Another muscle torn

[JowGaWolf]

Turns out I over powered my back muscles, along with not stretching those smaller muscles like I should. End result another torn muscle, The good news is that this one doesn't seem as bad and it only hurts when I do a specific movement, oh and it hurts to the touch. Totally sucks. That's what I get for neglected stretching and not gradually increasing my punching speed. Looks like my left side is going to get a lot of training for the next couple of months. Thank goodness for forms. I can still do those. I need to factor in how my weight lifting may effect my Kung Fu and then train accordingly.

 

[Flying Crane]

Have you seen a doctor? Do you know for certain that it is actually torn, and not just overworked? I don’t know what it takes to heal a muscle that is actually torn, I imagine there is some serious recovery time, perhaps even surgery?

 

[JowGaWolf]

Have you seen a doctor? Do you know for certain that it is actually torn, and not just overworked? I don’t know what it takes to heal a muscle that is actually torn, I imagine there is some serious recovery time, perhaps even surgery?

I haven't been to the doctor only because I I've been through tears before. I usually give it 4 or 5 days for improvement and if I don't see any then I will go to the doctor. Day 3 and the tear in my arm is feeling better not as sensitive to touch. On day 2 it felt like I got hit with a baseball bat. When it happened it felt like something was being ripped apart or pulled. Leaning forward with my arms hanging was painful, kinda still is, just not as intense. Doing a farmers carry with 2 lbs would be murder on my arm. I can't chamber my right arm, decreased range of motion, pain, weakness. It sounds bad but the calf was much worse. I've been managing the inflammation and have started my path on becoming left handed lol. The injury happened only after 10 punches, during a punch drill that has never gave me any injuries before in the past.

 

[Flying Crane]

Well, I don’t have any advice since I don’t believe I’ve ever actually torn a muscle. Sounds like you might need to re-think your approach to training if this is becoming frequent or common. Hope you heal quickly.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Sounds like you might need to re-think your approach to training if this is becoming frequent or common.

Yep stretch more, even the muscles that I don't think need to be stretched. That and stop training as if my body is 20 years old.

 

[Alan0354]

Turns out I over powered my back muscles, along with not stretching those smaller muscles like I should. End result another torn muscle, The good news is that this one doesn't seem as bad and it only hurts when I do a specific movement, oh and it hurts to the touch. Totally sucks. That's what I get for neglected stretching and not gradually increasing my punching speed. Looks like my left side is going to get a lot of training for the next couple of months. Thank goodness for forms. I can still do those. I need to factor in how my weight lifting may effect my Kung Fu and then train accordingly.

Sorry to hear that. I cannot advice you what to do as I am not a doctor. If you do go see a doctor, ask for prescription to have PT with weights(actually done it in the gym with all the equipment). Thankfully the doctor in St Mary's spine center put me on that in late 80s, it literally saved my life. I never stop doing weights since. BUT, it is important to learn the right way to do weights. Just talk to the doctor. I've been doing this for over 30years, I have come very far back since.

I can only tell you what I usually do since I have all sort of injuries. I put more stress on shoulder as my left shoulder is giving me problem, this is how I start every session:

Before I do any punching, kicking or cane stuffs, I first do 30 pushups with feet raised 2ft high, I then do dumbbell flies first 10lbs, then 15lbs of 10reps, 3 sets with stopping when the weights are at shoulder level. Then I do dumbbell military press with 15lbs, 20lbs, 25lbs and 27.5lbs, 30reps each just to warm up the muscles. Then I stretch my back a little before starting my heavy bag work.

My first set of bag work starts slow, just slow punching like you talked about for 2minutes, then slowly increase the force. After 7 1/2 minutes, I feel I am ready for the rest of it.

I usually do two sets of 7 1/2mins on bags, then I go back to do weights, this time, I push the weights on different part of the body depending on the day of the week. I do that for like 30minutes, then I go back to doing punching and kicking and stick. Then I go back to do more weight stuffs.

I keep going back and fore between weights and aerobics( I call my punching and kicking and stick). I feel I keep my body warm up for the next exercise, like aerobics for weight and vise versa.

I actually stretch after I do the first two sets of heavy bags. I don't kick high kicks, so it's not that critical. Stretching cold can pull muscles too, so it's not like a good thing to stretch first before doing anything.

I do this 2 times a week, that lasts 2 1/2 to 3 hrs each session. Then twice a week, I do shorter sessions for about a little over 1hr each. The short session still starts with pushups and dumbbell flies and military press like the long days. At night, 3 times a week I do situps and back exercise. I hold a 25lbs dumbbell at my chest to do 30 situps each time, then more back exercise like arching and all that.

BUT, that's just me and it works for me. I never have pulled muscles(knock on wood), mine are all joint problems.

 

[Yokozuna514]

I haven't been to the doctor only because I I've been through tears before. I usually give it 4 or 5 days for improvement and if I don't see any then I will go to the doctor. Day 3 and the tear in my arm is feeling better not as sensitive to touch. On day 2 it felt like I got hit with a baseball bat. When it happened it felt like something was being ripped apart or pulled. Leaning forward with my arms hanging was painful, kinda still is, just not as intense. Doing a farmers carry with 2 lbs would be murder on my arm. I can't chamber my right arm, decreased range of motion, pain, weakness. It sounds bad but the calf was much worse. I've been managing the inflammation and have started my path on becoming left handed lol. The injury happened only after 10 punches, during a punch drill that has never gave me any injuries before in the past.

Huh ? Arm or back ? I reread both of your posts and have a hard time trying to follow what is injured. Either way, it sucks. Feel better soon.

 

[JowGaWolf]

It's both. It covers a wide area. The worst pain is near the arm pit and it radiates out to my back below the shoulder. The pain also extends under my arm pit and increases in pain on my biceps close to the shoulder. That area has tissue bruise. The worst pain is under the triceps.

If I put arm to my side with palm on my leg, I can't lift, moving it upward while my hand keeps contact. There's pain and muscle weakness. The pain varies depending on how I pull that arm. Lifting 5 lbs may be a challenge for me at this point. Pushing with the arm is fine only pulling hurts.

 

[Yokozuna514]

It's both. It covers a wide area. The worst pain is near the arm pit and it radiates out to my back below the shoulder. The pain also extends under my arm pit and increases in pain on my biceps close to the shoulder. That area has tissue bruise. The worst pain is under the triceps.

If I put arm to my side with palm on my leg, I can't lift, moving it upward while my hand keeps contact. There's pain and muscle weakness. The pain varies depending on how I pull that arm. Lifting 5 lbs may be a challenge for me at this point. Pushing with the arm is fine only pulling hurts.

So you don't have a little ball where your bicep used to be. That's a good. Nothing sounds detached but I would have it checked out. There are a lot of nerves there and you want to make sure it heals properly. At the very least they will probably want you to sling and RICE it.

I think I missed how you did it. Hopefully you won't be out for long.

 

[JowGaWolf]

So you don't have a little ball where your bicep used to be

Oh no. my muscle is still attached. I have a physical coming up soon so it good timing. My brother tore his chest and he had a ball of muscle.

I hurt myself punching the air doing a speed drill to make my punches faster. I punched forward then quickly pull the punch back and and that's when I felt a sharp pain like something snap. I could have sworn I heard a snap.

 

[Yokozuna514]

Oh no. my muscle is still attached. I have a physical coming up soon so it good timing. My brother tore his chest and he had a ball of muscle.

I hurt myself punching the air doing a speed drill to make my punches faster. I punched forward then quickly pull the punch back and and that's when I felt a sharp pain like something snap. I could have sworn I heard a snap.

Well it certainly sounds like you could have warmed up the body more before switching to rapido mode. I would still get it checked out. I think we would both agree that it isn't normal to get that type of injury punching air. You also want the best advice to get back on the floor and training again as quick as you can. Keep me posted.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Well it certainly sounds like you could have warmed up the body more before switching to rapido mode. I would still get it checked out. I think we would both agree that it isn't normal to get that type of injury punching air. You also want the best advice to get back on the floor and training again as quick as you can. Keep me posted.

Yep. Will do.

 

[Sifu Ken of 8 Tigers]

Turns out I over powered my back muscles, along with not stretching those smaller muscles like I should.

False.

Stretching improves performance but does NOT prevent injury. That's an old myth debunked by science.

You prevent injury from proper kinesiology and not overdoing it.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Stretching improves performance but does NOT prevent injury.

That's a very broad statement. All stretching doesn't prevent All injuries, but stretching does help to prevent some injuries. Stretching improves flexibility and improves strength. Yoga is the ultimate evidence of that. IMO

bad flexibility and weakness will increase ones risk for injuries of specific functions. A high kick and poor flexibility. I wonder if the "scientist" would feel the same way if you have them train Martial Arts. They can condition for the kicks their way and student's can stretch. I wonder which one would get the better results.

People say stretching doesn't matter, yet all of your top performance athletes do it.

 

[JowGaWolf]

You prevent injury from proper kinesiology and not overdoing it.

Again. This is a general statement and doesn't apply to all injuries. I broke my finger twice sparring and none of that had anything to do with Proper Kinesiology and not overdoing it.

I bruised my toe a few months back because I was fooling around with a TKD practitioner and trying out some of the kicks he was doing. That injury was do to a lack of focus in mid kick causing me to kick the bag with my toe.

There are a lot of reasons why an injury may occur.

 

[JowGaWolf]

You prevent injury from proper kinesiology and not overdoing it.

This would apply to my torn calf muscle in which the cause was that I was overworking it, when I should have eased of and rest. A 10 minute rest would have been more than enough to recover enough to continue.

 

[Buka]

The conclusions that stretching does not prevent injury are more often than not taken out of context by the people doing the study.

Just doing a few stretches before a physical activity isn't stretching, it's nothing. Just like lifting a few weights just before a physical activity, is also nothing. Both would have to be done on a constant basis and done properly.

A good, long term stretching program increases range of motion. Coupled with proprioception exercises, which will help increase both range of motion and strength, will, in the long run (like a career) definitely help in preventing certain injuries.

 

[Alan0354]

OK, I am picky-back onto your thread about my back problem lately. I don't want to hijack the other thread, at least this is injury related and looks like this thread is running out of steam. I don't want to make a thread on my injury either.

This time it's very funny, I almost mistaken it's hernia as it hurts most when I go #2, even affect #1 as I push it. Took me a day or two to conclude it's the back. It's mainly on my left leg.

As usual, I try to experiment different exercise to fix it, this time, nothing with resistance works at all. Finally I decided to do the stick fight, punch and kick but in very relax and slower speed, that HELPS!!! Strange. Defy all my pass experience in the pass. I just took a chance do the deep horse stance walking for 7 1/2mins, it seems to work so far. I'll see.

For the last year and half, I've been pushing more and more. Punch harder, kick harder, swing harder. I put in 7hrs minimum a week both in aerobics(MA) and weights and keep pushing. I guess I pushed over the limit this time.

I just hope I don't have to go under the knife, I've been avoiding that for over 30 years already. This time, it feels quite serious.

 

[Yokozuna514]

OK, I am picky-back onto your thread about my back problem lately. I don't want to hijack the other thread, at least this is injury related and looks like this thread is running out of steam. I don't want to make a thread on my injury either.

This time it's very funny, I almost mistaken it's hernia as it hurts most when I go #2, even affect #1 as I push it. Took me a day or two to conclude it's the back. It's mainly on my left leg.

As usual, I try to experiment different exercise to fix it, this time, nothing with resistance works at all. Finally I decided to do the stick fight, punch and kick but in very relax and slower speed, that HELPS!!! Strange. Defy all my pass experience in the pass. I just took a chance do the deep horse stance walking for 7 1/2mins, it seems to work so far. I'll see.

For the last year and half, I've been pushing more and more. Punch harder, kick harder, swing harder. I put in 7hrs minimum a week both in aerobics(MA) and weights and keep pushing. I guess I pushed over the limit this time.

I just hope I don't have to go under the knife, I've been avoiding that for over 30 years already. This time, it feels quite serious.

Alan, if you have back pain you should go have it checked out. It isn't normal to experience back pain in the way you are describing it and the last thing you want to do is make it worse with training. Sure you may have stumbled upon some methods to ease some symptoms but the underlaying problem may still be there. Good luck and feel better soon.

 

[Alan0354]

Alan, if you have back pain you should go have it checked out. It isn't normal to experience back pain in the way you are describing it and the last thing you want to do is make it worse with training. Sure you may have stumbled upon some methods to ease some symptoms but the underlaying problem may still be there. Good luck and feel better soon.

Yes, I am trying to make an appointment now.