the level of the shoulder which is anteriorized, therefore stressed more than necessary.
The close correlation between pain in the shoulder and long head of the biceps, makes this muscle one of the major defendants in the painful symptoms of the glenohumeral joint. To remember, in fact, that the biceps brachii is a biarticolare muscle, therefore it has its connections crossing two articulations (shoulder and elbow).
The tendon heads originate, respectively, the long on the supraglenoid tuberosity of the scapula and the short head on the apex of the coracoid process. Their unique insertion is on the bicipital tuberosity of the radius.
The muscle essentially stabilizes then the scapulohumeral joint, flexes, adducts the arm and flexes the forearm on the arm.
In the movement of curl with the balance the activated muscles are obviously not only the biceps brachialis, but also the brachialis and brachioradialis; the latter however mono-articular.
When we are faced with a subject that has a strong retraction of the elbow flexors and especially of the biceps, the resulting attitude is that of a slightly flexed elbow, even if the entire limb is completely relaxed.
This is typical of some bodybuilders who, by continually training the elbow flexors without adequate elongation, create retractions that in the long run involve the entire arm chain, causing excessive tension within the joints, which ultimately results in in pain.
To remember once again that, if the muscles are retracted, the joint compression is inevitable and this involves stress and therefore pain. It is an almost obligatory passage!
During the practice of the curl with the balance the attention must be directed to the subject who, already in an upright position and without load, has a " postural elbow flexion ". This means that when this person has a load in the hands, the weight will force the elbow to relax, stretching all the training muscles.
If you are faced with an important retraction, when the elbow is completely extended, there will be a compensation with the shoulder, which will bring the entire abutment into anterior position, with stress in the joint.
Furthermore, the anteriorization of the shoulder leads to stretching of the trapezius and rhomboid portion which increase the cervical curve.
Considering that with each repetition the arm is stretched almost completely, as often erroneously happens, this turns the bicep curl exercise into a real "torture" for the shoulder.
This also happens with dumbbells.
A further aggravation of this condition is observed with the curl on a bench at 45 °, where the long head of the biceps is elongated in an important way.
This exercise, in fact, should be practiced only by people who enjoy excellent flexibility for that movement (especially in the final part of the movement), as well as the pectoral muscle that is stretched; moreover the greater the declination of the bench and the greater the compensations.
The wisest thing would be to stretch the chain of the arm in full or otherwise pay attention to the holding of that muscular retraction that allows the performance of the exercise with maximum tranquility along the entire ROM (Range of Motion).
It could, in any case, limit the movement to the point where the shoulder compensation begins and return up.
CONTINUE: Part Two »
