To all those who have suffered from pec tears, could you please answer the following questions? I wanna figure out how to minimize the risk of pec tears now that I'm going somewhat heavy.
1) Did you tear your pec during cut or bulk (off season vs. pre contest)
2) What steroids were you taking at the time of the injury?
3) What exercise did you do when the muscle tore?
4) In what position of the pressing movement were you when the muscle popped? stretch, midway, or close to the top?
5) How quickly did you move the weights? So, explosive reps or slow controlled ones?
6) Did the muscle tear during the eccentric (going down) or concentric (going up) part of the movement?
7) How many sets for chest did you do before?
8) Do you feel you were warmed up properly?
9) Did you have aches and pains in the pec area in the weeks before the tear?
10) Do you feel like you were overtrained?
11) How many reps did you plan to complete in the set that the muscle tore?
I have partially torn the same pec twice now :banghead:
1.) I don't cut/bulk any longer but once I was doing intermittent fasting other was eating normally. I was doing a basic lift strength phase this last time though.
2.) 300mg test (100x3 weekly) and prior one I think was 500mg test and potentially one other AAS 200-300/week was the usual...avoid winstrol though! partially tore bicep and was on win at the time and I FELT brittle the whole time taking it...like dried out
3.) First time dumbbell bench with 140s and last time bar bench with just 315!
4.) Both times about 1/3 of the way up on concentric portion
5.) Both times was controlled movements at about 1,0,1 tempo
6.) Concentric
7.) Both times first exercise of the workout...maybe 3 sets after 1-2 set warmup
8.) Yes fairly well, was not cold either time...
9.) Nope none...but do NOW even though partial tears
10.) No...second time I was training EOD and just push pull squat movements and off 4 days a week...prior time I was 2 on 1 off/2 on 2 off so resting 3 days a week
11.) Both times I wanted about 8-9 and tore around 6-7
Really won't find much info in all these answers though...fact is we micro tear ourselves over and over and get stronger and stronger but the connective tissue may not keep up and it slowly can pull away over time... in fact I saw a pec tear with 225 lbs on a guy that got reps out of 315 easily... he didn't really warm up honestly... 135 for 5 then 225 for 8ish and POP! Barbell bench is a very common cause though I now steer clear of it entirely and stick with dumbbells up to 80s max and hammer machines with 200ish lbs...dips with bodyweight only...I've lost a little thickness but still have 80% of my size with 2/3 the weight used.
Tears are a factor of long term aas use making things a bit brittle with repeat micro trauma also...I saw a doc for mine and he palpated my bicep origin/insertion areas and pec origin/insertions and said I have damage but until it tears off they really cannot anything... he said be careful but for repetitive heavy lifters it's common and a matter of time for most. Thanks doc...lol