12 Months Since my Pec Tear - The Year in Pictures

**Brick with Eyes** · 12-12-2006, 11:17 PM

Great thread mate!

It was quite amazing to see how your body responded to the different phases of resistance training after surgery.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers
BwE

**EME** · 03-30-2007, 06:55 AM

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to post a few updated pictures.

Since passing the one year "post op" mark I have been able to start pushing the weights harder now. My training weights are still down quite a bit from my Pre-Tear weights but they are starting to come back pretty quickly.

I started the year with 8 weeks of heavier training to finish up my mass building phase, and then started cutting ~ 4 weeks ago after returning from the Arnold Classic.

After 4 weeks of cutting I'm down to about 195. ( Down 10 lbs from my top weight in February )

Here are some updated pictures taken last weekend:

[img]http://michaelandkendra.com/****/032507/images/michael_kendra_jenn1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://michaelandkendra.com/****/032507/images/michael_kendra_jenn7.jpg[/img]

[img]http://michaelandkendra.com/****/032507/images/michael_kendra_jenn3_800.jpg[/img]

I have set a date of September 15th for my return to the Bodybuilding stage.

I will be starting a new log to document my return to the competitive stage, but I wanted to post a few more pics in this thread to provide some additional updates.

- Michael

**jaymar320** · 03-30-2007, 09:05 AM

Inspirational... and you look gigantic. You should do really well in your competition... no small feat considering the injury. Good luck.

**Bad Meets Evil** · 03-30-2007, 09:45 AM

If a person tears their pec and makes a great recovery...do they also get two women hanging holding onto their arms?

**PinoyZoi** · 03-30-2007, 10:03 AM

Its good to see you doing better, Ouch that looks painful.

**EME** · 03-30-2007, 02:57 PM

LOL.... Only if they are VERY lucky.

Thanks guys.

- Michael

Originally Posted by Bad Meets Evil

If a person tears their pec and makes a great recovery...do they also get two women hanging holding onto their arms?

**madmardigan** · 03-30-2007, 06:21 PM

First things first.... Please for the love of christ... how about a "gross bloody surgery pic" warning!!

anyway, awesome recovery. watching muscle memory in action is very cool

**EME** · 03-30-2007, 06:47 PM

LOL. Thanks Bro.
Sorry bout that.

- Michael

Originally Posted by madmardigan

First things first.... Please for the love of christ... how about a "gross bloody surgery pic" warning!!

anyway, awesome recovery. watching muscle memory in action is very cool

**paulosportz** · 03-30-2007, 06:56 PM

THanks a million for sharing this with us!
very informative

Congrats on the recovery
your a true inspiration

**EME** · 05-30-2007, 08:31 PM

Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of updates.
Things are really getting busy around our house with Kendra and I both preparing for shows, and with all of the clients we have preparing to compete also.
This is a great time of year. You can go to a show almost every weekend if you want to!

Ok, back to business.....

I have a couple of new pics from this evening weighing in at 178.

Cutting continues to go well. Still a long way to go, but I'm feeling good for 15.5 weeks out.

I still have some pain and soreness in my chest, and my training weights on chest and shoulders are still down quite a bit...but almost everything else is back to normal now. I'm finally able to push harder every week and I'm actually gaining muscle in my chest and shoulders weekly, even as I'm losing weight.

Here are some progress pics. Thanks for following along in my log.
I'll try to update a little bit more frequently from now on!

Here's a side by side showing my progress from the beginning of my current cutting phase.

- Michael

**bigbeezy** · 05-31-2007, 12:09 AM

dam bro, looking good, congrats on your recovery. keep us updated with pics

**Goonie** · 05-31-2007, 01:42 AM

whoa great come back... i guess i'm gonna think twice before maxing out again

**rich1234** · 05-31-2007, 05:15 AM

you're an inspiration dude keep it up

**EME** · 05-31-2007, 06:52 AM

Thanks for the replies guys.

I just realized that tomorrow is actually 12 months since I was allowed back to the gym for full training ( although still using very light weights )

Here's a side by side showing how I looked 1 year ago, after surgery, rehab, and 6 months off from any significant training, compared to the pic from last night.

Notice how bad the atrophy was on my left side after the off time. Yikes!

- Michael

**EME** · 10-21-2007, 04:39 PM

Hey Everyone,

I know it's been a long time since my last update, but I wanted to drop in and let everyone know how things are going.

I'm currently two weeks out from stepping back on stage for my first competition since my pec tear and surgery.

It's been quite a journey to get back to this point and I'm excited to finally be able to compete again.

Some parts of my recovery have gone very well, but I do still deal with many issues related to the injury almost two years later. My strength is nowhere near what it used to be, but fortunately my surgeon did a great job putting me back together and things have progressed very well in terms of appearance and symmetry.

Below is a pic taken at the gym today, and below that a side by side comparison from last December ( taken mid bulk ).

Thanks again for following along with my recovery and for all the well wishes and encouragement along the way!

- Michael

**str8flexed** · 10-21-2007, 04:50 PM

michael, great to see you back in the saddle. what show are you doing?

**EME** · 10-21-2007, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by str8flexed

michael, great to see you back in the saddle. what show are you doing?

Hey Layne! Thanks.

I'm doing the WNSO/FAME North American Championships in Miami on Nov. 3rd
It will be my first Natural Pro show. The goal this year is just to get back on stage and have fun. I look forward to really being able to hit it hard this offseason and come back really competitive next year.

Here's one more pic showing some of the changes I've gone through since the surgery. Yikes, it's crazy to look back and see that atrophy on the left side in my post surgery pics!

**Stevebaby** · 10-21-2007, 06:13 PM

I can imagine the year in frustration for you, I myself had to have both legs broken last year and reset. The physical part was one thing to handle...the other part was the emotional. It is very draining. I am so glad you made it to the other side and didn't give up. You certainly look good now. Regards

**affliction_** · 10-21-2007, 06:22 PM

Well done on the great recovery, it's the one injury I hope I never have. Good luck with the show.

**KarateChris** · 10-21-2007, 07:34 PM

Michael, long time no see dude. Your chest is looking as thick as ever man! Honestly, in that most recent pic of you, I wouldn't have been able to tell anything happened. Good luck at your show!

**EME** · 10-22-2007, 08:14 AM

Hey Steve and Affliction,
Thanks for the great comments!

Hey Chris, Yes long time no see! Thanks for stopping in bro.
How are things?

Michael

**str8flexed** · 10-22-2007, 09:03 AM

great job michael, really happy you are back into it and healthy. does the pec give you any problems now?

**KarateChris** · 10-22-2007, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by EME

Hey Steve and Affliction,
Thanks for the great comments!

Hey Chris, Yes long time no see! Thanks for stopping in bro.
How are things?

Michael

Well, I'm in my first year of medical school and it's actually harder than I thought it would be! lol I'm doing pretty good though, and I can still get in the gym 4 days a week for lifting/cardio. I'm learning a lot of really cool things, but it's a lot of stuff.

**BodyAddict** · 10-22-2007, 10:52 AM

Damn dude, I bet that hurt. Glad to see your still going at it.

But as far as your training partner, anyone who goes to the gym in a superman muscle shirt deserves to be tackled into a pit of spikes.

**EME** · 10-22-2007, 06:27 PM

LOL. Thanks bro.

Michael

Originally Posted by BodyAddict

Damn dude, I bet that hurt. Glad to see your still going at it.

But as far as your training partner, anyone who goes to the gym in a superman muscle shirt deserves to be tackled into a pit of spikes.

**EME** · 10-22-2007, 06:33 PM

Thank you Layne.

Yes, it still hurts every day. I have to constantly stretch to keep it from tightening up. It hurts quite a bit every time I do chest and most shoulder exercises, but I'm used to it now. It's not a sharp pain like when the injury occurred, but more like a dull aching feeling.

It's like a more intense version of the pain you feel when you start a workout and are still sore from a previous workout..That really tight sore feeling. I simply can't go to failure on chest yet. The pain gets severe long before my strength gives out, and I listen to what the pain is telling me! The last thing I want to do is tear it again!

Michael

Originally Posted by str8flexed

great job michael, really happy you are back into it and healthy. does the pec give you any problems now?

**FendersRule** · 10-22-2007, 07:56 PM

Glad to see your back on track. Hope it doesn't happen again, I've seen stuff like that.........

I suppose you were told to stretch more often, etc before exercising?

**-themask-** · 10-22-2007, 08:01 PM

wow thats amazing after what you went through your back in and right back on track

reps on recharge dude awsome job!!

**eryanb** · 10-22-2007, 08:16 PM

Thanks for sharing this. Very inspirational recovery. The story however scared me ****less. My deadlift has gone from 230 to 450 in the past 10 months and I've heard before about muscles progressing faster than the tendons can keep up.

However, I always figured it was crazy real 1 rep maxes that caused tears. I learned something tonight reading that you were up to 6 reps and fealing strong when the tear happened.

I've been doing DC training lately and rest pause with heavy dumbells....I think from now on I'll do more than one warm up set!!!!!

Amazing your come back man. Just outstanding.

**EME** · 10-24-2007, 06:52 PM

Thanks eryanb.
If I can point to one thing I've learned above all else, it's that you really have to take the time to warm up and stretch. It becomes even more important when you are really pushing yourself hard.

I can't specifically say that any one thing caused the injury, but it definitely would have been less likely to occur if I had taken more time to stretch and warm up that day.

Good luck with your training bro, and thanks again for the comments!

- Michael

Originally Posted by eryanb

Thanks for sharing this. Very inspirational recovery. The story however scared me ****less. My deadlift has gone from 230 to 450 in the past 10 months and I've heard before about muscles progressing faster than the tendons can keep up.

However, I always figured it was crazy real 1 rep maxes that caused tears. I learned something tonight reading that you were up to 6 reps and fealing strong when the tear happened.

I've been doing DC training lately and rest pause with heavy dumbells....I think from now on I'll do more than one warm up set!!!!!

Amazing your come back man. Just outstanding.

Thread: 12 Months Since my Pec Tear - The Year in Pictures

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