Tweaked my pec again!

C

chicken_hawk

Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
253
So, I have been stuck around 400lbs in my bench for over 6 years. Every dam time I get to around 400 I tweak my pec. My best in a meet is a 417. It's actually so bad I have prepped for meets planning to tweak or strain it on meet day. I spend countless hours stretching and doing mobility work. Sorry, for being a pussy but dam this is getting old.

I took 3 months off to do construction on the gym and then over 6 weeks I worked back up to 385 and then went to do a hold with 405 and stretch. I strained it again. Fock! Went to my guy and did some dry needling and graston, but no luck. I am stuck at 135x10 again. I suspect it has to do with scapula instability but have no clue what to do.

Currently I do band. YWTL, swing a sledge hammer and do scapula pull ups. Apparently, I have limited T spine mobility but it's not the spine it's the muscle not allowing my t spine to flex.

Any ideas appreciated,
Hawk
 
Be careful with that, I ended up tearing a pec a few years ago doing heavy flat bench. It required surgery and I was down like 3 months. It took a good year to get back to 100%. It really sucked.
 
Too heavy too quickly. Just because you know you can do the weight doesn't mean you should. I have pulled my right pec so many times it was lagging behind the other one. Hammer strength fixed that problem rather quickly. I'd always pull it with weight I know I can handle but muscle strains take significant time to heal. Lighten it up and don't strain yourself too hard because you're only asking to re injure it. Then you'll have to correct asymmetry which is a pain in the ass and a hindrance.

Also for the spine see a chiropractor and get a deep tissue massage.
 
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tank100 said:
Be careful with that, I ended up tearing a pec a few years ago doing heavy flat bench. It required surgery and I was down like 3 months. It took a good year to get back to 100%. It really sucked.
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Thanks buddy, it sucks but I am gonna take it slow.

Hawk
 
b52 said:
Too heavy too quickly. Just because you know you can do the weight doesn't mean you should. I have pulled my right pec so many times it was lagging behind the other one. Hammer strength fixed that problem rather quickly. I'd always pull it with weight I know I can handle but muscle strains take significant time to heal. Lighten it up and don't strain yourself too hard because you're only asking to re injure it. Then you'll have to correct asymmetry which is a pain in the ass and a hindrance.

Also for the spine see a chiropractor and get a deep tissue massage.
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Thanks, I am just doing some benching with 95lbs x15 and some easy stretching. It sucks and it gets old!

Hawk
 
chicken_hawk said:
Thanks, I am just doing some benching with 95lbs x15 and some easy stretching. It sucks and it gets old!

Hawk
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I know the feeling all too well. I feel pretty good now though, now that I stopped doing so many barbell and dumbbell presses. I limit it to 4 sets of bench, then hammer strength/incline, then flyes, or pullovers. I can go moderate for that amount of sets in the 8-10 range. Got tempted to throw up 305 cuz I know I can get at least 6, but then I remember how I pull my chest all the time so I didn't. But working out like that seems pretty good and results are good as well. I can go super heavy on the hammer strength which is nice.
 
b52 said:
I know the feeling all too well. I feel pretty good now though, now that I stopped doing so many barbell and dumbbell presses. I limit it to 4 sets of bench, then hammer strength/incline, then flyes, or pullovers. I can go moderate for that amount of sets in the 8-10 range. Got tempted to throw up 305 cuz I know I can get at least 6, but then I remember how I pull my chest all the time so I didn't. But working out like that seems pretty good and results are good as well. I can go super heavy on the hammer strength which is nice.
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Thanks again for chiming in brother. It's so dang frustrating as I am capable of so much more and still want to power lift. I was simply trying to get my raw back up before I threw my shirt on, but never got that far. I have done some one plate hammer reps, but have also just add 20 lbs to the bar each time. So, I start at 45 and add 20 then 20 then 20 etc.

Hawk
 
chicken_hawk said:
Thanks again for chiming in brother. It's so dang frustrating as I am capable of so much more and still want to power lift. I was simply trying to get my raw back up before I threw my shirt on, but never got that far. I have done some one plate hammer reps, but have also just add 20 lbs to the bar each time. So, I start at 45 and add 20 then 20 then 20 etc.

Hawk
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No problem bro. I'm not over 50 but I've pulled my right pec more times than I care to talk about. It was a chronic injury. Hammer is the way to go if it's pulled. My regular bench feels strong and stable also since buying that machine, and I don't feel that strain where the pull is anymore. So occasionally I can bench real heavy and it won't bother me but I try not to make a habit out of it anymore. Bench moderate, and save the heavy weights for the hammer. And it isolates your chest which is the goal when working chest anyway.
 
How often do you do high rep ligament and tendon work. Using say 30lb dumbbells and pressing for 200 reps. Try to do as many as you can at one time to get to 200. 50 50 50 50. Use this method every week in between your regular heavy work with all muscle groups. You will be amazed at the change in strength.
 
reps said:
How often do you do high rep ligament and tendon work. Using say 30lb dumbbells and pressing for 200 reps. Try to do as many as you can at one time to get to 200. 50 50 50 50. Use this method every week in between your regular heavy work with all muscle groups. You will be amazed at the change in strength.
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Coming from a guy who used to (maybe still does?) bench 315 x 20, I'd listen. (Yeah reps I didn't forget bro haha :D )

Hawk, based on what you said you are just begging for a pec tear amigo. Once that happens, a whole different ball game. Not like your in your 20's or 30's any more - let that shit heal up good. I had that same "tweak" going on before I tore my left pec on incline press 12 years ago. It's telling ya something.
 
Thanks Hank. I've personally used this method also used by westside barbell guys. I remember when i went out to Columbus for a wrestling tournament 2 years ago with a good friend of mine who owns an affiliated gym. I got to tour the facility talk to some lifters and ask questions. I was surprised by some of the reps they did. I also trained at my boys gym last summer for a month to see how it works. And I learned a lot. I thought it was bs. It works. I had always incorporated these high rep schemes when I was fighting never realizing the times I got I hurt were when I was working close too or near max effort all the time. 4-10 reps. Anyways try it for a month what do you got to lose?
 
Hey reps just reading again what you wrote. You say high reps builds tendon & ligament strength? That concept is new to me. I was always under the impression that to focus on that, super heavy weights was needed and for partial reps. I remember reading an article years ago by Fred Hatfield saying he would set the pins n the squat rack to do 4-6 inch lockouts on squats & bench press with very heavy weights - much more than your max - to build tendon strength. And on the flipside, I thought high reps is for allowing the tendons to more or less rest, while the muscles do most of the work. Can you elaborate and/or provide a link backing your theory bro? Thanks.
 
Dawgpound_Hank said:
Hey reps just reading again what you wrote. You say high reps builds tendon & ligament strength? That concept is new to me. I was always under the impression that to focus on that, super heavy weights was needed and for partial reps. I remember reading an article years ago by Fred Hatfield saying he would set the pins n the squat rack to do 4-6 inch lockouts on squats & bench press with very heavy weights - much more than your max - to build tendon strength. And on the flipside, I thought high reps is for allowing the tendons to more or less rest, while the muscles do most of the work. Can you elaborate and/or provide a link backing your theory bro? Thanks.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgUZ-eKzz-k&t=110s

watch this. I just spoke with a buddy at westside he pointed me to a couple links. this one is pretty good. you can search more from louie simmons or westside barbell too.
 
There's a reason there the strongest gym in the world and rarely have ligament, joint or tendon issues
 
Blood flow is hard to get to tendons ligaments need volume to increase blood flow
 
Westside is defintely THE gym of power. I got 2 pl friends that go there.
 
Tore my peck in 1998, complete tendon off the bone at the bicep. I was thrilled at 485 looking to add plates. I've never fully recovered after years of trying and additional mishaps. I lift light whenever I use a straight bar and go for the pump. I'm still one of the biggest guys in the gym. Don't know if that helps you or not but I guess what I'm suggesting is that its not worth it.

BPP
 
Hank I'll message you in late March if were going out to Columbus for the tournament of champions my buddy goes we can go and train there.
 
For me, I still have aspirations of doing more pling meets. It's not ego driven. My issue according to my PT guy who specializes in athletes is my t spine lacks mobility so my scapula can't lock into proper position. So, I am working on various mobility and stretching exercises. I suspect it's more common than we think. In my case, it is tight muscles and not my actual spine that is the problem. So, at this time I am just doing tons of reps. I can feel the residual damage but nothing acute like I did a few weeks ago.

Hawk
 
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