Frustrated with Tight Pecs!

Bigger Stronger Leaner Injuries and Rehab
1

So I’ve had tight pecs for like 10 years and I really need some advice on solving this issue.

Does anyone have any advice on loosening tight pecs?

I’ve been seeing a chiropractor that is ART certified for about a year now and I think itâ??s helped some. Before I had a lot of knots around my shoulder blades and thatâ??s all better. I think heâ??s done a lot of good on me, but my pecs are still tight.

Iâ??ve tried stretching and that just makes them tighter. Iâ??ve tried using a thera cane and that’s helped a little. It still feels tight underneath pecs. When I use the thera cane on my pecs, usually I feel pain in my back near my shoulder blades. I donâ??t really ever try to stretch them anymore because I think that only makes things worse.

I play volleyball and when I hit, the ball is pulled across my body. So I have trouble hitting the ball straight. I’m left-handed and itâ??s not just my left side thatâ??s tight, both sides are tight.

When I was young and stupid I did a lot bench pressing and not much pulling. I also wore a heavy backpack to school so I think that contributed to my upper back problems. I think my upper back and traps may be weak. I donâ??t know if this is contributing to the problem.

I’ve been doing a lot of functional training stuff such as y, t, w, lâ??s, scap push ups. etc.

I’ve got Mike Robertson’s Inside Out program and Iâ??ve done a lot of that stuff.

I also get some pain near the anterior deltoid after hitting a bunch of volleyballs.

Does anyone have any advice on what I should do?

Thanks in advance for help!

Dennis

3

Thanks a lot for the fast reply! Upper crossed syndrome definitely sounds like what’s been going on. Thanks again!

4

I agree with BBB on the upper crossed syndrome. Definitely follow his given advice, but I’d also recommend adding in extra pulling exercises into your training regiment. You can stretch until you are blue in the face, but if you do not strengthen the antagonist musculature, it won’t be nearly as effective.

I generally recommend people with ongoing pec tightness/upper cross syndrome to do a 3:1 or 4:1 pull to push ratio in their training. I also recommend that the push exercise is done where the scapula can move freely - so instead of benching do push up and OH press variations. When you do your pulling exercises, make sure to achieve full scapular retraction and depression - think of pulling your scapula into your back pockets.