Returning to Bench Press After Pectoral Muscle Tear

4 weeks ago Physical Therapy & Rehab
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GymRatGreg Guest
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Mar 18, 2026 16:22

I suffered a grade 2 pec strain about a month ago while going for a PR. It was a terrifying feeling and the bruising was quite bad. I have been doing very light rehab work with bands but I am wondering when it is safe to start using the barbell again.

I have been told to avoid the bottom portion of the bench press for a while. Should I start with board presses or floor presses to limit the range of motion? I am also thinking about using a Slingshot to take some of the tension off the pecs at the bottom.

Has anyone here successfully come back from a pec tear and reached their old strength levels? I am worried that I will always have a weak spot there now. I am being very cautious with the load but I miss the heavy pressing. Any tips on how to safely progress would be great.

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