Commanding My Body

[Commander]

Well, I actually think my injury is some type of tendonitis on my pectoralis tendon where it attaches to the humerous.

I feel like I have ruled out a bicep tear/strain because I can do a chinup pain free a well as light curls.

However, when I tried a bodyweight push up, bodybuilding style bench press (elbow flared - not that I ever do these, it was a test of what hurt) and db fly, it hurt my left arm in the middle bicep region pretty bad. A powerlifting style bench press only hurts a little which makes sense because the pecs aren't stretched as much.

Further, pure external rotation kills, which makes sense, the pectoralis is a internal rotator and is getting stretched on external rotation, thus aggravating the tendon.

The pain is deep enough combined with the fact that I can curl pain free leads me to believe that it is in fact under the bicep and that it is the tendon of my pecs. Which would makes sense given the amount of pressing I was doing.

I still have not worked out, due to the injury, sickness and holidays, I have been off for 12 days, which feels like an eternity to me!

But now I feel pretty confident that I have identified what the injury is, I will develop a plan of attack. Basically, I will avoid exercises that externally rotate and presses. I will work my triceps with isolation and do regular work for my back and legs since that should not be hampered by the injury.

Time to get back into it.

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Bodyweight down to about 174 right now, not training and not eating as much (due to not training) contributed to the loss. So I am pretty much 2 months into my bulk with NOTHING to show for it except for a slightly faster metabolism. That sucks.

[WorkoutMchne]

What are you thinking for your new program?

[Commander]

Honestly, not sure. I am currently thinking about just squatting and deadlifting, maybe a little tricep isolation if I can get away with it without aggravating the painful area.

I would love any input you have on my injury and training around it.

[Commander]

All I can say, is that I was an idiot for thinking I could squat. Putting my arm back to grip the bar was excrutiating, it hurt worse then bench pressing. I never though about how stretched your pecs are while holding the bar during a squat.

So I ditched the squat and went with deadlifts. Now after taking the last 2 weeks off, everything felt HEAVY, but that is to be expected.

It was a beautiful spring-like day here, so with the warmer weather, I tried the tire to see if I could at least press eccentric-less. Unfortunately, that was a no go. Although the eccentric portion is the more painful part, I could tell it would be unwise to press eccentric-less at this point.

I was able to do some tricep isolation in between sets of deadlift.

Tomorrow I experiment to see what type of back work I can do. I might get on a 2 day split:
1) Deadlift w/ Tricep Isolation
2) Back and Biceps

Also, since I can't squat, I might add in some leg curls and extensions.

[bigbear6708]

Ouch man, I haven't been able to log in for a while...hope you heal up fast! I will have the opportuntiy soon to acquire some tires...do you by chance have any pics of your dragging device floating around the site? I am piecing my gym together, and want to build something like you have for dragging...thanks!

[Commander]

Originally Posted by bigbear6708

Ouch man, I haven't been able to log in for a while...hope you heal up fast! I will have the opportuntiy soon to acquire some tires...do you by chance have any pics of your dragging device floating around the site? I am piecing my gym together, and want to build something like you have for dragging...thanks!

Thanks bigbear, I hope so too.

Here are the pictures, it is quite simple, I found a tire on the side of the road and the plywood I had laying around. I just bought rope, some metal rings, an eye bolt and nut and viola!





Here is a video of it in use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CpKAwws1yg

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Luckily, my back and bicep workout went pain free and while my endurance was off, my reps in the initial sets were good.

Chinups
BWx15, 10, 6

Pulldown
80x8, 3 sets, double contration reps

Cable Row
65x14, 13, 12
65x8, 3 sets, double contration reps

Ab Wheel Rollouts
BWx15, 15, 10

Bicep Circuit:
Barbell Curl 50 lb, Inc DB Curl 10 lb, Cable Curl - 3 times through circuit, little rest

[Commander]

Cambered Bar Deadlift
363x3, 8 sets - no belt

Leg Curls and Leg Extensions, 3 sets each to technical failure

Great news, I experimented with Close Grip Bench Press. I thought it might be OK because with the arms completely tucked, it stretched the pectoral tendon very minimally. I could do the bottom 2/3 ROM pain free, when I fully extended my arm at the top ROM, I think it began to stretch the pec and it hurt, so I just stuck to partial ROM reps. I worked up to 160x10, it's a start! I am happy just to be able to include a pressing exercise to keep my chest and triceps from atrophying while normal bench press, military press, and dips are out of the question.

[HardCory]

Good to hear, hope that the chest completely heals soon.

[Commander]

Thanks HardCory

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Well, good and bad news. The good, I did a workout for chest/triceps today. The bad, my left bicep area hurt pretty bad towards the end. I pushed it too hard. I am going to have to be careful, I want to stimulate the muscle, but I also want to recover. Gotta walk that fine line.

Close Grip Bench
70, 90, 120, 140, 145, 150, 155, 160x10
165x8
170x6, 3 sets - embarrassing to say that this was pushing it too hard, but that's life with an injury.
120x3 sets for max reps

Lying Extensions and Pushdowns

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Today is a much needed day of rest. Tomorrow, is back/biceps.

[VeeKay]

Be careful buddy.. experimenting too much might affect recovery.. hope you get well soon