Well first off, this post should have been made at year 1, 2, and 3.. because a lot has happened since I tore my pec in March 2019.
Read my original post here: https://www.torquebarbell.com/torn-pec-chest/
So essentially here I am 4 years later. I’ve competed in a powerlifting meet, I’ve dieted to 6% bodyfat, bulked to 250lbs. Benched 380, deadlifted 700, and generally I’d say I’ve come back to 98% healing. That last 2% being the way my chest looks: picture below, and the mental strain of worrying I may tear it again if I push to the max.
Here’s a timeline of my recovery post surgery.
4 weeks – I started doing cardio at week 3 and got an infection in the wound that set me back 2 weeks and a few trips to the doctor to get the fluid drained.
6 weeks – Stopped sleeping with my sling. Started training my right side and legs.
8 weeks – Increased leg day intensity.
10 weeks – Light band work on my injured side. Using 10lbs dumbbells and increasing reps to 50 per set. Very short range of motion but starting to get movement in my pec. My left arm had atrophied a TON.
12 weeks – Started training both arms with more intensity. Still keeping the weights very low and reps high.
Then from about 12 weeks to 20 weeks, not much changed.. I just kept consistent with my workouts, slowly increasing range of motion and adding more reps.
5 months – I started pushing my leg workouts harder and started working on mobility to get my arms back for squats.
7 months – Hit an all time deadlift PR of 720lbs
Then again not much specifically for the next few months until month 11.
11 months – I benched 315 again.
Year 2 – I bulked to 250lbs, then dieted to 6% using carb cycling.
Year 3 – I tore my bicep deadlifting.
Year 4 – I competed in a powerlifting competition again but tore my quad.
Year 4.5 (today) – I benched 380lbs.