Jedd Johnson on Grip Training Injuries, Recovery, and Youth Athlete Progression

Understanding Elbow Injuries in Strength Training

• 💡 Jedd Johnson clarifies that many refer to various elbow issues, including golfer's elbow, tennis elbow, and bicep tendinitis, simply as "elbow problems," despite them being distinct conditions.
• 📌 Golfer's elbow affects the inside of the forearm, while tennis elbow impacts the outside.
• ⚠️ Johnson shares his extensive experience with these injuries, stemming from intense strongman training, steel bending, and pinching exercises.

Recovery Strategies for Elbow Pain

• 🛠️ Sledgehammer rotations, performed with a grip close to the hammer head, were Johnson's first successful recovery method, stimulating the area and increasing blood flow.
• ⚡ A second recovery involved using rubber bands (specifically #84 extensors) for finger extensions, wrist extensions, and rotations, creating a "rubber band battery" that significantly reduced pain.
• 🚀 Reverse curls with an overhand grip on an EZ curl bar also proved effective for Johnson, with one instance of pain resolving during a steel bending event.

Injury Prevention and Training Modifications

• 🧠 Identifying the root cause of pain is crucial for long-term prevention, rather than just treating symptoms.
• ⚠️ Awareness of extreme joint angles and high-risk movement patterns, such as loading stones onto platforms, is vital to avoid aggravation.
• 🚫 Johnson advocates for limiting volume on risky lifts or avoiding them entirely, emphasizing listening to one's body.

Youth Athlete Progression and Grip Training Critique

• 🎯 For youth athletes, progression often involves using specialized implements for pull-downs and pull-ups to build grip intention and technique without them realizing it.
• 📈 Methods like assisted pull-ups using a barbell in a cage (keeping the torso straight) and eccentric pull-downs on various grips help build foundational strength.
• 🚫 Johnson critiques trendy grip training practices like dowel freestanding wrist roller exercises, deeming them inefficient and not conducive to measurable progress.
• 💡 He stresses the importance of structured training that can be loaded, measured, and tracked, favoring exercises like reverse curls and wrist extensions over endless repetitions on less effective tools.