If you don't train chest.....

[Hannah73Louise]

I make up my own programs mostly an have been making good progress these last few months but I'm in the mood to follow a prescribed program, however all of them include chest days and I don't train my chest at all since getting under muscle implants 3 years ago.

I want to follow a program properly but get stumped when trying to figure out how to adapt them. Miss out chest completely? Substitute other exercises? Just do the exercises really light? (seems like a waste of time) WWYD?

[illiniStrive]

Just curious, is it all exercises that recruit the chest or just more direct involvement with the chest that you're trying to avoid... For example, OHP, would that be a yay or nay for you? What about db rows?

[Hannah73Louise]

No just direct chest, so no bench pressing or fly movements. everything else is fine.....

[illiniStrive]

Hmm... granted I'm far from an expert on bb'ing type splits, but if direct chest movements are out I feel like as long as your other upper body days are well rounded enough to include chest as an auxiliary muscle for exercises it shouldn't be a problem. So either dedicate 'chest' day to these types of exercises or substitute another bodypart that could use more work altogether (or to just skip it and train one less day than the program dictates). Assuming your doing ample work for your shoulders and even back, your chest isn't getting a permanent vacation, I think....

[Cara0915]

Uhh why wouldn't you be able to train chest with UM implants? I've had them for 9? Years, on my second set now and train chest heavy with no problems. Many other women do too with no issues.

[thehobbes]

Not sure how the implants with training works so not gonna argue that either way. If you're going to avoid direct chest work then how about subbing in lots of OHP and high incline press? (Not 45 degree angle like most people, but somewhere between that and OHP level of 90 degrees.) Should be fine, at the worst you'll look slightly imbalanced. But it's not even close to if somebody were to bench all the time but never do back, that would be an injury waiting to happen, but all back with limited chest, meh should be ok. Squat your ass off though, you have a whole extra day to sub something in for bp so squattttt!

[BubsNBean]

Uhh why wouldn't you be able to train chest with UM implants? I've had them for 9? Years, on my second set now and train chest heavy with no problems. Many other women do too with no issues.

I am curious about this too.

[Amanda76]

I haven't had a dedicated chest day since getting my implants because "overuse" (for lack of a better term) still gives me a weird, uncomfortable "pulling/tearing" (again, for lack of a better term) feeling. I had the uncomfortable feeling a lot when I first got implants (even doing pulldowns and pressdowns), but for the most part through doing light exercises until...I don't know...I guess the muscle stretched and conformed to the implant better in a tense state...it's subsided completely, unless I attempt a full chest day. I currently CAN lift heavy chest (beating old lifts, even), but normally only include 1 exercise on shoulder day, rotating between flat bench, incline bench and hanging dips. My guess as to why I can complete one direct chest exercise for multiple sets but normally not multiple chest exercises is that by the end of the first exercise the muscle is pumped enough that there is not enough flexibility around the implant not to get that "iffy" feeling.

Anyway, unless your surgeon directed you not to attempt chest work ever again, my point in writing all that is that even if you have to start ridiculously light, you may find that over time you can do heavy direct chest work again. Like many ladies here have stated, you may even be doing full chest workouts again. If you don't want to waste a day doing a workout that doesn't feel like you did anything as you see if you can work up to that, maybe do something like what I do and work a chest exercise or two into a day that you feel compliments chest work. So far as following someone else's program goes, either take an extra rest day or restart your split a little early if you feel you've recovered enough.

[Hannah73Louise]

Thanks - I did start to train chest after surgery but they're already quite far apart and heavy chest exercises REALLY forces them out and after a year I was concerned they were getting further apart. I guess there's no easy answer really - other than just missing the chest day and starting the split over early...

[Cara0915]

Thanks - I did start to train chest after surgery but they're already quite far apart and heavy chest exercises REALLY forces them out and after a year I was concerned they were getting further apart. I guess there's no easy answer really - other than just missing the chest day and starting the split over early...

How far apart your implants are depends on how far apart your natural breasts were. Getting implants just gives us a bigger version of what we have naturally

[EPolis13]

Some ppl's doctors recommend that ppl w/sub-muscular implants don't lift heavy chest post OP. Just like you haven't had any issues w/yours moving, many women have had issues w/theirs moving. Some doctors don't even want to take the risk, which is why they recommend going over or avoiding direct heavy chest work if they go under.

[rockangel]

Curious if you guys think it would be best to build the chest to where you want and then get implants?? I have heard that implants can make the chest appear hollow on stage as well, so I have always been curious if that would be a good route to go?

[Amanda76]

Thanks - I did start to train chest after surgery but they're already quite far apart and heavy chest exercises REALLY forces them out and after a year I was concerned they were getting further apart. I guess there's no easy answer really - other than just missing the chest day and starting the split over early...

Totally understandable!

Mine are further apart and lower than when I first got them, but comparing the implants to pics of my natural breasts, they actually just settled back into their natural position. When I flex, they move up and out, but relaxed they look normal and haven't changed since dropping completely (so far as I can tell) in years. I'm thinking about getting mine redone to relocate them to an unnatural position permanently (unnaturally high, close cleavage without the use of a bra), with the use of an internal bra procedure. Not sure if my surgeon will allow me to train chest after that or not (haven't gotten that far in the planning stage)!

[Amanda76]

Curious if you guys think it would be best to build the chest to where you want and then get implants?? I have heard that implants can make the chest appear hollow on stage as well, so I have always been curious if that would be a good route to go?

I think that reasoning makes sense...would probably be easier for a surgeon to tell how to create the pocket in a reasonably developed chest than one where someone was planning to make huge changes over time. Anyone else with unders who trains heavy think that may be what allowed you to continue on (not much chance of huge gains in that department)?

[Cara0915]

I think that reasoning makes sense...would probably be easier for a surgeon to tell how to create the pocket in a reasonably developed chest than one where someone was planning to make huge changes over time. Anyone else with unders who trains heavy think that may be what allowed you to continue on (not much chance of huge gains in that department)?

I think Rockangel is on to something. Most women won't want to wait that long to get their breasts done though. Once they've been lifting for a while and lose a lot of their size it's gonna be hard to wait another x amount of years until they've built up their chest.
I didn't start lifting heavy until my first set of implants were about 5 years old, this set I started lifting heavy again at 8 weeks PO, it felt weird, slightly painful at first but once the implant settled, that went away. So I'm the opposite of what Rockangel suggested.

[BubsNBean]

I think Rockangel is on to something. Most women won't want to wait that long to get their breasts done though. Once they've been lifting for a while and lose a lot of their size it's gonna be hard to wait another x amount of years until they've built up their chest.
I didn't start lifting heavy until my first set of implants were about 5 years old, this set I started lifting heavy again at 8 weeks PO, it felt weird, slightly painful at first but once the implant settled, that went away. So I'm the opposite of what Rockangel suggested.

I forget, are yours over or unders? Mine are overs and I started doing BP 6 weeks post op (light, very light), and I should get the go-ahead to lift heavy at 8 weeks. So far it doesn't feel painful, just different, and to be honest using my pecs for the first time in 6 weeks is what's noticeable the most!

[Cara0915]

I forget, are yours over or unders? Mine are overs and I started doing BP 6 weeks post op (light, very light), and I should get the go-ahead to lift heavy at 8 weeks. So far it doesn't feel painful, just different, and to be honest using my pecs for the first time in 6 weeks is what's noticeable the most!

I have unders. I have VERY little natural breast tissue and thin skin, the implant would have been very visible with overs especially if I ever did a comp and got super lean.
Yeah it'll feel a little weird at first but you get used to it. With unders they move every time you do direct (and I guess even a little indirect) chest lifts but they go right back. As long as I don't workout naked no one notices 😉

[endomonkey]

How far apart your implants are depends on how far apart your natural breasts were. Getting implants just gives us a bigger version of what we have naturally

I agree with this but I had the same thing happen to me that the OP is experiencing with very light chest days. I think the cable flys especially so I had to stop even though I love doing them. As soon as I stopped my chest was able to relax and within a few weeks my boobs went back to normal. It's not like it was creating a huge gap and pulling them into my arm pits but it was def enough for me to take notice.

That being said I always always have incline presses in my routine because I do think it helps fill out the upper chest/collar bone area. IMO this is what most women lack when they have the "hollow chest" look on stage with big boobs. Their upper chest is flat then you have your implants which are very pronounced since you have cut all the fat from around them.

[Amanda76]

I think Rockangel is on to something. Most women won't want to wait that long to get their breasts done though. Once they've been lifting for a while and lose a lot of their size it's gonna be hard to wait another x amount of years until they've built up their chest.
I didn't start lifting heavy until my first set of implants were about 5 years old, this set I started lifting heavy again at 8 weeks PO, it felt weird, slightly painful at first but once the implant settled, that went away. So I'm the opposite of what Rockangel suggested.

...maybe some people are just luckier in the recovery department than others...or maybe it has to do with the skill of the surgeon? When I voiced concern about lifting heavy, mine said something about releasing the muscle toward the sternum and creating the pocket correctly would keep them from moving too far apart. He was not at all concerned about me screwing up his work, which at the time was difficult for me to wrap my mind around because I was certain he would tell me I'd be risking my outcome based on quite a few things I had read from other women.

[BubsNBean]

...maybe some people are just luckier in the recovery department than others...or maybe it has to do with the skill of the surgeon? When I voiced concern about lifting heavy, mine said something about releasing the muscle toward the sternum and creating the pocket correctly would keep them from moving too far apart. He was not at all concerned about me screwing up his work, which at the time was difficult for me to wrap my mind around because I was certain he would tell me I'd be risking my outcome based on quite a few things I had read from other women.

My surgeon is similar. He has zero concern about me screwing up his work. Pre-op he had me put my hands on my hips while sitting, and told me to flex my chest. Then he grabbed my pecs right where you can at the armpit, and literally pulled on me to make my whole body move. Then he said, "Yeah, you're strong." He knows exactly what he was dealing with and has done a great job. And I've recovered amazingly, so there's that too.

[Cara0915]

My surgeon is similar. He has zero concern about me screwing up his work. Pre-op he had me put my hands on my hips while sitting, and told me to flex my chest. Then he grabbed my pecs right where you can at the armpit, and literally pulled on me to make my whole body move. Then he said, "Yeah, you're strong." He knows exactly what he was dealing with and has done a great job. And I've recovered amazingly, so there's that too.

Haha mine too. I explained thoroughly how important strength training is to me, he had zero concerns about his work being ruined as well. I also had a full tummy tuck, hernia and muscle repair done at the same time so recovery was ROUGH, I actually have to have a BA redo in April (not due to complications) so it'll be interesting to see how fast this recovery is on it's own. I'm hoping to be back lifting light upper body by 4 weeks, wishful thinking? When did you start lower body workouts?

[BubsNBean]

Haha mine too. I explained thoroughly how important strength training is to me, he had zero concerns about his work being ruined as well. I also had a full tummy tuck, hernia and muscle repair done at the same time so recovery was ROUGH, I actually have to have a BA redo in April (not due to complications) so it'll be interesting to see how fast this recovery is on it's own. I'm hoping to be back lifting light upper body by 4 weeks, wishful thinking? When did you start lower body workouts?

I got the go ahead to do very light lower body and no direct chest work but light upper body after 2 weeks. My directions were literally, "If you can't do it 20 times, it's too heavy." And then I figured out where my 20 rep squat range was and wanted to die!! 20 reps of squats is awful! And I wasn't supposed to get my heart rate above 120 either.

At 6 weeks I started very light bench pressing. It feels completely normal, but it's super light so I expected it too. I haven't done pull ups/chin ups, push ups, or flyes yet. I'm a little skeered for those!

I have my 8 week appt next week and will likely get the go-ahead to do what I want, but I'm still gonna take it nice and slow on the chest stuff.

[cdhussey]

I've had implants for 10 years or so now. I do some bench press, but not a ton. I'm an aerialist, so my upper body is pretty developed (for me anyway), which is why I try to do enough to just make sure I'm working with pushing as well as pulling muscles.

That being said, once you're healed, I wouldn't worry at all about pull-ups. I do notice my implants flex during chest work, but not during anything aerial.

I personally think the added muscles helps with the appearance of my implants. I carry very little fat in my upper body. Normally when I'm this weight, you can see every bone in my chest, my arms look like twigs, and my implants look overly round because there was nothing to hide it--no muscle or fat. But since 3 years of aerial training has added substantial muscle to my upper body, I don't seem to have that problem any more. We'll see if I drop a few more %BF, though.