OK, let's get something straight here: elbows up is originally a hockey term. Normally when you're checking someone, you have to keep your elbows down or else you'll get an elbowing penalty.

Elbows up essentially means "play dirty with intent to injure". If you had your elbows up, you'd have at least one hand on your stick, probably both. So this depiction of flexing arms makes no sense -- you'd never have your arms in that position. Where's their stick, even?