Possible pec tear starting?

[C-money]

K bros, so far my training has been going flawless.. but this last chest day when i was doing my heavy bench my outer pec had a sharp stiffness/tightness on the bottom of the press when i was doin reps with 335, it didnt hurt but there was definately something not normal.. my strength has been going up crazy lately.. i think next chest day i wont go heavy, and do more cables and lighter just to see.. any other advice from anyone who has experience pec tears.. does it start out like this and get worse, or does it just snap? I think in a few weeks if i bench heavy again ill try warming up better aswell...

[waderow]

I hope not bro.

All I could say is stay away form heavy unless you are sure....

[AlladdinSane]

If this were me:

Stop pec work for a bit. Ibuprofen and ice (20 mins on/40 mins off) for a while (3 days to a week). NO stretching or "testing" it during this time. After a week or so, start ART, some foam rolling, and light stretching combined with ice (20 mins) and heat (20 mins). Keep this up for a week.

Then get back to the lifting normally.

This takes a total of 2weeks to make sure that it won't be escalate from a "sharp stiffness/tightness on the bottom of the press" to a full blown pec tear.

[Praetorian]

Exactly what Aladdin said...ART is the key after the acute phase...i've had a few small pec tears...ART was my saviour...the scar tissue that builds up afterward if ART isnt done can tear again very easily in the future.
P

[C-money]

k thanks guys! I was hoping to hear from P and Alladin.. id rather be safe than sorry!

[Thorgrim]

Couple of questions guys.

What is ART?

Also what is this "foam rolling" that keeps getting mentioned. I have a few old injuries that are mostly healed now but this sounds like something that might be beneficial to me.

[Praetorian]

Couple of questions guys.

What is ART?

Also what is this "foam rolling" that keeps getting mentioned. I have a few old injuries that are mostly healed now but this sounds like something that might be beneficial to me.

ART
Active Release Techniques
ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.

Foam rolling
Foam rolling, to be technical, is a form of self myofascial release (SMR). SMR allows the muscle to relax and this in turn can help rid the areas of the unwanted scaring, knots, and ugly adhesions. Muscles need to be strong and supple at the same time through an entire range of motion. Foam rolling helps the body achieve this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJLxruO3su0


P

[Thorgrim]

Thanks P

I've seen those rollers at the gym and was wondering what they were for.

Best to do this at the end or a workout or beginning?

[GYMBRAT]

take care of yourself now C-$, ya crazy ****er!!

[bluenose]

C-money,

I would say Alladdinsane mention the best things to do in this case! Also, I would just continue to go for deep tissue massage on a regular basis. I went through two pec tears and they are not fun to work back from. It all basically started when I started to stretch really deeply. i had this nagging soreness for a while in my pec I didn't listen to my body and after a couple more weeks I eventually tore it and then again a few months later. Once on the flat bench and then on incline.
Although, I feel that stretching started things off that led to my pec tear. If I would have been more flexable to start off and have always kept up with stetching then this migh not have happened. I went a little crazy on the stretching at first so take it easy.

[C-money]

C-money,

I would say Alladdinsane mention the best things to do in this case! Also, I would just continue to go for deep tissue massage on a regular basis. I went through two pec tears and they are not fun to work back from. It all basically started when I started to stretch really deeply. i had this nagging soreness for a while in my pec I didn't listen to my body and after a couple more weeks I eventually tore it and then again a few months later. Once on the flat bench and then on incline.
Although, I feel that stretching started things off that led to my pec tear. If I would have been more flexable to start off and have always kept up with stetching then this migh not have happened. I went a little crazy on the stretching at first so take it easy.
thanks bluenose! i was thinking about the massage thing.. ill try it out, im gonna take it slow.. as of now im the strongest ive been... dont wanna **** it up! Thanks again

[tums1000]

I had the same thing i thought id just work out thru it and tore my pec and around 20-25% of my tendon ,put me out for almost a year ...Take the advice lol ...