I´ve been having this issue with pull ups for a while. It is specially true for pull and chin ups and I tried switching to neutral grip pull-ups which kind of worked out well but now that I got into another gym it is not an option.
It is a cracking I feel in my arm near the elbow joint, it kind of bothers me but it never produced any pain whatsoever. This happens mostly on the descending part and I insist there is no pain but it kind of worries me.
Have you tried different grips - pronated, supinated? Tried different grip widths? If no pain, why the worry? Just reminds me the sound it makes when you crack your knuckles - no pain but it does make a sound. Perhaps your descending too fast to cause the joints to crack like knuckles?
I tried different grips and widths. Widths is pretty much the same, neutral grips seem to be better but I cant do them anymore (cause of the gym). When I actively do the descend it happens less often but its still there, funny thing when I do the descending portion slowly is when its more noticed.
I am just concerned because it never happened to me in the past and find it weird.
Above or below the elbow? When during the pull up? Does lat pull downs cause the same snapping?
Anatomically speaking above (a littlle) the elbow, funny thing is that lat pulldowns are free from this, even when I use all the weight I can handle.
I havent checked exactly but it happens during the negative as long as the elbow is flexed, when on extension there’s no problem.
[quote]Salpinx wrote:
Anatomically speaking above (a littlle) the elbow, funny thing is that lat pulldowns are free from this, even when I use all the weight I can handle.
I havent checked exactly but it happens during the negative as long as the elbow is flexed, when on extension there’s no problem.[/quote]
All the movements to the front, current?
[quote]Salpinx wrote:
Anatomically speaking above (a littlle) the elbow, funny thing is that lat pulldowns are free from this, even when I use all the weight I can handle.
I havent checked exactly but it happens during the negative as long as the elbow is flexed, when on extension there’s no problem.[/quote]
All the movements to the front, current?
[quote]Salpinx wrote:
Anatomically speaking above (a littlle) the elbow, funny thing is that lat pulldowns are free from this, even when I use all the weight I can handle.
I havent checked exactly but it happens during the negative as long as the elbow is flexed, when on extension there’s no problem.[/quote]
All the movements to the front, current?
All to the front. Never do anything to the back of my head/neck
[quote]Salpinx wrote:
All to the front. Never do anything to the back of my head/neck[/quote]
I screwed around with both pull-ups and lat pull downs this weekend. The difference seems to be in your ability to change the body angle more with the lat pull downs. And yes, I did notice more of a stress in the area you spoke about.
I think you can get the same effect from both so back off the chin/pull ups for awhile. Return to them off and on if you like but not for any length of time. It seems to put your body at a structural disadvantage that it just doesn’t like.
Sorry I couldn’t do more for you.
I really apreciate your answer and I think I’ll go with that option. I’m not sure it is the same, just like it is not exactly the same to perform a press with a barbell than on a smith machine, but it is true that the pattern movement is pretty much the same so I am backing off pull ups for a while.
Thanks again