Why I screamed like a girl in our garage today...

My wife gave me one simple mission:  "Try to get a chest like the guy who plays 'Captain America'".  She is evidently forgetting that I am a 39 year old project manager, dad and regular guy with wide shoulders and an extremely narrow chest.  But, I'm giving it the old college try...anything I do to make my wife more attracted to me is seen as a bonus because, let's face it, I've got a terrible personality and dependence on good physical appearance is really the cornerstone of a strong marriage.

After doing my workout (which is mostly functional - will write a review in a few weeks), I decided to do a couple quick sets of barbell bench press in our garage.  I had already done light lifting for 40 minutes, so I should have been pretty warm.  I put my weight on the bar, laid down on the bench, did one rep no problem, but...

ZAP!  As I was bringing down the weight, it felt like lightning struck my left pectoral muscle.  I let out a little yell and pushed the weight up (barely) and set it immediately on the bar.  Holy f-ing crap, that hurt.  Then...it felt like it went away when I stood up.  Like any true idiot would, I took off 50 lbs and decided to try it again.

BANG!  There it was again!  And I yelled again (this time, a little louder).  I was able to complete the entire rep but had to set it down.  This time, the pain didn't subside so quickly.  I had to (still have to) come to grips with the fact that I am injured.  I think I tore my left pec.

I am not sitting around in searing pain, but wou would be amazed at how many regular activities involve your pectoral in some way:

• Lifting my laptop bag up into my truck
• Making a right turn in my vehicle using my left arm
• Opening the door into our building (a pull motion)
• Holding the door open for the the person behind me
• Filling my soda at the soda machine
• etc

The list will go on and on as my day drags on and on...it's not killer pain, it's just my pec saying, "Hey, I'm here, you bastard..."  It's also a not-so-friendly reminder that I need to more gradually work my way up in weight.  Here's hoping that a weekend of hiking and ellyptical, some advil and some ice will be the cure.