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In lieu of the benchpress?

butterfli7o
butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
in Social Groups
I had surgery 3 years ago and was advised by my doctor not to do any exercises that isolate chest muscles. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good compound exercise to take it's place?

Replies

  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    The bench press IS a compound exercise. It uses your shoulders, biceps, triceps, and pecs.
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    Thanks, I guess I worded my question incorrectly....let me try again. :smile: I've been advised by my dr. not to do bench presses, or any exercise that focuses a lot on chest muscles (no chest flies, etc) I'm trying to think of another good exercise I could do in it's place, that would not work my chest.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    I guess....skip it then? But I can't imagine you can NEVER work out your chest muscles again - obviously I don't know all the details though. What is it about them that you can't risk? Is it the bar actually resting on them or the action of pushing? What about pulling motions? Which muscles in the chest? could you do it if you kept it to light weights and increased very very slowly?

    ETA - any chance you can talk to a really good physical therapist about it?
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
    I'm interested in an academic way in your answers to Tameko's questions, but if you want me to butt out just say so!
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    No problem, I didn't mean to be so vague. :smile: I had breast augmentation done a little over three years ago. Due to my implants being partially sub-muscular, it is recommended to not to chest exercises. This can cause dispacement of the implant and "bottoming out", where they actually get pushed and stetched further apart than they should be.

    I do skip them, but was wondering if I could sub it with another good exercise.
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
    I was just reading a thread about women with BA's and lifting on bodybuilding.com. Some of the things sound terrifying! Y'all are brave. :laugh:

    Most of the ladies said pushups/pullups are fine, but since it's like 3rd hand take it with a grain of salt.
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    How is that website? I thought about checking it out.
    Yea, I mean I got my implants before lifting was evern a thought in my mind. But the professional women who lift and get implants get it over the muscle, so it's okay so chest exercises are okay. I just don't want to ruin anything...gotta protect the investment! Lol. :smile:
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    What about power cleans/snatches? Those are explosive compound lifts that will work out your chest but not specifically.
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
    I guess a lot of them have overs, a lot have unders (or sub unders,) many train chest no matter where the implant, some don't train as much, some have had shifting. As I said- brave women!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    bodybuilding.com is a website that has a LOT of ****ty information mixed with some good info, and mostly its just there to try and sell you products so don't buy into any of that.

    However, I think you could really benefit from looking through their forums for info on augmentation specifically, as augmentation is VERY common for bodybuilders (because at the low levels of bodyfat you just don't retain a lot of breast tissue).

    Buuuut ... I did some looking for you, because I was curious, and also I rethought the whole ...thing.

    so, you're eating a deficit right now right? So you're hardly going to be building TONS of muscle as it is - its taken me about a two years of near no-deficit eating and lifting, including some exercises which target my pecs very hard (dips) to see my pecs grow. Chances are you wont' actually see any changes from bench pressing, at least not in the amounts and weights you'll be doing in the beginning here.

    I see one person referenced the 'spreading' issue and said it seemed to be resolved by doing an incline bench press, which makes sense, because an incline bench press puts more of the emphasis on your shoulders. But you're doing overhead presses already and I'm worried you're going to be tired from that SOOOOO

    I present to you.... THE CLOSE GRIP BENCHPRESS! (Tada!)

    Compare this:
    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/BBCloseGripBenchPress.html

    to a regular bench:
    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BBBenchPress.html

    I'm thinking that will solve your issue. More emphasis on the tris, less on the chest.
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    Thanks Tameko!!
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    Last thing you want to do is not work out a muscle group. You're going to end up with muscle imbalances, which can lead to a myriad of issues (joint pain, muscle tightness/weakness, injury, etc.)

    Work your chest at the same frequency as you do your other muscles. Your implants will be fine...

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