was told never to do heavy bench press again....

[paradox]

I had a bad pec rupture back in october while I was doing bench press, I had surgery on it in december. My chest shrunk up pretty bad since then & my left pec is bigger then my right one do to all the scar tissue. I was told to never do heavy bench press again by my medical officers. I have been just doing light DB press to this point. However I Was wondering if anyone here had any advice or if they had a similar injury & how they changed their training around. thank you in advance


Semper Fi

 

[bigmann245]

take is slow and easy. build it back up easy. dont over do it. in time you should be able to due moderate lifting but listen to your body. if it hurts, dont do it.

 

[LftHndPwrHouse]

one of my friends who competes tore his pec really bad. Give it more time to heal.
I think you are doing the right thing by doing DB presses. Uses cables and DB so your left cant push harder then your right. Do alot of incline presses. Also do inclines with a twist. Start twisting as soon as you start your upward movement so your pinkies tuch at the top. It will work the swoop of your pec.

Hang in there brother it will all come back to you. I have been through my share of tares....K to you

 

[Ross]

Seated upright FLIES (Peck-deck)

Will stretch the pectoralis major and minor, allowing for greater range of motion and will even aid in loosening scar tissue. Furthermore, there is no greater isolative movement for your pectoralis. BENCH press is way over-rated for developing a great chest. It will give you power, but not maximum hypertrophy.

Build you pectoralis strength before attempting heavy bench--same for DB.

 

[BLACKDOOG]

I tore mine 2 years ago and I just Do incline barbell press and use the smith machines and Pec dec and I am doing fine. Just do not try and push that heavy asss weight anymore you do not have to to build your chest.

 

[Outtlaw]

Im recovering from a chest injury, but nothing as serious as yours. I had a separation of the costochondral junction in my right chest. In normal terms it's basically a rib cage separation. Doc said I'll make a full recovery and be able to do everything as I was before. But the recovery process has been very slow and frustrating. The cartilage on my right side is all fucked up, and I dont think it will ever be normal. After 3 months my strength on chest exercises is still nowhere near where it was before. Incline work I can do without stressing the injury, but flat bench is still uncomfortable. But everyday is an improvement. You just have to be patient, even though it's frustrating.

 

[Zyglamail]

What specifically was damaged?

 

[thelion2005]

Sent you a PM

 

[alltraps]

try machines, incline bench, just see what feels ok and go from there. start REAL LIGHT

 

[SlimJim300]

EDIT

 

[nishnish]

Seated upright FLIES (Peck-deck)

Will stretch the pectoralis major and minor, allowing for greater range of motion and will even aid in loosening scar tissue. Furthermore, there is no greater isolative movement for your pectoralis. BENCH press is way over-rated for developing a great chest. It will give you power, but not maximum hypertrophy.

Build you pectoralis strength before attempting heavy bench--same for DB.

do you seriously mean to tell us that PEC DECK will build the pectorals better than barbell bench presses?

i could see maybe in his case with the injury; maybe this is the context in which you are referring to it's superiority?

i can't tell, because in your next statement you say that bench press is way overrated for developing a great chest.

barbell bench presses, both incline and flat, have been and will always be the superior way to build a solid foundation in the shoulder girdle (this includes the chest). dumbells are also very effective and allow for a more natural motion throughout.

but fucking PEC DECK? c'mon man. pec deck is for lazy asses who don't want to work hard, and cable flyes are useful only for the dieting bodybuilder IMO.

if somebody wants to build a big, powerful chest, keeping in mind that strength facilitates size, then the exercises that have worked since the beginning are still the ones to do- barbell presses, dumbell presses, dips, and dumbell flyes... unless you're a genetic freak. those guys don't count

if i had a nickel for every skinny cunt in a wife beater i saw doing cable flyes i would have a good bit of dough to go with my annoyance.

iron lads, IRON. feel it in your hands. that cold hard metal is the foundation for it all.

 

[jc1908]

i tore both rotator cuffs 6 yrs ago, have been back in the life for a few months..i know its a differant injury, but what i do now is make sure every lift i do is in perfect form, none of those cheating moves(everyone knows what i'm talking about here) just except the lower weight,do the lift by the book and it will happen in time...keep going bro..

 

[saintjohn]

i got this tip from westside-barbell.com which suggests a closer grip to remove the pecs and place more emphasis on the triceps and lats. i started doing it because i have a bad rotator cuff. worked like a charm and i'm able to bench heavy for my age, bodyweight and build. no exacerbation of my rotator cuff injury since i started it about eight months ago. might work to place less stress on your pecs for you. good luck.

 

[brahma_bull]

i heard ronnie does nothing but pec deck, what's the problem

 

[Ross]

LOL....

Seated Upright Flies(there are several variations of this machine--I am referring the the butterfly :not paddded) will build a better chets than Barbell bench all day every day. Bench simply hits the outer chest, does nothing for the upper pectoralis major and minor. LAZY ASSES?? try overloading the machine with DUMBELLS--I can fly up to 325 lbs! With dumbells you arent afforded the same range due to stress on the rotators. This REALLY LIMITS the amount of weight you can perform. FLIES are KEY....

FURTHERMORE, they are ISOLATIVE, while presses are compound movements. You are getting help from your shoulders and tris when you press, but when your flying properly, your using PURE PEC.

 

[Outtlaw]

LOL....

Seated Upright Flies(there are several variations of this machine--I am referring the the butterfly :not paddded) will build a better chets than Barbell bench all day every day. Bench simply hits the outer chest, does nothing for the upper pectoralis major and minor. LAZY ASSES?? try overloading the machine with DUMBELLS--I can fly up to 325 lbs! With dumbells you arent afforded the same range due to stress on the rotators. This REALLY LIMITS the amount of weight you can perform. FLIES are KEY....

FURTHERMORE, they are ISOLATIVE, while presses are compound movements. You are getting help from your shoulders and tris when you press, but when your flying properly, your using PURE PEC.

What?? You must not know much about kinesiology. And the fly is isolative?? Maybe moreso on that butterfly machine you're talking about, and to a certain extent with cables, but definitely not with dumbells. And you can never purely isolate any muscle, the human body doesnt work that way. You do use both bicepts and tricepts when doing fly exercises. Dont believe it, try doing dumbell flys after a heavy tricept workout.

 

[Ross]

What?? You must not know much about kinesiology. And the fly is isolative?? Maybe moreso on that butterfly machine you're talking about, and to a certain extent with cables, but definitely not with dumbells. And you can never purely isolate any muscle, the human body doesnt work that way. You do use both bicepts and tricepts when doing fly exercises. Dont believe it, try doing dumbell flys after a heavy tricept workout.

Well then if NO movement is purely ISOLATIVE then there are NO isolative movements..?? Ergo, there are movements that ISOLATE BETTER than OTHERS, but never purely isolate, due to the structure and function of the huaman anatomy. BUT, as pure as isolative as it gets is PREACHER CURLS(Biceps), Tricep extensions(Tri), Lateral rasies (shoulder), Seated upright FLIES(chest)....these are isolative movements. AND YES, flies are the key to a HUGE chest.

See pics on "Turinabol + Anavar ULTIMATE STACK" Thread......

 

[Outtlaw]

Well then if NO movement is purely ISOLATIVE then there are NO isolative movements..?? Ergo, there are movements that ISOLATE BETTER than OTHERS, but never purely isolate, due to the structure and function of the huaman anatomy. BUT, as pure as isolative as it gets is PREACHER CURLS(Biceps), Tricep extensions(Tri), Lateral rasies (shoulder), Seated upright FLIES(chest)....these are isolative movements. AND YES, flies are the key to a HUGE chest.

See pics on "Turinabol + Anavar ULTIMATE STACK" Thread......

Im not saying that flys dont have their place. I agree that they should be a part of peoples regimine. What Im contesting is your notion that incline and flat bench dont work the inner portion of the chest, and that the fly movement purely isolates the chest.

The bench press may not put as much stress on the inner chest as other exercises, but to say it doesnt work it at all is just crazy. And yes, you use a lot of triceps and delts while doing bench press, but you also use a lot of bicep and a fair amount of tricep while doing flys.

 

[Ross]

Im not saying that flys dont have their place. I agree that they should be a part of peoples regimine. What Im contesting is your notion that incline and flat bench dont work the inner portion of the chest, and that the fly movement purely isolates the chest.

The bench press may not put as much stress on the inner chest as other exercises, but to say it doesnt work it at all is just crazy. And yes, you use a lot of triceps and delts while doing bench press, but you also use a lot of bicep and a fair amount of tricep while doing flys.

Flat and Incline bench will do very little for the inner chest. This is why most people have "a gap" between their chest--because BENCH is the staple of their chest routine.

Yes, I am saying that you can not get a perfect chets without flies. I never said Bench press doesn't have its place either.

I enjoy the disocurse.

 

[H_T_]

hey bro, i had a whole shit load of stuff like that happen to me. i had a large portion of my lat and oblique removed. my ribs were sewn together so my guts didn't bulge out. they took the muscle they removed and sutured it over my shattered vertebrae. the performed a thoracotomy on me, basically went from my nipple down and under up to the upper part of my traps and opened me right up. what i'm sayin' is that if you want it bad enough, you'll be able to do it again. i did. but do it slow and do it smart. these doctors are only trying to look out for you, even though they have no idea how bad it sucks not being able to bench heavy.

 

[paradox]

What specifically was damaged?

My surgeon told me that I completly ruptered my pec major & pec minor, He also stated that when he cut me open for the surgery it look liked my pec exploded, I got 3 screws in me now.

 

[akita27]

LOL....

Seated Upright Flies(there are several variations of this machine--I am referring the the butterfly :not paddded) will build a better chets than Barbell bench all day every day. Bench simply hits the outer chest, does nothing for the upper pectoralis major and minor. LAZY ASSES?? try overloading the machine with DUMBELLS--I can fly up to 325 lbs! With dumbells you arent afforded the same range due to stress on the rotators. This REALLY LIMITS the amount of weight you can perform. FLIES are KEY....

FURTHERMORE, they are ISOLATIVE, while presses are compound movements. You are getting help from your shoulders and tris when you press, but when your flying properly, your using PURE PEC.

You are completely off base here. There have been studies using magnetic imaging which shows how thoroughly taxed a muscle is through specific exercises. The number one exercise was found to be flat bench dumbell bench. The imaging showed that the ENTIRE pectoral girdle from upper to lower was thoroughly taxed due to this movement. Get your facts straight before throwing out disinformation. Pec deck is the best chest developer! LMFAO!!!

 

[Ross]

You are completely off base here. There have been studies using magnetic imaging which shows how thoroughly taxed a muscle is through specific exercises. The number one exercise was found to be flat bench dumbell bench. The imaging showed that the ENTIRE pectoral girdle from upper to lower was thoroughly taxed due to this movement. Get your facts straight before throwing out disinformation. Pec deck is the best chest developer! LMFAO!!!

Flat Bench DUMBELLS will allow for MUCH greater range of motion and muscle activation than BARBELL! Its NO COMPARISION!

THAT Is what we were discussing. Flies are HANDS down more effective at ISOLATING the CHEST, than BARBELL Bench...

 

[nishnish]

once again, the FOUNDATION for the shoulder girdle, upon which the pectorals lie, is the press- whether it be barbell or dumbell, flat or incline.

i would love to take a beginning lifter... you have him do incline flyes and the pec deck, and i'll have him do barbell flat and incline bench press.

we'll see who develops better and faster and thicker and stronger.

isloation movements are gret for shaping the muscle... but you've got to have something to shape first!

 

[Outtlaw]

Flat and Incline bench will do very little for the inner chest. This is why most people have "a gap" between their chest--because BENCH is the staple of their chest routine.

Yes, I am saying that you can not get a perfect chets without flies. I never said Bench press doesn't have its place either.

I enjoy the disocurse.

Im not trying to debate how much the inner portion of the chest is worked during a bench press. All Im saying is that it is worked, whether it be slightly or moderately. You seemed to be saying that it wasnt.

 

[Outtlaw]

Flat Bench DUMBELLS will allow for MUCH greater range of motion and muscle activation than BARBELL! Its NO COMPARISION!

THAT Is what we were discussing. Flies are HANDS down more effective at ISOLATING the CHEST, than BARBELL Bench...

Dumbell bench press and flys are not the same exercise.

 

[SOLID2]

do you seriously mean to tell us that PEC DECK will build the pectorals better than barbell bench presses?

i could see maybe in his case with the injury; maybe this is the context in which you are referring to it's superiority?

i can't tell, because in your next statement you say that bench press is way overrated for developing a great chest.

barbell bench presses, both incline and flat, have been and will always be the superior way to build a solid foundation in the shoulder girdle (this includes the chest). dumbells are also very effective and allow for a more natural motion throughout.

but fucking PEC DECK? c'mon man. pec deck is for lazy asses who don't want to work hard, and cable flyes are useful only for the dieting bodybuilder IMO.

if somebody wants to build a big, powerful chest, keeping in mind that strength facilitates size, then the exercises that have worked since the beginning are still the ones to do- barbell presses, dumbell presses, dips, and dumbell flyes... unless you're a genetic freak. those guys don't count

if i had a nickel for every skinny cunt in a wife beater i saw doing cable flyes i would have a good bit of dough to go with my annoyance.

iron lads, IRON. feel it in your hands. that cold hard metal is the foundation for it all.

my chest is the strong point of my body,very well defined and built.. i like this post... and agree strongly.. but with the injury bro.. take it easy, i have been there and it takes some time....

 

[Ross]

Im not trying to debate how much the inner portion of the chest is worked during a bench press. All Im saying is that it is worked, whether it be slightly or moderately. You seemed to be saying that it wasnt.

Its not worked ENOUGH. Bench is great for upperbody development, but it is not an isolative movement, so its ONLY PART of the equation.

My beef with bench is that it is over-rated as a CHEST developer. It is a great compound movement that primarily works the pectoralis, but too many people rely on it as their sole chest developer.


1st 2 pics are recent, 3rd pic is a few years ago, before I did really heavy flies.

 

[Outtlaw]

Its not worked ENOUGH. Bench is great for upperbody development, but it is not an isolative movement, so its ONLY PART of the equation.

My beef with bench is that it is over-rated as a CHEST developer. It is a great compound movement that primarily works the pectoralis, but too many people rely on it as their sole chest developer.


1st 2 pics are recent, 3rd pic is a few years ago, before I did really heavy flies.

Hey, I dont know why you keep going round and round on this with me. I've already said that I think flys are an important part of a chest rutine. I was just trying to correct your misleading statement about bench doing nothing for the inner chest area. I dont know why anyone would do just one exercise for chest anyways.

 

[Ross]

Miscommunication....

 

[sprinter86]

My recommendation: AAS + time, and gradually increased weight.

 

[Khalnayak]

rosslovesmoney,have u read arnolds new encyclopedia of modern bodybuilding?arnold said that bench and incline barbell presses was sergio oliva's main exercises for chest.sumtimes he didnt touch other stuff just kept on benching.do u think ur chest is better than sergio's?

 

[Slyder190]

take is slow and easy. build it back up easy. dont over do it. in time you should be able to due moderate lifting but listen to your body. if it hurts, dont do it.

Sounds like a good answer to me. I'm not a doc, so I can't say how good or bad it might really be for you, although almost all docs would tell you don't lift heavy again I'm sure. See how it goes and be careful, and ALWAYS have a spotter if you start gettin up there with the weights.

 

[Blackwatersurprise]

Not to be a smart ass, but I didn't realize that there were so many heads of the peck....inner, outer, major, minor, etc...From basic anatomy, there is a clavicular portion of pec major and a sternal portion and then pec minor that is deep to pec major. I rarely do flat bench work..all incline, but it still works the sternal portion of my pec....I guess you could say that I'm a power body builder in that I want to avoid all show and no go. "Isolation" movements may make everything look good or "shape" as you call it, but they really have little carry over to being able to use the nice shapely muscle.

 

[NickyE3]

I had a severely dislocated should from a car wreck about a year ago. Had to have surgery to the labrum to put the socket back to the bone, with the help of 3 screws. Bench was extremely difficult, and I will never be able to go past my body plane while doing any chest lift. Dumbells feel more natural than straight bars.

Look at is like this, things can only get better not worse.

 

[Tweakle]

If a closer grip, PL style bench doesn't work then you could try the hammer machines.. I have some shoulder issues, nothing like as serious as yours, but I still only bench every other chest workout.

hang in there, you can bounce back from almost anything if you have a positive attitude to recovery.