Thread: Uneven strength

You will screw yourself up if you use different amounts of weight.
Use the amount you can handle with good form on your weakest side.
Don't do more reps on your stronger side, keep them the same.

You're always going to have one dominant side. That's why we have right and left handedness. Depending on what side you use for most day-to-day tasks, this will usually correlate with the stronger side in the gym (or the weaker side if it is pre-exhausted from intensive activities, eg, labouring).

They are never going to even out perfectly unless you become ambidextrous - hence - using different weights for different sides will not really help matters greatly.

You have to remember that if you adjust the DB weights on one side, this will also affect the weight that your stabiliser muscles will be carrying. So you will be affecting them differently as well exasperating the problem.....

Uni-lateral DB work is usually a good way to make sure both sides are getting evenly worked out. You will find that you can compensate for a weaker side with a BB or with a machine, hence, the more uni-lateral work you do the better. You should not need to use different weights for each side.

Wait, what is uni-lateral work and will it put a good amount of load on my stronger arm. I just don't want to delay anything.

^ Uni-lateral = one-sided. Using DB in-lieu of a BB is uni-lateral.

Just make sure you don't use different weights on each side or you will mess yourself right up....

Faq.

(Why the fuck won't it write FAQ in capitals?! )

2 different weighted dumbells isn't fixing the problem, it is just like saying "awww fuck it"

i have heard peopel try and tout uneven loading as a variabe to play with in a training program (never used it myself) but not for the reasons you are asking.

Originally Posted by Adamjs

^ Uni-lateral = one-sided. Using DB in-lieu of a BB is uni-lateral.

Just make sure you don't use different weights on each side or you will mess yourself right up....

Yea I figured out uni- one and lateral- side= one side before going to sleep.

But if I am training one side of my body then why are you talking about using 2 dumbells at the same time when saying what I bolded?

you're not only training one side of your body.
you are using DB's. Each hand is handling weight individually, instead of a BB where the load is distributed to both hands.
You are still using both DB's, either pressing both at the same time, or one at a time...
Make sense?
clear as mud?

If you train with more weight on one side than the other, your strong arm will end up being alot bigger than the other (of course), do you really want to have one arm that is 3 inches bigger than the other and look like a freak?

Do the same amount of weight on each arm, and do your reps with your weak arm first, then do the same amount with your strong arm and stop... this keeps you putting the same amount of work into each arm. Your strong arm will be getting worked of course... but you will just be letting the weak one catch up.

Hows this sound, I could first start off with bench presses with a bb (probably 4x5), so my left arm would be getting a better workout, then do db shoulder presses with the same weight and # of reps on each arm, then finish off with some one arm shoulder presses, mostly for my right arm since it couldnt get too much of a good workout on the previous exercises. ( I just dont really know if doing one arm shoulder presses will give me bigger and rounder shoulders)

nope. you are not listening.
use the same weights, same reps...you will balance out.

Originally Posted by Burner02

nope. you are not listening.
use the same weights, same reps...you will balance out.

So Im not supposed to give my right arm a good workout at all?

Is there any chance at all that I could give it one somewhere in my routine or is that completely out of the question?

It's still gonna get a good workout, unless you aren't working out that hard.
let's just use a 30 lbs DB as an example. So...your left arm fails at rep 8, while your right can go for 10 or 11?
Well, its still getting worked out if you only go to 8. I't not gonna hamper your progress.

trust us...alot of here have been doing this a LONG time...and have also asked the same questions...and have gotten the same answers.


'cause what you are wanting to do...even though u do not want an imbalance...is still promote it w/ extra work w/ the dominant arm.

Originally Posted by GoLdeN M 07

My right arm and shoulder is stronger than my left arm/shoulder making it difficult to go along with a good routine. I want to do db shoulder presses so should I use 2 different dbs with different weights or 2 of the same and make my right arm/shoulder deal with not working to its potential?

Im not sure if this is a stupid question or not but Ive been using 2 different weigthed dumbells for a while and im curious if it was okay. I dont want to delay working on my right arm for a while and focus mainly on my left. I still want to work my right arm and give it a good workout but maybe I can take some seperate time to work mainly on my left.

If you are that worried then I personally would isolate my left shoulder/arm. But if you look at bodybuilders their bodys arent always symetrical.

Originally Posted by Burner02

It's still gonna get a good workout, unless you aren't working out that hard.
let's just use a 30 lbs DB as an example. So...your left arm fails at rep 8, while your right can go for 10 or 11?
Well, its still getting worked out if you only go to 8. I't not gonna hamper your progress.

trust us...alot of here have been doing this a LONG time...and have also asked the same questions...and have gotten the same answers.


'cause what you are wanting to do...even though u do not want an imbalance...is still promote it w/ extra work w/ the dominant arm.

So along with eating tons of calories, resting properly, etc.. my right arm still will build some muscle?

you are still offering it resistance, right?
oh...so to finish my analogy above: do 8 reps per arm. (just press at the same time) also use BB...
your weaker arm will come up to the strength of the right, then you can press on..

alright, at least Im not gonna lose any strength or muscle on my right arm. I dont know how long its gonna take for my left to catch up to my right, the strength ratio of my right arm to left would be around 5:3.

whatever, Its all good in the hood

^ so are you sorted out now kid?

Just as previously stated, everyone has a dominate side. My right trap, hand, forearm, and leg are all stronger on the right side.

Just lift with the same weight on both sides and don't keep going when the left side fails first, and you should be fine.

Originally Posted by Adamjs

^ so are you sorted out now kid?

nah this really is a problem for me, but I dont want an adolescent creating further problems for a bunch of very big people so I decided to shut the hell up.

My balls are longer than my dick how do I train my dick to be stronger thanmy balls?

Originally Posted by GoLdeN M 07

nah this really is a problem for me, but I dont want an adolescent creating further problems for a bunch of very big people so I decided to shut the hell up.

what's the problem? You're not creating any for us...we're trying to help you. You need to 'get your head around' this.
The simple answer has been provided multiple times by multiple people; myelf included.
Use the same weight for both arms if using dumbells. When the weaker arm fails...that's the end of that set. DO NOT KEEP GOING W/ THE STRONGER ARM...OR U WILL CONTINUE W/THE IMBALANCE.

Also...try switching hands when u are rubbing one out...that should also help..

I'd probably use a serious power-developing compound exercise as my main shoulder lift. Like maybe try push-presses for a while as your main shoulder lift. I don't know if you mentioned your routine in here so I won't say HOW to incorporate it.. but try some of those. They should help develop alot of power overall and maybe help bring some balance. For a push-press, for anyone unfamiliar... it's like a military press, but you bend your knees a little at the start and give a short explosive leg thrust to start the movement. Press hard with your legs and shoulders. Your shoulders still carry the majority of the load through to lockout.