Bench Injury (Between Pec and Shoulder?)

[PickMe69]

About three weeks ago I pulled (maybe) a muscle in my shoulder and underarm, its like between my Pec muscle and my shoulder... I did it while doing some pushups quickly during a HIIT cycle, then made it worse the next day when I figured it was fine and proceeded to bench press.

I took a week off any upperbody exercises. Then when I came back on it, I took it kinda easy for a week, doing lighter weight and doing more isolation work.

Then I went on vacation for a week, and got back yesterday. I went to the gym today and started benching feeling great at first, like the time off helped my body heal up, no fatigue, ready to go, but about 4 sets in (progressively adding weight) a sharp pain shot through my chest again and I had to do everything I could to rack the weight.

I'm not going to say my Bench form was perfect before vacation, but I did some research on proper Bench technique while I was letting it heal, and practiced it before starting my lifts and was doing superb form when it hurt again today, leading me to believe that it is in fact the same injury.

But three weeks later? Do you guys think it may be a tear? I should go get it looked at? Or what should I do to go about healing it as quickly as possible?

THANK YOU!

 

[captainahole]

sounds like a good strain. I would recommend as you were doing take another week of upper body training that aggrivates it and when going back try a smith machine and take it slow. It helps reomove some of the work off the stablizers and may allow you to continue training. If it works use if for a while don't rush back to the bar give it some time to heal.

 

[FlexManning]

What about taking some time off from benching and doing some external rotator work?