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Pec Tear Update
Here's an update on my Pec Tear post from last month, if anyone's interested. First, I want to thank everyone for their responses and words of inspiration. I saw an orthopedic surgeon in week 2 of the injury, who reviewed the MRI's and confirmed that there was no tendon/lig damage (thank God), just muscle tear. He referred me to a rehab center, where I went 3 weeks after injury; my recovery was already so far advanced that they only confirmed what I knew--stretch alot, train light, etc.
For the first week, I trained around injury--legs, tri's, some bi's on machines only. By week 2, I did a chest workout, which was really just stretching--10# dumbell flies, some machines with NO WEIGHT at all, just slow stretching. This was quite FRUSTRATING, knowing the poundages I usually push around, but I wasn't ready for more than that. My shoulder workout that week was just dumbell raises, wasn't ready to press anything yet. Soon I had full range of motion back. And now, 5 weeks later, all of my other body parts are at 100 %, and I'm training chest at about 70%!
Believe me, I'm not rushing this, just doing what my body says it's ready for. LOTS of warmups and stretching, and a SLOW pyramid with dumbells for my first exercise. This really impresses me, for I am using perfect form in exercises and listening really closely to my chest, and it is doing great! I know the gear has helped ALOT to speed this muscle injury.
One thing I learned, is that I hadn't been holding my stretches long enough. In the past, I would usually stretch for maybe 5 or 10 sec's each side between sets. The rehab doc. said to hold them for 30 sec's! So now I actually close my eyes, as I often do while training in a set, concentrate on the muscle being stretched and count out the stretch, aiming for at least 20 sec's. Good advice, believe me.
Thanks again all, for the support.
Here's an update on my Pec Tear post from last month, if anyone's interested. First, I want to thank everyone for their responses and words of inspiration. I saw an orthopedic surgeon in week 2 of the injury, who reviewed the MRI's and confirmed that there was no tendon/lig damage (thank God), just muscle tear. He referred me to a rehab center, where I went 3 weeks after injury; my recovery was already so far advanced that they only confirmed what I knew--stretch alot, train light, etc.
For the first week, I trained around injury--legs, tri's, some bi's on machines only. By week 2, I did a chest workout, which was really just stretching--10# dumbell flies, some machines with NO WEIGHT at all, just slow stretching. This was quite FRUSTRATING, knowing the poundages I usually push around, but I wasn't ready for more than that. My shoulder workout that week was just dumbell raises, wasn't ready to press anything yet. Soon I had full range of motion back. And now, 5 weeks later, all of my other body parts are at 100 %, and I'm training chest at about 70%!
Believe me, I'm not rushing this, just doing what my body says it's ready for. LOTS of warmups and stretching, and a SLOW pyramid with dumbells for my first exercise. This really impresses me, for I am using perfect form in exercises and listening really closely to my chest, and it is doing great! I know the gear has helped ALOT to speed this muscle injury.
One thing I learned, is that I hadn't been holding my stretches long enough. In the past, I would usually stretch for maybe 5 or 10 sec's each side between sets. The rehab doc. said to hold them for 30 sec's! So now I actually close my eyes, as I often do while training in a set, concentrate on the muscle being stretched and count out the stretch, aiming for at least 20 sec's. Good advice, believe me.
Thanks again all, for the support.
