compensating for weaker side during bench press

[SteveWright1]

Hi

I am struggling with progressing my bench press much further, due to inferior strenght in my left arm and shoulders etc, when compared to my right arm and shoulders
over last couple of SL sessions, I have become aware that whilst the weight is going up easy enough on right side, the left side is lagging

I train alone, and do not use clips, so I can escape easy enough should my strenght run out before my alloted reps are complete

on my last session I notice due to the delay on the left arm reaching lock out, the weights had started sliding down the bar, which meant that end was getting even heavier and thus compounded the struggling

my thoughts on fixing this issue / options that I would appreciate comments on

1) working some isolation exercises focused on left arm and shoulders in order to get that area to catch up with right side?
2) loading the bar unevenly, maybe a little less on left side and bit extra on right side?
3) placing the left hand further along the bar in respect of the knurling than the right hand - thus having the bar off centre with just a little more weight on right side than left side?
4) swapping out to dumbells for press exercise in order that I can work different weights on the different arms

are any of the above 4 ideas any good?

if you have better ones, please share with me

Thanks in advance for any help

[supersplish]

I don't think you want to emphasize the strength imbalance further by working your dominant arm with greater resistance. It's already a problem for you. Emphasizing it through training will just prolong the situation further.

Eventually your strength ought to equalize out on its own, but you might try switching to dumbell bench press for a mesocycle to ensure that both arms are getting the same amount of stimulation. On a barbell, your dominant arm can "pick up the slack" for the weaker arm, but with dumbells, it's every arm for himself.

Good luck with the arms race!

[Smelly bull]

My left hand leads goes up before my right hand, and I m right handed...

What I have found is because I am right hand dominant, I have a tendency to watch my left side as I am performing my bench....which causes the uneven bench. I have found focusing on something directly overhead fixes this...

[SteveWright1]

I don't think you want to emphasize the strength imbalance further by working your dominant arm with greater resistance. It's already a problem for you. Emphasizing it through training will just prolong the situation further.

Eventually your strength ought to equalize out on its own, but you might try switching to dumbell bench press for a mesocycle to ensure that both arms are getting the same amount of stimulation. On a barbell, your dominant arm can "pick up the slack" for the weaker arm, but with dumbells, it's every arm for himself.

Good luck with the arms race!

thank you Supersplish, some DBs and some extra practice on next gym visit seems a good idea to me

My left hand leads goes up before my right hand, and I m right handed...

What I have found is because I am right hand dominant, I have a tendency to watch my left side as I am performing my bench....which causes the uneven bench. I have found focusing on something directly overhead fixes this...

thank you Smelly Bull
I did become aware of looking at plates on left side, which was after I felt they had moved
but next Bench day, I will focus on the ceiling and see if that helps reduce the issue for me

[paolo59]

I have struggled with a disparity in strength from left side to right when doing bench for years (due to a tricep tear in my left arm). I find it easier to do DB work than bench, but the disparity is still noticeable. Certain free-weight machines have been helpful when working chest.

[SteveWright1]

I have struggled with a disparity in strength from left side to right when doing bench for years (due to a tricep tear in my left arm). I find it easier to do DB work than bench, but the disparity is still noticeable. Certain free-weight machines have been helpful when working chest.

Thank you Paolo59
I knew from reading it was not an uncommon issue for people to be stronger one side
I have no injuries to account for it and early days with lighter weights I was not even aware of it
does not seem to affect me on rows or even deadlifts
but on bench recently it has been really obvious

[TheIronMaster]

Im the same as you Smelly bull. As far as being right handed but left side is stronger. I have this issue with curls too. I used to let it bother me. Now I don't worry about it.

[Karl_Hungus]

I would not do extra unilateral work because the body often doesn't compensate the way you think it will and you may just end up creating more asymmetries than you started with. I have found that these asymmetries correct themselves over time as long as you continue training with proper technique.

[500X2]

Take a hot bath and then wrap a hot towel around your head. And then, make yourself some soup.

[SteveWright1]

Im the same as you Smelly bull. As far as being right handed but left side is stronger. I have this issue with curls too. I used to let it bother me. Now I don't worry about it.

Thanks The IronMaster
Yep I am at the worrying about it stage, and hope to progress to the not worrying about it stage very soon

I would not do extra unilateral work because the body often doesn't compensate the way you think it will and you may just end up creating more asymmetries than you started with. I have found that these asymmetries correct themselves over time as long as you continue training with proper technique.

Thanks Karl Hungus
it will be great if they do eventually even out so I will continue onwards in the hope the left side catches up sooner rather than later

Take a hot bath and then wrap a hot towel around your head. And then, make yourself some soup.

sounds like a plan to me 500X2
may have to have beetroot in the soup for best natty gains

[DuracellBunny]

I get this problem repeatedly, then fix it for a while until it comes back (stroke made this an issue); so I have 2c to throw in to the ring.

1) sort this out asap. The longer you allow it to go on, the more likely you are to injure yourself (I suffered a partial dislocation from decline benching).
2) you will find it is worse with lower reps, so maybe try microcyles of mid/high, mid and mid/low reps, where on the mid and mid/high you are anal about technique. As soon as you start to notice it kick in, end the set, rinse and repeat until it starts to be more consistent, then follow some simple linear progression until it becomes a problem, reset (higher than last time), rinse and repeat.
3) get somebody to film you from overhead or spot you to watch for twisting. You may be benching with one elbow closer to your body than the other, or one shoulder closer to your ear than the other (twisting in one form or another); if so, see 2)
4) is the same thing happening to a lesser extent with shoulder press? If so, your shoulder may be slowly moving out of position. If it's bench only, it's not the joint, if it's happening on shoulder press as well, it might be the joint.

I hope that makes sense.

[RT1957]

Hi

I am struggling with progressing my bench press much further, due to inferior strenght in my left arm and shoulders etc, when compared to my right arm and shoulders
over last couple of SL sessions, I have become aware that whilst the weight is going up easy enough on right side, the left side is lagging

I train alone, and do not use clips, so I can escape easy enough should my strenght run out before my alloted reps are complete

on my last session I notice due to the delay on the left arm reaching lock out, the weights had started sliding down the bar, which meant that end was getting even heavier and thus compounded the struggling

my thoughts on fixing this issue / options that I would appreciate comments on

1) working some isolation exercises focused on left arm and shoulders in order to get that area to catch up with right side?
2) loading the bar unevenly, maybe a little less on left side and bit extra on right side?
3) placing the left hand further along the bar in respect of the knurling than the right hand - thus having the bar off centre with just a little more weight on right side than left side?
4) swapping out to dumbells for press exercise in order that I can work different weights on the different arms

are any of the above 4 ideas any good?

if you have better ones, please share with me

Thanks in advance for any help

Steve. Do independent work for each side letting the weak side dictate progress. Do single arm Dumbbell Arnold presses and DB bench presses. Start with your weak side and do a weight that you can comfortably do 3 sets of 10 reps. Alternate with the same weight and do only 3 sets of 10 reps for the right. As you either raise the reps for the left or the weight you never do more for the right. It will take time but it will work.

also...try this...learn to throw with your left hand. a football is easier than a baseball or any round ball. Use a small one to start. It will teach you use your left more efficiently...more coordination. More strength

[SteveWright1]

I get this problem repeatedly, then fix it for a while until it comes back (stroke made this an issue); so I have 2c to throw in to the ring.

1) sort this out asap. The longer you allow it to go on, the more likely you are to injure yourself (I suffered a partial dislocation from decline benching).
2) you will find it is worse with lower reps, so maybe try microcyles of mid/high, mid and mid/low reps, where on the mid and mid/high you are anal about technique. As soon as you start to notice it kick in, end the set, rinse and repeat until it starts to be more consistent, then follow some simple linear progression until it becomes a problem, reset (higher than last time), rinse and repeat.
3) get somebody to film you from overhead or spot you to watch for twisting. You may be benching with one elbow closer to your body than the other, or one shoulder closer to your ear than the other (twisting in one form or another); if so, see 2)
4) is the same thing happening to a lesser extent with shoulder press? If so, your shoulder may be slowly moving out of position. If it's bench only, it's not the joint, if it's happening on shoulder press as well, it might be the joint.

I hope that makes sense.

makes sense Duracell Bunny
some good ideas and advice on that for me thank you
not noticed it at all on OHP both arms seem to fatigue in tandem on that exercise for me

Steve. Do independent work for each side letting the weak side dictate progress. Do single arm Dumbbell Arnold presses and DB bench presses. Start with your weak side and do a weight that you can comfortably do 3 sets of 10 reps. Alternate with the same weight and do only 3 sets of 10 reps for the right. As you either raise the reps for the left or the weight you never do more for the right. It will take time but it will work.

also...try this...learn to throw with your left hand. a football is easier than a baseball or any round ball. Use a small one to start. It will teach you use your left more efficiently...more coordination. More strength

thank you RT1957
some good ideas for me to try out on this post thank you
did some dumbell presses at home last night and working on sets of reps, found I could move 4lb more with my right arm than I could do with left arm for complete 8 reps
whilst they can both lift same to start with, left arm fatigues sooner but right arm is still up for a bit more work

[RT1957]

makes sense Duracell Bunny
some good ideas and advice on that for me thank you
not noticed it at all on OHP both arms seem to fatigue in tandem on that exercise for me



thank you RT1957
some good ideas for me to try out on this post thank you
did some dumbell presses at home last night and working on sets of reps, found I could move 4lb more with my right arm than I could do with left arm for complete 8 reps
whilst they can both lift same to start with, left arm fatigues sooner but right arm is still up for a bit more work

While your right can do more work to do that work will only increase the strength difference between the two. You want your weak side to catch up so you need to let it guide the progress. Your right side isn't going to get weaker by doing this but your left side will get stronger and when they are balanced you'll be push the barbell with both side equally. Dumbbell work forces both sides to push independently. You're witness to the fact that your right arm is pushing harder than your left because the bar isn't going up evenly. I'm not telling you to stop regular BB bench. Just do some dumbbell work to help balance out. Then when you use the BB really concentrate on an even push. When you start to fail with the left rack it. Don't continue to try reps. That will only make it worse. It's about getting your left side up to where your right side is. Start doing things with your left hand you don't normally do. That opens up your brain to make more connections to your weak side. More coordination more strength. That's why I suggested learning to throw with your left, for better coordination. It'll feel weird at first but in a couple weeks you'll be surprised that you can throw with that hand. Try to imitate the same move with your left hand as your right does when it throws.

[SteveWright1]

Thanks again RT1957

my above post lacked clarity
I was not doing DB shoulder presses and decided to work my right arm harder on purpose
I was just testing the actual difference in strenght between the 2 arms, by trying same reps with same weight on both arms
up to a point where the left arm had enough , but right arm could take another increase and complete the 8

not going to do this again
just needed to prove to myself I had not imagined it or had a bad day on bench press last time
there is a notable difference, and I will follow many of the suggestions on this thread in order to overcome the difference

[amartin315]

I don't think you want to emphasize the strength imbalance further by working your dominant arm with greater resistance. It's already a problem for you. Emphasizing it through training will just prolong the situation further.

Eventually your strength ought to equalize out on its own, but you might try switching to dumbell bench press for a mesocycle to ensure that both arms are getting the same amount of stimulation. On a barbell, your dominant arm can "pick up the slack" for the weaker arm, but with dumbells, it's every arm for himself.

Good luck with the arms race!

does this mean I should stop when my weak arm can do no more? Say I get to 7 reps with both arms and my weak arm can't do any more, should I let my strong arm off the hook for the reps it could still do?

[JimmyJonny]

Imo, your only as strong as your weakest link.

I deal with this situation a lot and what I have learned is to just roll with it. If your left side gives out first, it's maxed out and thats where your bench is. It's a mindset, just because your right side is stronger doesn't mean thats how strong you are on the left..... you are only as strong as the weakest link will allow you.

I would keep going as normal. When your weak sides form starts to go, don't go up in weight, reset or repeat. Treat it no different than if your strong side gave out..... you would reset, deload... etc. It's a mind f*ck, we naturally want that higher weight that the strong side has ( ego ) ..... it just doesn't work that way.

I normally run a 3x5 on bench. If I get stuck long enough my shoulders will usually start acting up. At that point I drop the weight and add reps....... sometimes time as high as a 3x20 ( yes I said it ). I just don't stay there to long, I get back to my 3x5 within a few weeks.