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Having a bad day

Started by AnxietyDisord3r, July 06, 2016, 10:13:56 AM

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AnxietyDisord3r

I just got back to work after top surgery and everything is going great!! Or not. Today I am supposed to be getting a lot of errands done but I'm nowhere. I realized that too many days have elapsed for me to get my peak hormone levels checked (it's 4 days after shot, right?) so now I have to wait another week. I don't have to self confidence to go do union organizing like I was supposed to this morning and I'm afraid to check my email. Last week was good because someone else handed me a schedule and was like 'be there or be square' so I did. Now I'm at home and feeling kinda dysphoric and glum.

Apropos of nothing, does anybody know what exercises will make your pecs visibly bigger? I look abnormally flat post surgery and I don't like it. There is a pec fly at the gym but I'm afraid to use it until my scars are more healed. Anything I can do at home perhaps?
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Tysilio

Stay away from the pec fly machine. Them things is dangerous. In any case, it's probably too soon after surgery to start working out your upper body. Check with your surgeon, but my plan is to wait at least 6 to 8 weeks before I do any weight work.  Once you get to that point, you can do a lot just with body weight exercises -- there are all sorts of variations on pushups that work different parts of your chest. If you can't manage regular pushups, you can start by doing them on stairs -- start where it's comfortable, and gradually go a step lower as your strength increases.

I'm a fan of free weights, and I'd probably start with dumbbell presses on the floor. You get more "bang for the buck" with a given amount of weight with dumbbells, and if you're on the floor, it limits how much you can lower your elbows, which will help to keep you from stretching the skin of your chest (and your scars) too much.

Also, check out the difference between bodybuilding routines and strength routines at some point. The general wisdom is that to build muscle size you should be doing more reps and more sets at lower weights than you would just to build strength quickly. And diet is important, of course. Lots of resources out there on the web, but be conservative -- aim for a high-protein diet without resorting to supplements -- some of them can be really bad for you.
Never bring an umbrella to a coyote fight.
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AnxietyDisord3r

Thanks for the advice. I always thought pushing the bigger weights built size and more reps was for strength? Weird. I like the idea of using stairs and also using free weights on the floor. Gonna try that. I need strength and size because I feel like a weakling. I do have some physical demands in my job and if I get stronger I reduce the risk of injury.
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