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Thread: Gym Bros and the bench press

  1. #1
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    Default Gym Bros and the bench press

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    Hey Rip, a common injury amongst those who haven't read the blue book is a torn pectoral muscle on the bench press. We know how to protect our rotator cuffs and shoulders from injury by bar placement, but what form errors occur that cause a pec tear?

  2. #2
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    I don't think you can attribute pec tears to a general pattern of form error. I think they just happen at heavy weights to some people.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    I don't think you can attribute pec tears to a general pattern of form error. I think they just happen at heavy weights to some people.
    In the past year, I've seen probably a half dozen pec tendon ruptures / avulsions from CrossFit. I think the high energy loading of the tendon during kipping pullups is what has caused it in all of those cases. I agree, though, that pec tears just happen from time to time, but I will say, the prognosis for a pec muscle belly tear and that of a pec tendon rupture are not the same.

  4. #4
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    I have seen pec tears happen to strong guys who alter their training to exclude or place less priority on the bench for a period of time and then they come back and test their max without reestablishing their proficiency at low reps.

    I have also seen guys who use steroids become enamored with the rapidly increasing weights and then don't use thoughtful progression and end up with a tear.

    I have had some some strains and they have all been from increasing weights too rapidly in a movement that I have not been training for very long, board presses.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Will Morris View Post
    In the past year, I've seen probably a half dozen pec tendon ruptures / avulsions from CrossFit. I think the high energy loading of the tendon during kipping pullups is what has caused it in all of those cases. I agree, though, that pec tears just happen from time to time, but I will say, the prognosis for a pec muscle belly tear and that of a pec tendon rupture are not the same.
    Absolutely. Pec tendon avulsions are CrossFit injuries.

  6. #6
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    I've hurt my pec a couple times and it was always from being dumb. Benching heavy too often (like benching to failure/near failure 3x/week) or not backing off when I should have. There are some form things you can look for, like if you start really flaring your elbows out when you get fatigued, but in my experience it's mostly been from being stupid and overworking it.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    Absolutely. Pec tendon avulsions are CrossFit injuries.
    These are pretty gruesome, and their overall prognosis is pretty terrible.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Will Morris View Post
    These are pretty gruesome, and their overall prognosis is pretty terrible.
    According to research, such a thing is extremely rare, I guess they didn't forsee the invention of crossfit. This guy seemed to recover ok though.

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    I've sustained a pec tendon avulision and have never had the slightest desire to do CrossFit. I was doing weighted chin-ups once a week. Other than that, I don't know what the fuck, I'm still puzzled. I have recovered pretty well though. I didn't have it repaired, just haven't tried benching again since. Press has gotten better than ever I might add.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    You're very unusual.

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