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Thread: What causes muscle belly tears.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    La Jolla California
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    Default What causes muscle belly tears.

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    In your opinion, what causes the tearing of muscle belly fibres to occur? I mean the catastrophic pop or tearing effect that is experienced in the muscle belly itself, not the tendon peeling off the bone.

    Obviously, heavy weight causes it. The weight exceeds the strength of the contracting fibers, causing the catastrophic failure.

    But why does our body not sense or feel this is about to happen and "shut it down" in some other way? Why the catstrophic rupture?

    I recently, on Thurs March 19, 2021 sustained a pec tear while benching 325. Ive been doing a modified Texas Method, beching twice per week. This was a heavy weight for me, but I had done 315 x 5 in a session twice prior and had successfully completed 325 x 1,1,1 in the immediate prior session. On the day of the tear itself, I had successfully and without feeling like it was a limit effort achieved 325 x 1,2,1 and it was upon lowering the bar I felt the "pop,pop,pop" of the tear in my left pec. So I was well warmed up when it happens. The pain was not severe, but upon movement, I could feel a problem. It wasnt until nine (9!) days later that the bruising appeared across the bottom of my tit, which is where the blood pooled. I have fatty tits, what can I say. I dont think it was a big tear and Ive been Starr rehabbing it (completed 145 x 25,25,25 yesterday) and I know I will return. But I want to avoid the problem that caused it in the future. I have previously and for the last three year experienced minor pec "tweaks" or strains that required a week or so of working through before the strength returned, but I think this may be a little longer.

    I should note that in addition to pec strains or tweaks, I am also prone to getting this sort of tweak/strain injury in my hamstrings while dead lifting and squatting, and in my hamstrings and groin/adductor while squatting. I also pull calf muscles every so often, although I dont train calfs. it happens while working or walking.

    What the fuck is wrong with my muscles that they do this? Im 51, 6'4", 265 pounds, on TRT for the past 5 years and I eat a meat heavy diet. I am usually well hydrated, well sodiumed and I also take creatine regularly. Competition best lifts are Sq485, B375, DL540 pounds.

    I should note that the day before I experienced this tear, I did about 30 chinups, which I started adding to my routine. I hadn't been doing them for a while. When I chin I do tend to use a lot of pec, along with lat and arm to pull the humerous down (or pull my body up, I suppose) and into position next to my ribcage. So, in this particular instance, my pec may have been "weakened" by the unusual contraction pattern of the day before. I suppose. Just a thought.

    But my real question is: What defect/deficiency/weakness causes muscle belly tears?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,562

    Default

    I've had many tears over the years, but the one thing they all had in common was the fact that they were unexpected, with no "aura" or advanced indication that they were about to occur. Warm or cold, doesn't seem to matter. I once tore a quad on the 9th set of 10 sets of 2.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    La Jolla California
    Posts
    2,285

    Default

    Thats not very encouraging. What do all the doctors say? Sully?

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