Could use some advice

This is my first post here, and i see you guys have a fine community. With some very knowledgable people; so i figure i might get a pretty spot-on answer here.
 
This is the story:
My whole life i've been overweight, so in high school i started lifting. I started at.. 175lbs (max on bench) during my junior year, and by the end of my senior year i'd maxed out at 405 bench.

Now my problem is, i could never even get close to 405 after the single time i did it, like the highest i was able to hit was around 375 after that. Even just 1 week later.
 
There was one other thing i didnt tell anyone about because i chalked it up to being a torn muscle or something. However 3 years later and i still have lots of problems with the same area, which specifically flared up today, and caused my Left arm to be useless.
 
What it feels like is best described as a small blade in the center of my left bicep. When i move my arm in certain positions it starts to hurt. I really dont know how to describe it otherwise.
 
I told my g/f about it and she said it could be a hairline fracture in the bone.

Does anyone know just "how much is too much" weight? or maybe too much too fast? anything would help.
 
Btw i know the world record on bench is 821lbs so i dont think it would be a problem of too much weight.. i dont know :(
 
~Thanks!

The world record may be 821- Not sure myself- But it doesn't mean that 405 wasn't too much for YOUR body to handle. I know for a fact that if I got under 405 right now and tried to lift it, it'd be like setting hand grenades off in all my joints.
How much is too much? Depends on the individual. Just because one person can lift eight hundred plus, doesn't mean everyone has the potential to. I can guarantee you, many years of professional level training went into that lift, and that guy's entire life revolves around being able to handle that weight.
For most of us, it's better to stay away from pushing so hard on one rep maxes. In fact, I wouldn't recommend doing them too often for any exercise to anyone- They can be hard on the joints, and you're obviously more prone to injury when doing them, as you've found out the hard way.
There are one rep max calculators out there- Just google them, you'll find plenty- Which provide you with a ballpark figure on what you should attempt to lift as your real one rep max. Pushing too hard in this sport can take you out of it for good if you're not careful- Challenge your muscles, by all means- But be smart about it.
As for your particular condition, the best advice we can give here is for you to go see a doc, and stay away from all weights until you do. Three years is a very long time to carry any injury around- Sounds like it could be permanent already, may be too late to fix- But have it looked at anyway, you never know. I doubt a hairline fracture would be the case here, because of the amount of time that's passed- It would have either healed by now, or gotten a lot worse from ignoring it.

Thanks, i kinda figured that'd be the answers i'd get.
 
 

My friend.. you need to see a doctor, and soon.

And just so you know, Lynx is a doc himself. Take the advice.