One side injured - unilateral or lighter bilateral work

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi I recently “strained” (not sure what to define it s) my upper right pec on banded overload bench. It is sensitive to load at low weights but there is an entry point for bench. Not sure how long it will take to work back up. No issue with overhead press although I might have irritates my right shoulder a bit by adding more ohd presses I wasn’t accustomed to.

I am doing powerlifting2 for bench movements, is it better to do the prescribed movements full ROM at a lighter weight (at less than 100lb) and continue working up all well? Or doing heavy one sided work on the good side with db. No timeline rush for anything.

thanks!

2

MPG,

I would probably do both in this situation. Allow me to make some more specific recommendations:

  1. I’d swap comp bench for OH press for the same rep scheme originally programmed if you can tolerate that. I’d keep these strict.
  2. I’d swap the 3rd slot on day 1 to a unilateral, horizontal bench press for ~10-15 reps @ RPE 7 on each side.
  3. For the bench slot on day 2, I’d do this bilateral, tempo, for sets of 10-15 @ RPE 7
  4. For the 1st bench slot on Day 3, I’d do OHP again for the same rep scheme originally programmed.
  5. For the 2nd bench slot on day 3, I’d again do the unilateral, horizontal bench press work
  6. For the bench slot on day 4, I’d do bilateral bench work. Hope this is helpful!

-Jordan

3

Awesome programming suggestions thank you! On day 4 week 5 tomorrow and will start this switch

4

Hi Jordan, I hope you don’t mind if I update this post but I know that when I search the internet for forum posts about injuries I am always grateful to see updates on how they progressed.

I hurt my pec on Week 4 Day 4. Immediately after i was struggling to bench 65lb. without discomfort It is now Week 9 Day 1, have been very conservative each workout and made no significant jumps, and back already to around 80 percent of my single at 8 (and likely could have done more without discomfort, but playing it safe). I did the above suggestions (namely, replacing press with the main bench, adding dumbbells, etc.). I am thinking by the start of the next PLII cycle I will be back to normal.

One thing of note is that I did inadvertantly cause a shoulder issue that is only in pain on overhead movements, and not bench movements. I presume I just was not adapted enough to the increased pressing. It has gotten better but I still feel a twinge in my right shoulder when i raise my arms over my head, hang from a pull up bar etc. Fully expect it to get better but will continue updating. In this case I will replace the overhead movements on weeks 1-6 for incline movements.