Hi DM
I am currently gyming and have a problem. I can lift more in my right arm than my left. So when I do dumbell curls, I still feel like I have alot of energy for another 4 or 5 in my right arm, but my left arm is dead. What do u suggest?
Matthew
Hey Matthew,
Most people can lift more with their right arm than their left, simply because most of us are naturally right-handed. Similarly, left-handed people would usually be able to lift more with their left arm. So, most people have a slight imbalance to begin with when they first start bodybuilding.
To overcome this, you need to treat your weaker arm like a lagging body part, which means that you should focus on your weaker arm FIRST in your routine. Hit it ‘harder’ than your right arm. For example, perform all the dumbbell curls for your left arm before switching over to the right. At the end of your workout, you could also perform 1 or 2 additional sets of curls with your left weaker arm.
So, no matter which part of the body is weaker/lagging, in summary, the trick is to:
* Work the weaker body part first
* Perform extra reps/sets for the weaker body part
* Eat well (Sufficient protein, carbs, healthy fats)
* Get sufficient rest
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Thanks DM will Do !
Thanks for the tip, but what about exercises that use both arms at the same time? Like when doing clean and press, after a while I notice my right arm is picking up after my slacking left. I try to push up on my left arm first, but I still think there should be a better way.
What are your thoughts? Thanks!
sometimes (specially when tired, at the end of workouts) i always feel that my right arm (i’m a lefty) giving way and my left had to pick up the slack.
i’m no DM but i think maybe you can try doing that Clean & Press using dumbells.. a la the “300 workout”, remember that one?
just my thought :)
It’s my first time posting on this site so I’d like to say hi. I used to have the same problem when I first started working out (I’m right-handed). Dm is right as more sets on the weaker arm would make it stronger and create a balance. About using barbells IMO, people with significant strength differences should stay off the barbells (or reduce the usage) and use dumbells instead. Using barbells when the difference is great would only make the situation worse as some people tend to use the stronger arm to pick up where the weaker arm lacks. Its like using the right arm to pick up 15 kilos and the left 5 kilos for a 20 kilo barbell. This causes muscle growth which is far from proportional and the stronger arm would only grow stronger relative to the weaker arm. So, the best way is to build more strength on the weaker arm and start using those barbells when you think the difference is small (e.g : doing curls in a smooth motion and good form). This applies mainly to tennis/badminton players, who tend to have a much stronger playing arm.Of course, there will still be a difference afterall since we use our primary hand much more often (and work the muscles more), but it is perfectly natural to have a stronger arm than the other.
Hi, thought that I would like to share my views. I use to be a state squash player and my right arm was way stronger than my left. After stopping squash, I hit the gym hard. However, I didn’t treat my left arm like a lagging body part. I did dumbells, barbells, machines, the lot. In time, my left arm just automatically caught up with my right. I think it’s an automatic response.
i have the same problem with my legs. the right one is more muscle-y that the other cos last time while doing lunges and anything that focuses on the leg muscle, i would start off with the right one. when it was time for my left leg, i ran out of energy and performed less reps, hence the unbalanced muscle growth. ehhehehhe.
You should also look at your posture. Posture disalignement are cause muscle /strength inbalances. If you’re not standing correctly in the first place, it’s hard to work the muscles like they should be.
ooh stronger legs, that rarely happens, even on football players…
Ray : what are u implying ar? heheehe
Matthew: I have the same problem too… but nowadays whenever workout that needs both hand, i try my best to transfer more weight to my left hand. It works but you need practices to get there.
Zemien: My Personal taught me using Dumbbell to do a one hand clean and press. It is effective but quite difficult as you need more abs and obliques muscle to support your body. You may want to try this out.
I have that problem aswell, my whole right side is stronger than the left. i think that is why abs are skewed - they are cut but not in square blocks do any of you know if this can be corrected using the same method of working more on the left side of my body?
My problem is odd. not like most. I’m right handed, my right arm and right leg is stronger, my whole right side is a little stronger. but my right side is a tad smaller and shorter. not sure if it’s because the muscles are more dense or just genetic. not sure but it’s annoying the heck out of me. Do i need to work my left side to make it tighter or work it less. not sure what to do. when i where shirts the shirt is always a little looser on my right side than the left. Anyone going through this? any advice?
i did have the same problem, this is my solution; doing everyday things with your left arms, except writing, lol, like lifting groceries, anything else that has to do with lifting, try to remind yourself NOT to use your right arm, because we tend to. in workouts, i do extra reps on my left arm, with slightly lighter weights then i normally lift, but keep in mind that one arm will always be stronger than the other.
Dre,
I’m not a PT, I’m a final year student doctor, while it *could* be what your describing is uneven muscle growth it sounds like it may even be a slight degree of unusual spinal curvature or something like that (what is called kyphosis, scoliosis or kyphoscoliosis) but it’s hard to tell based on just a description as bigger shoulder muscles on one side might cause that too.
Given you’re only noticing it now, and I’m assuming here that you’ve stopped growing, then if it doesn’t bother you it’s not likely to be a big issue (if it’s a hard thing to notice it may well be slight), however if it bothers you, or if you haven’t stopped growing, then it might be worth going to see your GP to figure out whether your problem is muscular or relating to spinal curvature. Indeed it is possible that it could even be a leg length discrephancy (although usually you’d compensate for that at the hip a bit).
I hope that helps, if it’s training related well the advice of these guys is pretty much spot on.
Ian.
I have the same problem that all of you have and, I’ve been working out for 4-5 years now and still have the problem, I do the body builiding football workouts and I still have the problem. On dumbell bench press i can do an 80 with my right and 70 with my left, I broke my wrist 4 years ago and did not get it fixed and have limited mobility in it, do you think that is the cause?
Nick, yes - that seems to be the source of the problem. But then again, do get it checked by a healthcare professional who can properly diagnose and help you take steps to overcome it.
What supplements should i be taking after i lift? or before?
my left arm feel dead can’t lift much but need alot of help from right hand y is that
When I started at the gym both arms were equally weak, but because the Right was fractionally stronger, I’ve been hitting it harder, forcing set completions with the Right while failing after 6-7 on the Left . I think this is what’s now causing a much more exaggerated difference in strength between Left and Right. I’ll try to concentrate on training Left first from now and hopefully the greater energy will bring encourage a ‘catching up’.
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