Lopsided Pecs!

[joeski19]

hey guys

check out my new pics. my pecs have been a little lopsided eversince i've started to workout (4 years ago). what causes this and how can i fix it?

[Gym-Ratt]

People tend to be more critical of themselves than others are.

I dont see much lopsidedness. Don't sweat it.

[Biohazardous22]

I don't know for sure but I have heard that there is something with the rib cage that determines how the pecs grow over them. I may be blowing smoke but I heard it somewhere....

[funkymonk420]

they don't look too lopsided, but asymmetry can be caused by having an asymmetrical sternum and it looks like you might have a little of that.

[joeski19]

thanks! but how would i go about fixing them. is there certain types of training techniques?

[joeski19]

my "lopsidenes" is a little worse than the pictures show, but i think you could still tell with those pics

[hessunit]

Some people are just built differently man. You don't look funny (well, not your pecs). I wouldn't worry about it. Most peeople aren't perfectly symetrical.

[joeski19]

bump

[DJAuto]

Originally Posted by joeski19

bump

Use DB's and other unilateral movements if you feel imbalance is a major issue.

[MikeD4386]

use a dumbells and do flyes and presses jsut with ur small side til it catches up.

[Attacus]

As DJAuto said, use dumbells for your presses. Otherwise, it is my experience that this is the type of problem that generally fixes itself over time. Just keep training hard and as your chest begins to reach a plateau your lagging side will naturally catch up. I would definitely avoid trying to only work your smaller side.

If it really bothers you that much though, a common strategy with DBs is to work until your smaller side is fatigued. Meaning that if your left pec is the weak one, even if your right side can do a few more reps, stop when your left side tires out. That will give it a chance to catch up, albeit slowly.

Bear in mind that symmetry is something even the pros have difficulty with, but that most of the time you are you own worst critic. Odds are most people won't see a difference. I certainly didn't.

[CartierWatch]

Believe me man, I know how you feel...

My left pec is bigger.
My right bicep is bigger.
My left shoulder is longer.
My right leg is longer.

And believe me... It's all noticeable.

However, the fact you have a fit body is more noticeable than the assymetry. For example... One girl asked me if I knew one of my pecs was bigger than the other. Duh, of course I knew! And yet... She was in love with my chest. Go figure.

[wendell80]

mine are a little lopsided also. It's nothing to worry about.

[Kaz85]

I find as you get bigger they become less noticeable. I thought Randy Orton had a perfetly symetrical body but I recently noticed one of his pecs is biggerthen the other. Dont worry about it and they will even out.

[lancs_hotpot]

Surgery.

[joeski19]

Originally Posted by DJAuto

Use DB's and other unilateral movements if you feel imbalance is a major issue.

what are the benefits of using dumbells compared to the barbell?

[JZ1986]

In one of your pictures it looks like you right shoulder is lower than your left. If that is the case it could be a postural issue. Have you ever had your posture or spine evaluated by a PT or chiropractor?

Take some tape, like the blue painters tape, and make a grid on the wall, make sure that it is perfectly plumb and level, then stand in front of it and have someone take pictures from the front, both sides and back, then check your alignment againt the gridlines on the wall. This will give you an idea if you are crooked or not.

[joeski19]

Originally Posted by JZ1986

In one of your pictures it looks like you right shoulder is lower than your left. If that is the case it could be a postural issue. Have you ever had your posture or spine evaluated by a PT or chiropractor?

Take some tape, like the blue painters tape, and make a grid on the wall, make sure that it is perfectly plumb and level, then stand in front of it and have someone take pictures from the front, both sides and back, then check your alignment againt the gridlines on the wall. This will give you an idea if you are crooked or not.

no, i've never had my spine looked at. i didn't know that the spine could play a factor in my pecs. thanks

[DJAuto]

Originally Posted by joeski19

what are the benefits of using dumbells compared to the barbell?

The nature of the movement emphasis unilateral development and increased stimulation of stabilizing musculature.

[SquatDeadPress]

One of my nipples is slightly in a different spot than my other nipple. It's really not noticeable at all but it makes my pecs look different even though they're the same shape.

Maybe this is your problem? lol

[AaronJF]

Originally Posted by Kaz85

I find as you get bigger they become less noticeable. I thought Randy Orton had a perfetly symetrical body but I recently noticed one of his pecs is biggerthen the other. Dont worry about it and they will even out.

x2

The bigger you get the more it seems to even out, unless of course it's because of bad training technique.

Everybody has a little bit of asymetry, likely you're the only one who notices.

[oatdust]

just start fappin with your other hand... itll even out.

[Dura fit]

You look fine, like others have said, you can be your own worst critic. I had the same problem, in my early years of training, my left pec was significantly bigger than my right, yet my right shoulder and arm were bigger than my left.

I attribute that to growing up playing lots of sports as a right handed player which really developed the right shoulder and arm more than my left,

hence in my early years of training, when doing bench press for example, my stronger right shoulder and tricep would do more work than my left arm and shoulder, hence the left pec had to work harder to balance it,

after years of training with a lot of dumbell movements etc, the difference is much less significant for all upperbody parts,

hope this helps, good luck