Bruises

[vass]

I have a technical problem: every time I lift dumbbells, I end up with bruises on my arms, an inch or so down from my wrists. Right up along the bone (ulna, not radius.)

Near as I can tell, the rubber plates on the dumbbell are digging into my arm when I lift.

Since I've never heard of this happening normally, I assume my technique is faulty, Can anyone tell me what sort of faulty technique would cause this, and how to correct it?

The exercises I've been using the dumbbells for are bench press, shoulder press, and rows.

ETA: the dumbbells are fixed, not adjustable, but with huge rubber plates instead of just moulded metal.

Comments

[lyorn]

I can only imagine that at some point you bend your wrist when you shouldn't? In lifting (as in archery), as far as I can think of right now, I always keep my wrists as straight as possible so that the weight goes to my lower arm in the strongest direction, like the upper bar of a T to the stem. To get range of movement with the weights, I adjust the angle at the elbow.

(Hard to describe without drawing a picture. Do you have a mirror available when you lift?)

[0jack]

"Lifting" is a bit vague for a form question—can you identify what lifts you're doing?

If it's that you're unable to keep the axis of the bar steady and your wrists are tipping, knocking or resting the plate against your arm, you could try using a small weight or the center bar from a dumbbell set to add wrist exercises to your routine.

[chaostheory635]

If they're available, you might want to go for hexes instead of the giant rubber plate dumbbells. Or kettlebells...