Symmetry

[jmesherghi]

i have been body building for a few months now and have seen
significant gains. However, i have noticed that i have some symmetry issues
with some muscles. I understand the reason for this was my lack of
expereince when beginning weight training, when doing certain exersises i
may have pushed my stronger side more than my weaker side thus resulting in
symetrical problems. I just want to no how to improve my unbalence and
symmetry, i have heard if you just keep on training that the same intensity
on both sides than eventually the smaller muscle will catch up with its
counterpart, is this true? and if so how long does it useally take? I have
researched all over the internet but have not been able to find help on with
my issue, can you hekp me please!

 

[CowPimp]

I'm not sure how asymmetrical your proportions are, but SOME asymmetry is normal. I have been training for several years with minimal strength differences between my left and right sides, and my left side is still slightly bigger in most cases.

I have a theory about that. If it turns out that most people are slightly larger on their non-dominant side, and it is actually more muscle mass as opposed to fat deposits, then it may be an adaptation to make up for the lesser neural drive there. Most people have a larger left hemisphere, which controls the right side of the body. Hence why most people are right hand dominant. Just a random thought; it is not substantiated in the least bit.

 

[Built]

Well, I'm right-dominant, and I've had full-body DEXAs performed three times. Each time, my right side carried slightly more muscle.

Interestingly, on my upper body, my right carried less fat, but on my lower, my right carried MORE fat.

 

[CowPimp]

Well, I'm right-dominant, and I've had full-body DEXAs performed three times. Each time, my right side carried slightly more muscle.

Interestingly, on my upper body, my right carried less fat, but on my lower, my right carried MORE fat.

Hrm, interesting. Well whatever, it was just a thought. Either way, it is pretty normal to be slightly asymmetrical. Humans are not as symmetrical as we would like to believe.

 

[njc]

My right is side is mostly larger as well. It's also important to remember that when attempting to evaluate these things based simply on a view that appearances can be deceiving. In using your dominant side to perform the bulk of your work you can actually sometimes recreate your anatomy as a side consequece. Adjacent bones and their accompanying ligaments may shift a little bit...leaving the muscle on top of them to appear perhaps bigger or larger than the other.