Hello, a few weeks ago I believe I strained my pec while barbell bench pressing. Since then I’ve been using dumbbell incline press, flat dumbbell bench with elbows a bit closer in for a more neutral grip, and shoulder press machine for pressing, all done in the 15-30 rep range for more “pump” sets. It seems I can push these sets close to failure without experiencing much pain. My question is if there any indicators that would suggest I’m “pissing off” the injury, assuming it is going back to normal, such as pain. I can feel it a bit in the problem area (right side outer pec)during and after training, but it is tolerable.
Hi there. Are you familiar with our content on pain in training? It sounds like since your injury you have found a solid entry point into training by swapping barbell bench press for other similar variations.
To avoid “pissing off” the area, I would recommend using auto-regulation if you are not already. We recommend RPE, and if you need guidance on how to implement that, I would recommend checking out this here. I would not necessarily advocate for training to failure or close to failure in this specific scenario, but rather would recommend staying in the RPE 6-8 range while you are rehabbing that area. Another option is to add in tempo work to the exercises that you are already performing. For more information on muscle strains, you can read this, while it is specific to the hip, the general principles apply to any muscle group.
If you would like more specific programming advice or find you need more guidance moving forward, we would be happy to consult with you remotely to talk more in depth as we recognize that each situation is unique.