One arm bigger than the other

[Tim]

I measured my arms yesterday, and it turns out that my left arm is almost an inch bigger than my right arm. What can I do to get my right arm to be as big as my left arm?

[collosus]

???? maybe try training the smaller arm more than the other for a while...........Take notice of what lifting moving etc. you do during the day.Try to even it up between your arms or try to swap arms for various things during your day. an inch is a big difference!

[Tim]

Yeah, I know that an inch is a big difference; it's visable when I look in the mirror. It's very frustrating because I always considered my arms to be my biggest asset. My left arm is 17 and my right arm is 16. I think I know why my left arm is bigger too. I broke my right hand eight years ago (I was already lifting weights at that point, but not as seriously as I do now), and my right arm was in a cast for several months. I heard that when you break a limb, the other one gets stronger to compensate. I don't recall training my right arm more than my left once I got the cast off my right arm, so I suppose that my right arm simply never was able to catch up with my left again. In my bicep workout, maybe I could try doing one exercise (like preacher curl) for both arms and then only work out my right arm for the other two exercises?

[collosus]

I don't know if you need to cut out your left arm completely for the other 2 excercises but maybe change the weights you use between arms.This is going to be a very tricky thing to do. I'm sure it will take a long time,with a fair share of frustration along the way.Trying to maintain one arm while promoting growth in the other.Stay motivated!You will be able to do it!

[Tim]

I actually worked out my bis today, and I put more weight on the right side for preacher curls. When doing dumbell curls, the dumbell in my right hand was five pounds heavier than the dumbell in my left hand. I'll see what several weeks of doing this will do for me.

[collosus]

Sounds good Tim,keep at it !

[SyNeRgY]

Tim- Heres another thought.... one arm may be bigger than the other b/c you might be cheating... Example.. when doing Dumbell Curls you kinda put your shoulder a little more into your right arm then your left, this leaves some of the delt to lift the weight instead of the bicep... try this: Cable Curls, and Preachers using perfect form....dont bow down the sholders what-soever....

[Tim]

Thanks. But should I purposely lift harder with my right arm so it catches up to the left, or will it catch up to my left arm automatically if I use perfect form? One inch is a big difference, isn't it, especially since my arms are only 16 and 17 inches?

[SyNeRgY]

My arms have caught up.. one arm used to be bigger than the other.. but once I started using good form My biceps started to equal out..... try it for 8 weeks and test the results.

[Kutulus]

Originally posted by Tim
Thanks. But should I purposely lift harder with my right arm so it catches up to the left, or will it catch up to my left arm automatically if I use perfect form? One inch is a big difference, isn't it, especially since my arms are only 16 and 17 inches?

u don't really need to lift harder with one arm

lift equally hard with both...

try using barbells more often and keep it perfectly level.... After awhile of doing this your arms will equal out (it will take many months)

but if you just lift harder with one arm, then your other arm will suffer... and vice-versa

[y2j2008]

Friend !!

I also have that problem..Here are some major tips that I read from the book named as "The Book of Muscle" by Ian King.These are known as "weak side rule" !!

1. Use unilateral movements. Unilateral means one-sided. If it's your arm, do one-armed curls rather than using both arms. If it's your back, like me, do one-armed rows or one-armed lat pull-downs so you can focus on one side at a time.
2. Always train the weak side first. There are two reasons for this. First, you want to assess the strength of the weakest side so you can adjust the strong side. Second, your first muscle worked is what is prioritized in the workout — it receives the most energy and attention.
3. Never do more with the strong side than the weak side can handle. This is the heart of the rule. Basically, if you can only handle 10 curls at 20 pounds on the weak side, this is ALL you do on the strong side! Work the weak side to failure, if that is your routine, but always use the same weight with the strong side and stop at the same number of reps that your weak side could handle. This allows the weak side to be the side that is stressed the most and grows to "catch up" with the strong side. Don't worry, you won't lose major muscle mass on the strong side — it receives enough stimulation to maintain while the weaker side is catching up!

[BruceBruce325]

are you left handed

[BillPatrice]

are you left handed

I have a massive problem with this also. The roots of it are all quite simple. I broke my left wrist four times in the space of a few years during my childhood and adolescence.

I broke it in P.E wrestling, then I fractured it during boxing sparring, then I fractured it again during basketball because I never let it heal properly, and then finally I fractured it during a school fight.

I never worked out until MUCH MUCH later, but it has definately shown since I started working out. My right arm and bicep are massive, my left arm and bicep are merely ok. Looking at me from top to bottom you wouldn't say there's a huge difference. However when I flex my left hand looks so so much smaller than my right. I've never addressed it properly because I've never had the guts to stop lifting altogether on my right arm.

[mmapcpro]

Possibly...

[DK61]

Friend !!

I also have that problem..Here are some major tips that I read from the book named as "The Book of Muscle" by Ian King.These are known as "weak side rule" !!

1. Use unilateral movements. Unilateral means one-sided. If it's your arm, do one-armed curls rather than using both arms. If it's your back, like me, do one-armed rows or one-armed lat pull-downs so you can focus on one side at a time.
2. Always train the weak side first. There are two reasons for this. First, you want to assess the strength of the weakest side so you can adjust the strong side. Second, your first muscle worked is what is prioritized in the workout — it receives the most energy and attention.
3. Never do more with the strong side than the weak side can handle. This is the heart of the rule. Basically, if you can only handle 10 curls at 20 pounds on the weak side, this is ALL you do on the strong side! Work the weak side to failure, if that is your routine, but always use the same weight with the strong side and stop at the same number of reps that your weak side could handle. This allows the weak side to be the side that is stressed the most and grows to "catch up" with the strong side. Don't worry, you won't lose major muscle mass on the strong side — it receives enough stimulation to maintain while the weaker side is catching up!

Great post. i been wondering the same thing why one is smaller this answered my question also.. thumbs up

[bmorgan49]

I have this same problem. My left arm is about a half inch bigger than my right, but I'm not nearly into the 15+ range so the difference is very noticeable. I'm very right hand dominant however, and my right arm is still stronger than my left. I've talked to some people, and they've suggested it might be a function of muscle density being much larger in the right after 20 years of dominance. Could there be any theory to this and/or is there anything I could even do about it? What should I do since my problem isn't (necessarily) strength based, it's purely size?

[Odyssey92]

Strong 10 year bump went unnoticed.

[infiniteblade]

Yeah, this is driving me insane.... 3 months ago I was off balance; my left arm was 19 inches and my right was 18 1/2. I started doing preacher curls and scott curls with strict form, and working on evening out my benchpress form. After all this work, my left is now 19 1/2, and the right is still 18 1/2. What the hell?!?!?!?!?!

[M2Hawk]

I had this problem. At first I focused on doing more work for the smaller(left) arm but that didnt really help. Once I progressed to lifting much heavier weight on my barbell curls and extensions the left arm caught up QUICK.

[infiniteblade]

I had this problem. At first I focused on doing more work for the smaller(left) arm but that didnt really help. Once I progressed to lifting much heavier weight on my barbell curls and extensions the left arm caught up QUICK.

I think the difference is actually more in my triceps than biceps... I may have to start doing extensions with cables and dumbbells again.

[billb7581]

fap with the other hand?

[shuaman]

One tip you could try if you don't already. Is when performing single arm exercises, always start with your weaker arm first. Because if you start with your stronger arm you might get 8 good reps, and then switch to your weaker arm are only get 5-6 then have to spot the last reps

[GymMeathead]

I can actually help you with this. I've helped someone with the same problem. The key is NOT to curl with 2 hands together. When you curl with 2 hands together you tend to use 1 arm more then the other. In your case your curling with ur left(bigger arm) and stabilizing with your right(smaller arm)

Do alternating curls. Always start with your smaller arm and make sure you do the same amount with your bigger arm. You can also add a few reps extra with your smaller arm at the end. In time they will be the same.

[infiniteblade]

I can actually help you with this. I've helped someone with the same problem. The key is NOT to curl with 2 hands together. When you curl with 2 hands together you tend to use 1 arm more then the other. In your case your curling with ur left(bigger arm) and stabilizing with your right(smaller arm)

Do alternating curls. Always start with your smaller arm and make sure you do the same amount with your bigger arm. You can also add a few reps extra with your smaller arm at the end. In time they will be the same.

I do alternate when I do standing dumbbell curls, and I always make sure I don't do more with the left, even if it isn't at failure when the right is. A lot of it has to do with my weird right shoulder, especially the pec and tricep difference. For some reason my right shoulder actually has a larger range of movement than the left and it's not as tight (no, it's not due to past injury), so I have had to focus REALLY hard lately on benching with my chest all the way across and not leaning on that right deltoid (in which case, the right is bigger).

My biceps are a lot closer to being even now, it's the triceps and the pecs that are really being stubborn.

[GymMeathead]

For bicep when doing alternate dumbbells, do them seated, and put a dumbbell standing up infront of you and put your feet on it. Having your feet up and sitting isolate the bicep a lot more.

As for the pec do more incline dumbbell flys and incline cable flys, also dumbbell pull overs are good.

Tricep is gonna be more tricky. Just remember when doing tris to keep everything tight and even. Try to push a little more with your weaker arm, but keep everything controlled.

[infiniteblade]

For bicep when doing alternate dumbbells, do them seated, and put a dumbbell standing up infront of you and put your feet on it. Having your feet up and sitting isolate the bicep a lot more.

As for the pec do more incline dumbbell flys and incline cable flys, also dumbbell pull overs are good.

Tricep is gonna be more tricky. Just remember when doing tris to keep everything tight and even. Try to push a little more with your weaker arm, but keep everything controlled.

I already do incline dumbbell presses; it's not the upper peck that's uneven, it's the lower mostly. I think I might actually need to start doing decline dumbbell presses.

[jusrus]

Ahhh i havent measured my arms but i can see my left bicep strechs longer then my right up to my forearm. >.>

[qeynos]

weighted faps is the best way to uneven the balance

[infiniteblade]

weighted faps is the best way to uneven the balance

What the hell is a "fap?"

[JamesH007]

I measured my arms yesterday, and it turns out that my left arm is almost an inch bigger than my right arm. What can I do to get my right arm to be as big as my left arm?

Use your other arm when you have "Lotion time"