I’ve been dealing with a costocondritis injury for about a year, which has really limited my training, forcing me to take long breaks. The good news is, after some physio and rest, I’m finally back to doing some strenght training.
I still have to be carefull, through. I’m staying away from exercises like horizontal presses, standing presses, axial loading and supported rows for now. I’m taking it slow and smart to avoid any setbacks, especially since I’m finally training free-pain and seeing a positive trend with my symptoms.
Honestly, all the stops and limitations, plus the pain, really killed my motivation for a while. But now that I’ve feeling better and gradually adding more exercises without issues, I’m getting my old motivation back.
That’s why I’ve decided to create this space. First, as a personal motivation boost. Second, to share my journey with a community that can offer diverse perspectives and advice. And finally, to share my recovery story in real-time, in case it helps motivate anyone else coming back from an injury.
I’ll be tracking my workouts but basically I’m doing an U/L 4 days split.
Upper 1:
A. Decline Deficit Push Ups (I don’t know why but adding deficit is very friendly with my injury)
B. Cable Rows
C. Deficit Push Ups
D. Face Pulls
E. Biceps
UPPER 2:
A. Seated Overhead Press
B. Neutral Pull Ups
C. Lateral Raises
D. BB Rows OR Inverted Rows
E. Triceps
Not sure how to train my lower without axial load. But I’m doing: Bulgarian Squats, Hip Thrusts, Step Ups and so.
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UPPER 1: SUNDAY
A. Seated Paused BB Overhead Press
- 5 x 20 kg (warm up)
- 3 x 25 kg (warm up)
- 8 x 30 kg
- 8 x 30 kg
- 8 x 30 kg
B. Neutral Grip Pull Ups
- 3 reps (warm up)
- 10 reps
- 9 reps
- 6 reps
C. Standing DB Lateral Raises
I’m working with 5 kg DB for 4 sets in 10 to 15 reps range. Still challenging.
D. BB Row
- 10 x 30 kg
- 10 x 30 kg
- 10 x 30 kg
E. Banded Overhead Tricep Extension
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You’re doing OHP but are concerned about axial loading? If you can do that, you could probably belt squat.
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That’s a great idea. I’d love to add belt squats, but my gym doesn’t have the equipment. Maybe I could simulate it by attaching a cable pulley to a dip belt and something to create deficit? I’ll give a try!
For the OHP, I’ve found that doing at 82.5° with a pause at the bottom puts the least stress on my sternum. I’m managing the axial load fine at 30 kg. I could lift more weight, but I’m taking lighter to let my body adapt without jeopardizing my recovery.
The issue with back squats and RDLs is that the only way to do them safely right now is with very light weights (20 - 40 kg). At that level, the training stimulus is so low that I think it’s not worth the cumulative strain on my sternum. That’s why I’m focusing in exercises like Bulgarian Squats.
LOWER 1 - MONDAY
I’m testing what happens to my Bulgarian Squat performance when I start the session with hip adduction and hip abduction exercises. It seems that I feel less muscle activation (muscle-mind connection) in my quads and glutes, my stabilization is slightly better, and my overall performance stays about the same. I’m not sure whether including hip adduction and abduction at the beginning of my routine is a good idea or a programming mistake, but trying and testing things is my main way to learn.
A. Hip Adduction
B. Hip Abduction
C. Bulgarian Split Squats
- 5 reps (warm up)
- 3 x 20 kg (warm up)
- 8 x 35 kg
- 8 x 35 kg
- 8 x 35 kg
D. Seated Machine Leg Curls
- 12 x 45 kg
- 12 x 45 kg
- 12 x 45 kg
E. Single Leg DB Standing Calf Raises
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I feel that I could train smarter but I don’t know exactly how.
I’m recovering from costochondritis so I’m coming back from a long period off and there are some exercise that I can’t do at the moment like back/front squats, DL/RDL, flat/incline press, standing press and chest-supported rows. I hope that I can reintroduce most of that exercises as soon as possible into my routine.
UPPER 2:
A. Deficit Push Ups / 3’ Rest
- 5 reps (warm up)
- 18 reps
- 12 reps
- 8 reps
- 8 reps
- 9 reps
Before I got injured I used to do only 3 sets of incline press and no more for my push work this day. I’m trying to make up for the fact that I can’t micro loading push ups by adding extra volume. But I’m not sure if doing 5 sets is a waste, maybe I should just do 3 sets close to failure instead? (Probably I’ll buy a resistance band to add more resistance to my push ups) When I can reintroduce incline press I plan to do 3 sets of incline and 3 sets of deficit push ups on this day.
B. Chin Ups
C. BB Row
I’m reintroducing this lift but I’m being very conservative with the weight because without squats and DLs my lower back might be a weak point right now. Probably I should stick to cable row and inverted row until I can reintroduce squats and DLs.
D. Seated Face Pulls
3 sets with 10 kg in range of 10 to 15 reps.
E. Incline DB Curl
3 sets with 18 kg in range of 6 to 12 reps.
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WORKOUT 3: UPPER
A. Cable Row
- 10 reps x 50 kg
- 10 reps x 50 kg
- 10 reps x 50 kg
I kept a clean and proper technique so I’ll add 2 kg next week.
I prefer to start with this exercise because if I start with push-ups my cable row technique might get worse but I don’t think that cable rows affect my push-ups performance much.
B. Lat Pulldown
- 12 x 40 kg
- 12 x 40 kg
- 12 x 40 kg
First time doing this exercise. My forearms were burning.
C. Deficit Push-ups
I used bands to increase resistance but I don’t like it! I think that it hits my triceps harder and my chest less and also the exercise become more uncomfortable. My triceps are probably well-covered with OHP and regular deficit push-ups but my chest might get lacked if I add bands in my push-ups.
Maybe I should just do 3 sets of AMRAP aiming for 20 clean reps in each set.
D. Seated Face Pull
- 20 reps x 10 kg
- 20 reps x 10 kg
- 20 reps x 10 kg
My delts were burning! Sometimes I feel that Lateral Raises are not so useful for me. I feel my side delts work harder in Seated Face Pull than in Lateral Raises.
E. Incline DB Curl 60°
- 12 reps x 20 kg
- 9 reps x 20 kg
- 6 reps x 20 kg
My technique was good but maybe I should lower the weight to 18 kg and aim for 8 to 12 reps in all sets.
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WORKOUT 1: UPPER VER.
A. Seated OHP 75°
I’ll add 2 kg to my OHP next week.
B. Neutral Grip Pull-ups
C. Chest-Supported DB Row 30°
- 12 reps x 25 kg
- 12 reps x 25 kg
- 12 reps x 25 kg
I’m not going to add more weight next week. I’m reintroducing this lift and I have to be careful and pay attention if my symptoms get worse or not in the following days.
D. Seated Face Pull
- 20 x 10 kg
- 20 x 10 kg
- 20 x 10 kg
I’ll add 1 kg to my face pulls next workout.
E. Katana Extensions
I’m not a fan of tricep iso but I feel my medium delts work hard in my face pulls so I’m trying to employ this slot with something more useful than lateral raises. I’m just trying and testing here! 
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WORKOUT 2: LOWER
I guess that an effective and solid scheme to follow until I can reintroduce squats and RDLs is:
- 3 sets of BSS
- 3 sets of Belt Squat OR Leg Press
- 6 sets of Seated Leg Curl
My gym is too busy from Monday to Friday so I’m going to explore this weekend some of the Belt Squat setups that you guys suggested to me in another thread.
A. DB Bulgarian Split Squat
- 8 reps x 45 kg (100 lbs)
- 8 reps x 45 kg (100 lbs)
- 6 reps x 45 kg (100 lbs)
B. Seated Leg Curl
- 12 reps x 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 12 reps x 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 12 reps x 50 kg (110 lbs)
C. Some more volume with Leg Press, Standing Calf Raises and Adductors.
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A friend of mine advised me that maybe I should train with frequency 1 or 1.5 to give my injure more time to recover. He says that frequency 2 seems to him a little aggressive. So maybe over the next week’s I’ll try to adjust frequency to see how my body reacts and if my injury recovers faster with less frequency.
The problem I see is that I can train my legs and pull exercise hard, but since I’m reintroducing most of push exercise, maybe one push stimulus per week is a bit too little.
Yesterday I reintroduced the DB Incline Press. It was my first time working with DBs (I had been doing BB presses before the injury). I used 12.5 kg DBs (28 lbs in each hand) to practice the technique and see if my sternum would feel any strain. I didn’t feel any discomfort, so I’m happy to have safely brought a press back into my routine. I hope I can keep doing it without issues as I gradually increase the workload.
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I’ve adjusted to frecuency 1.5.
Week 1: upper / lower / upper
Week 2: lower / upper / lower
UPPER 1 - MONDAY
A. Neutral Grip Pull-ups
B. Inverted Rows
C. DB Incline Press 30°
- 10 reps x 30 kg (65 lbs)
- 10 reps x 30 kg (65 lbs)
- 10 reps x 30 kg (65 lbs)
D. Deficit Push-ups
E. Seated Face Pull
- 15 reps x 12 kg (25 lbs)
- 15 reps x 12 kg (25 lbs)
- 15 reps x 12 kg (25 lbs)
F. DB Incline Curl
- 12 reps x 18 kg (40 lbs)
- 12 reps x 18 kg (40 lbs)
- 7 reps x 18 kg (40 lbs)
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WEDNESDAY - LOWER
Thanks @TrainForPain for the advice to do Leg Curl before BSS. I felt my knees were more prepare for BSS.
I’ve tried again and again to simulate a belt squat but I’m not comfortable with any setup. I’ll try reintroducing back squats. If I notice any sign that makes me think that Back Squat is worsering my injury I’ll immediately subs them with Leg Press.
A. Seated Leg Curl
- 12 reps x 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 12 reps x 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 12 reps x 50 kg (110 lbs)
B. DB Bulgarian Split Squats
- 5 reps + 3 reps x 30 kg + 1 rep x 40 kg (warm up)
- 8 reps x 45 kg (100 lbs)
- 8 reps x 45 kg (100 lbs)
- 6 reps x 45 kg (100 lbs)
C. Light Back Squat + GHR
I’m reintroducing Back Squats with light weight (40 kg / 90 lbs // + 2 kg per week). I’m doing GHR for reps without extra weight.
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Glad that’s working out for you! It has been a game changer for me over the long term.
I don’t think there’s any need to go straight to squats. Wasn’t your back a limiting factor? Why not do front squats?
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My physio warned me about axial load because it might have a direct impact on my sternum. However, she also told me that at some point I could (and should) reintroduce lifts, step by step, being very cautious until I can train as usual.
That being said, maybe it’s too soon now, and I should just do leg press instead for the next few months until my injury is past the sensitive phase.
On the other hand, the front squat is my preferred squat variation since I have long limbs (I need to elevate my heels in back squat). However, the arm position in the grip hurts my sternum on every rep, even with an empty bar, so I can’t reintroduce front squats at the moment.
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Gotcha! Sorry, I wasn’t totally remembering the injury. Makes sense. I like the progressive approach. In your case, squat is probably going to come before front squat!
Could you start squatting with a smith machine or something to practice the pattern and start building the tolerance?