one pec is bigger than the other

[wrestle171]

ok, for some time my left pec has been slightly bigger than my right. lately it is to the point where you can see the difference through my shirt. any suggestions on how i could just make the right one bigger? i could post pics if need be. but they are both the same strength which is the weird thing

[KopyKat]

Could be genetic, could be underdeveloped. If its the first one theres not much you can do except lift and make it less noticable.

If its a development issue or thickness difference it could give the illusion that one is bigger or shaped a bit differently, this is very common and can be appointed by checking your form, you may feel the same on both sides but one side might be using more arm/shoulder and the other more chest action. The reason being that your body has adapted to doing it this way, it takes time and effort to equalize this but it will start equaling out.

Your not the only one and humans are never 100% symmetrical, so don't get discouraged, you must really re-evalute your form and keep at it. Your body will want to go back to doing it the way you were doing it so you must constantly keep form. You WILL have to take off some weight so be expecting that.

Remember: Keep the shoulder blades retracted to maximize chest involvment.
Keep those elbows in the same place on both sides.

You can also try dumbells for more isolation, but i find that bb or db is the same, its all about using proper form.

If you checked all of the above and your form is pretty much close to MINT, then it could also be the genetic part, one of your pecs has slightly different muscle fibres than the other and that will keep them a bit unequal because one might benefit in size from a different rep range than the other.

Sorry for the big read, this is what im found with my studys and my path on trying to find symmetry from personal experience. Good luck and never give up

If you feel comfortable posting pics then do so, it could help me determine what part of the chest might need the most work and what movements will benefit most. Or if you want just pm me and ill give you my email addy and you could send it my way. Ive been battling with this for awhile and ive made pretty good progress it seems now that i have the knowledge, so ill try to help in any way i can.

[wrestle171]

hey thanks a lot. if it helps at all, i recently got a pull up bar. once i started using that a lot is when my pec difference started to become real pronounced. ill post pics when i get my camera working.

oh, and one has a weird like arch to it at the bottom, like theres just nothing there...

[F W Nietszche]

Contary to popular belief, there is little you can actually do to remedy disproportionate chests, you cannot do more sets for one than the other. Rathe you can bring the whole chest up and thereby making the difference proportionally smaller.

Furthermore, everyone is disproportionate, nobody is symetric about the middle, not even the best of the pros. It is genetically determined, however I am willing to to say that your difference is probably only perceptable to you, I doubt anybody is going to notic unless they go up close and inspect it. The solution is jsut to train hard and let your genetics guide you.

[wrestle171]

ok...but what you said about nobody noticing-my buddy drew said just the other day at his house that my left 1 was way bigger. so i know its not that hide-able. i mean even my nipple looks lke its moved or something..

[KopyKat]

Contary to popular belief, there is little you can actually do to remedy disproportionate chests, you cannot do more sets for one than the other. Rathe you can bring the whole chest up and thereby making the difference proportionally smaller.

Furthermore, everyone is disproportionate, nobody is symetric about the middle, not even the best of the pros. It is genetically determined, however I am willing to to say that your difference is probably only perceptable to you, I doubt anybody is going to notic unless they go up close and inspect it. The solution is jsut to train hard and let your genetics guide you.

Exactly, bringing up the chest as a whole makes the difference smaller, but i do believe that genetics and improper form are 2 seperate things, either way no matter what you will not be 100% symmetrical. You have used your dominant side all your life so its going to have different fibres. Just keep working it WITH proper form and the difference will get smaller. And Nietszche is right again, the difference is noticed by the owner more than ANYONE will ever know, since you see your body everyday and know it better than anyone. Sounds to me like you might have to revamp your form...check on that with some lighter weight and try to maintain it with heavier weight. Find the weight that both sides can do without losing form.

[Grant73]

One thing you could try, if you are not already, is to really concentrate on the left side working when doing chest exercises.

[wrestle171]

^^ its my left side thats bigger

and my right side (smaller) is my dominant side

but thanks for the input everybody

[KopyKat]

^^ its my left side thats bigger

and my right side (smaller) is my dominant side

but thanks for the input everybody

Same with me, my left pec seems to have a nicer rounder look to it while my right seems to be the same size/thickness, its lacking some mass in the lower/mid outer area and even a bit in the upper inner area. Bascially one is a bit more developed than the other. Both are very similar, but the illusion is there in some instances that one is bigger even thought that isn't neccessarly the case.

Im also right hand dominant. Since you've done many lighter things with it all your life, it could mean that the right side fibres are a bit more compressed and its stronger for its size (more conditioned) than the left. Just a thought.

[wrestle171]

i see..
now to explain the little "arch"thing
ill post a pic in about 10 minutes if i can

[*KNUCKLEHEAD*]

i have the big left side also. now my chest routine is

4 sets of regular pushups ( since i workout at home)
4 sets of right side only incline press on machine
4 sets of right side only bench press on machine

been doin it for a few weeks and its finally catchin up to the other (bigger) side. just keep at it dude.

[wrestle171]

knucklehead..thanks, i work out at home a lot too so ill try that. pic almost up

[wrestle171]

heres the pics. notice the little arch thing in the bottom of my right one. it actually looks like its my left, but thats cuz i took the picture in a mirror

http://pictures.sprintpcs.com/i/5822...&outquality=90
http://pictures.sprintpcs.com/i/5822...&outquality=90

[SaNdMaN]

The links don't work. Why don't you just upload the pics directly?

[wrestle171]

ill do it in the morning. i have to sleep

[KopyKat]

i have the big left side also. now my chest routine is

4 sets of regular pushups ( since i workout at home)
4 sets of right side only incline press on machine
4 sets of right side only bench press on machine

been doin it for a few weeks and its finally catchin up to the other (bigger) side. just keep at it dude.

I dunno you can develop other posture hurting things doing one side at a time, i think its safer to use less weight and just concentrate on form. It could effect your spine posture. But whatever works for you man, just don't do it that way too much.

[*KNUCKLEHEAD*]

I dunno you can develop other posture hurting things doing one side at a time, i think its safer to use less weight and just concentrate on form. It could effect your spine posture. But whatever works for you man, just don't do it that way too much.

i never thought about that. maybe ill start doin the one side training in cycles. thanks for the heads up. wrestler maybe we oughtta alternate the one sided training a month on and regular traiing for a month, etc. good insight kat.

[$AJ]

nobody is percetly symmetrical.

also, what's horrible unsymmetrical to you isn't even noticeable to most.

[Amac8487]

Same with me, my left pec seems to have a nicer rounder look to it while my right seems to be the same size/thickness, its lacking some mass in the lower/mid outer area and even a bit in the upper inner area. Bascially one is a bit more developed than the other. Both are very similar, but the illusion is there in some instances that one is bigger even thought that isn't neccessarly the case.

Im also right hand dominant. Since you've done many lighter things with it all your life, it could mean that the right side fibres are a bit more compressed and its stronger for its size (more conditioned) than the left. Just a thought.

Ditto

i couldnt have said it better. Mine seems to be doing the exact same thing. I hope it doesnt get worse!

[KingOfChaos]

I had a problem where my right was larger than my left because I am right handed. So I got where I was doing one arm flyes with my left. Seems to have helped balance them out in size.

[KopyKat]

Ditto

i couldnt have said it better. Mine seems to be doing the exact same thing. I hope it doesnt get worse!

It seems to be quite common, it will get worse if you don't correct your form. Be sure to be retracting the shoulder blades and concentrate on pressing with the chest equally on both sides. It might take some getting used to and a weight drop, but its well worth it IMO. Since ive started doing this im starting to see mass gains in mostly the right areas making the illusion look better for both sides. I let it get pretty bad like a year ago, i even tryied a couple of months on one sided training but that didn't even do it very much because i still didn't know the proper form and retracting of the S blades. Ive seen the best results in the last couple months actually after constantly re-evaluting my form.

What AJ says is another truth, what seems horribly unsymmetrical to you will seem miniscule to others. After getting enough mass, that isn't the focal point anyways, keep lifting and using good form, numbers are irrelevant for the time being since you must get your body used to doing the weight with proper form.

[wrestle171]

hey, once again, thanks for all the help. and would bad form on the incline dumbell press have something to do with it? ive noticed today that my right arm is farther out than my left sometimes..

[Amac8487]

It seems to be quite common, it will get worse if you don't correct your form. Be sure to be retracting the shoulder blades and concentrate on pressing with the chest equally on both sides. It might take some getting used to and a weight drop, but its well worth it IMO. Since ive started doing this im starting to see mass gains in mostly the right areas making the illusion look better for both sides. I let it get pretty bad like a year ago, i even tryied a couple of months on one sided training but that didn't even do it very much because i still didn't know the proper form and retracting of the S blades. Ive seen the best results in the last couple months actually after constantly re-evaluting my form.

What AJ says is another truth, what seems horribly unsymmetrical to you will seem miniscule to others. After getting enough mass, that isn't the focal point anyways, keep lifting and using good form, numbers are irrelevant for the time being since you must get your body used to doing the weight with proper form.

Alright, ill make sure i do that next time thanks alot

just wondering, what are your guys chest routines? Im afraid im doing too many excersies needed. Everyone keeps telling me all i need is Db incline, flat and dips. So, how many workouts should i end up doing for my chest?

[SaNdMaN]

Post the pics, dude. I'm curious to see them cuz I have the same problem, although not as severe.

[KopyKat]

hey, once again, thanks for all the help. and would bad form on the incline dumbell press have something to do with it? ive noticed today that my right arm is farther out than my left sometimes..

It sure could i noticed mine did at first, keep the weight down and make sure your doing a nice 6-10 reps nice equal form. Constantly re-evalute form, gaining weight in the lifts might take some time since you must get used to using your body in that form. But you will see progress slowly, but it will come.

[KopyKat]

Alright, ill make sure i do that next time thanks alot

just wondering, what are your guys chest routines? Im afraid im doing too many excersies needed. Everyone keeps telling me all i need is Db incline, flat and dips. So, how many workouts should i end up doing for my chest?

Thats really up to you and genetics/muscle fibres. Difference rep ranges have different size/strength effects on different muscle types. Its up to you to find what works best for you. Those movements are all great for chest building, incorporating 3 movements into a routine with decent volume and different grips and "ways" of the doing the movements. You can stimulate alot of growth. Some will also suggest flys. I personally don't like doing them or the movement very much. I think your frame/joints/limb length have a bit to do with that.

For my routine, i usually like to drop set a little bit, using different grips lengths.

BB Flat bench: 4 sets with different grips on some of them. 6-8 reps
BB Incline bench: 4 sets with different grips on some of them. 6-8 reps
DB Incline: 3 sets dumbells, slow and controlled. 8-10 reps
DB Flat: 2 sets dumbells, slow and controlled. 8-10 reps

Seems to work nicely if you modify the movements to hit you in slightly different ways. I will also incorporate flys once every coupe workouts, and dips whenever i can like at my buddys place. I will soon be getting a membership to the gym and i will experiment further.

[Coleman_s Gut]

Put more weight on the left side of the bar.



What? It could work!

[KopyKat]

Put more weight on the left side of the bar.



What? It could work!

It could work if you keep the total weight a little lower than normal, then your weak side is pushing to its limit and the other side isn't getting worked out as much.

[Amac8487]

Thats really up to you and genetics/muscle fibres. Difference rep ranges have different size/strength effects on different muscle types. Its up to you to find what works best for you. Those movements are all great for chest building, incorporating 3 movements into a routine with decent volume and different grips and "ways" of the doing the movements. You can stimulate alot of growth. Some will also suggest flys. I personally don't like doing them or the movement very much. I think your frame/joints/limb length have a bit to do with that.

For my routine, i usually like to drop set a little bit, using different grips lengths.

BB Flat bench: 4 sets with different grips on some of them. 6-8 reps
BB Incline bench: 4 sets with different grips on some of them. 6-8 reps
DB Incline: 3 sets dumbells, slow and controlled. 8-10 reps
DB Flat: 2 sets dumbells, slow and controlled. 8-10 reps

Seems to work nicely if you modify the movements to hit you in slightly different ways. I will also incorporate flys once every coupe workouts, and dips whenever i can like at my buddys place. I will soon be getting a membership to the gym and i will experiment further.

Yeah, i mean, i am seeing results from what i have been doing, no doubt. I was just wondering that maybe if i cut back on so many excersies, it would make my gains even better... I hate to waste a few months to find out, but i guess thats what has to be done

[wrestle171]

wow, lots of posts. anyway here are the pics, you can see which one it is, the one with the arch thing in the lower middle. my camera doesnt show it much. its easier to see in the first picture. i took them with the mirror in my bathroom by the way