uneven chest

[TR3NT]

for as long as ive been seriously working out, my left pec is significantly larger in mass than my right pec. ive tried a few things to even this out, but its mostly been futile. what id like to know is, would it be unwise to do a few sets on bench with 5 or so extra lbs on the right side?

dont add more weight on the other side. Use dumbells and machines with full range of motion paying attention to your other arm. You might have to even reduce the weight.

[Matthew_Tyler]

i know you all recommend against it, but ive been doing dumbbell sets with an extra 5 lbs on the right side. only on my sets of 8 though, the rest i do evenly. and at the end of the day, i do 3 sets of 8 on reg bench with an extra 5 lbs on the right side again. despite the warnings, this seems to be very effective. its only been 2 workouts and the right has caught up considerably.

hey bro... so have u finally managed to balance them now?? im gon heed ur method if they work perfectly dude..

[Mathhar]

I discovered that I had the same issue about 4 years ago. My theory is that this issues results from poor shoulder posture. I would bet that most of the people who are complaining about an uneven chest are right handed, and that their left pec is bigger than their right. That is because people have a tendency to slouch their dominant side. I found that my right pec was smaller because my left shoulder muscles were not as strong as my right shoulder muscles, and that is why my left pec had to work harder (and grow bigger). I also developed some rotator cuff problems on my right side because of the load I was putting on my right shoulder. Over the years, my right pec has caught up, but only because I make sure my right shoulder is not doing too much work. I do this by making sure my right shoulder blade is flat on the bench. If you do this successfully, you should feel a slight strecth in your chest. You may also notice that your left shoulder blade was already fully on the bench. These are just my thoughts. I hope these insights are of use.

[dstyrna]

i also have this problem

i try to make sure all of my mechanics are good, but still cant get my right pec to catch up.

what about doing bench on the ground, where your arms can only go down to the ground and your shoulders will both be planted, rather than on the bench where you can be leaning over to one side or the other

[jayoheazy]

1. Start using dumbbells

2. When you do use a barbell make sure the bar remains parallel throughout the ROM and you displace the stress evenly

[xArtist]

Can someone who has been able to fix the problem, tell me the way that they went about it ?

[cbh135]

I discovered that I had the same issue about 4 years ago. My theory is that this issues results from poor shoulder posture. I would bet that most of the people who are complaining about an uneven chest are right handed, and that their left pec is bigger than their right. That is because people have a tendency to slouch their dominant side. I found that my right pec was smaller because my left shoulder muscles were not as strong as my right shoulder muscles, and that is why my left pec had to work harder (and grow bigger). I also developed some rotator cuff problems on my right side because of the load I was putting on my right shoulder. Over the years, my right pec has caught up, but only because I make sure my right shoulder is not doing too much work. I do this by making sure my right shoulder blade is flat on the bench. If you do this successfully, you should feel a slight strecth in your chest. You may also notice that your left shoulder blade was already fully on the bench. These are just my thoughts. I hope these insights are of use.

This is EXACTLY right. I have had an uneven chest as long as I can remember. And it was due to my right shoulder blade being slanted, pushing my shoulder forward. I didn't realize this until after I developed torn cartilage from all the pressing, but have since had surgery to fix it. My shoulder blade still doesn't sit right, so I have to force it to lay flat when I bench press. If you have this problem, use dumbbells, it works much better. And reallllly concentrate on keeping your shoulder blade flat. You'll notice your smaller side getting the same workout as your large side. It takes a while to even out (mine still aren't even), but keep working at it consistently and you will get results.

[061712617]

I have the same issue because of scoliosis. I switched from barbells to only DBs and have noticed the uneven chest has not gotten worse.

[jimgoose]

I had some minor scoliosis growing up too. My sternum on my left side has a noticable curve up that makes for a fuller pec. I think its bang on when the above says scoliosis. I grew like a weed when i was 13-14, like 10 inches that yr. On my bench bench, the left side is definetly 5% stronger as a result. My body tries to compensate a bit by moving. Tricep work helps but it always going to be there.

[GeOFF72]

Big reason for the imbalance is not coming from your chest, but your backside instead. Like mentioned earlier one guy said his right trap was much smaller too. The reason your shoulder goes forward (causing particular pec to be smaller) is because the muscle connecting your pec to your shoulder is much stronger than the muscle connecting your shoulder to your upper back. Stick with dumbbells for workouts, however start incorporating a good upper back/rear deltoid with your chest workout. Everyone knows it's not good to workout just quads and forsake your hams. Doing so can create big problems and cause you to be injury prone. So why not train your upper body like you would your lower body? My suggestion, stick with dumbbells for now, lower your weight, and superset some bent over DB rows with your alternating DB bench.

[Marsevar]

This is EXACTLY right. I have had an uneven chest as long as I can remember. And it was due to my right shoulder blade being slanted, pushing my shoulder forward. I didn't realize this until after I developed torn cartilage from all the pressing, but have since had surgery to fix it. My shoulder blade still doesn't sit right, so I have to force it to lay flat when I bench press. If you have this problem, use dumbbells, it works much better. And reallllly concentrate on keeping your shoulder blade flat. You'll notice your smaller side getting the same workout as your large side. It takes a while to even out (mine still aren't even), but keep working at it consistently and you will get results.

Completely agree with this analysis. Mathhar, cbh135 & GeOFF72 are correct in my opinion. I'm right handed and my right shoulder sags and I have to concentrate on keeping it flat when lifting. Hard to do when lifting heavy so it's best to sort the problem out starting light. You have to really focus to make it work. Have also started focusing more attention on rear delt work, like GeOFF72 mentioned. Keep in mind that nobody's body is perfect, so don't get discouraged. It just gives you one more thing to work toward. Also, I would advise against lifting different weights on different sides as you will probably create an imbalance in other places, e.g. your arms.

[leoschick]

think im the only one here where its the right pec that is twice as big BUT only the inner/upper area... srsly if my left side was as big as my right i could have a v-neck shirt and u would see the seperation. My left upper and inner chest is flat... wtf
Only other inbalances that might have to do with this is my left shoulder is also smaller and in general the left arms mass is smaller too...

Have never benched with barbell. Only DB. HEEELP... Afraid to work chest anymore cuz its looking **** right now...

[gokitty199]

i have the same issue. my left tricep is a little bigger and my left chest is getting to be almost half the size of my righ chest

[winzter143]

I discovered that I had the same issue about 4 years ago. My theory is that this issues results from poor shoulder posture. I would bet that most of the people who are complaining about an uneven chest are right handed, and that their left pec is bigger than their right. That is because people have a tendency to slouch their dominant side. I found that my right pec was smaller because my left shoulder muscles were not as strong as my right shoulder muscles, and that is why my left pec had to work harder (and grow bigger). I also developed some rotator cuff problems on my right side because of the load I was putting on my right shoulder. Over the years, my right pec has caught up, but only because I make sure my right shoulder is not doing too much work. I do this by making sure my right shoulder blade is flat on the bench. If you do this successfully, you should feel a slight strecth in your chest. You may also notice that your left shoulder blade was already fully on the bench. These are just my thoughts. I hope these insights are of use.

This is EXACTLY right. I have had an uneven chest as long as I can remember. And it was due to my right shoulder blade being slanted, pushing my shoulder forward. I didn't realize this until after I developed torn cartilage from all the pressing, but have since had surgery to fix it. My shoulder blade still doesn't sit right, so I have to force it to lay flat when I bench press. If you have this problem, use dumbbells, it works much better. And reallllly concentrate on keeping your shoulder blade flat. You'll notice your smaller side getting the same workout as your large side. It takes a while to even out (mine still aren't even), but keep working at it consistently and you will get results.

I guess Mathhar give the cause. Im right handed but my left chest are bigger the my right.. I know my right hand are stronger and expect to be my right chest is bigger.. I guess it also cause by the time i already tired and mostly the time the left are loose and going to cathup the bar alignment..

Nexttime I try lighter than my usual lift weight.

Hope it will work. good Luck on me.

[henmaniac87]

no.


maybe start doing dumbells? same wieght on each arm, but the smaller pec will prolly have to work a lil harder to get that wieght up, and maybe edventually even out. im not sure though this seems odd. how badly uneven is it?

i would just keep lifting, edventually it will even out, for sure, as long as your growing

Id do dumbbells also, some difference in size is normal, as long as its not a clear muscle imbalance. Id do DB over BB anyways. I think
theyre overall better at building chest muscle.

[ethical]

This is EXACTLY right. I have had an uneven chest as long as I can remember. And it was due to my right shoulder blade being slanted, pushing my shoulder forward. I didn't realize this until after I developed torn cartilage from all the pressing, but have since had surgery to fix it. My shoulder blade still doesn't sit right, so I have to force it to lay flat when I bench press. If you have this problem, use dumbbells, it works much better. And reallllly concentrate on keeping your shoulder blade flat. You'll notice your smaller side getting the same workout as your large side. It takes a while to even out (mine still aren't even), but keep working at it consistently and you will get results.

This is helpful. Can you just elaborate on "making your sure your shoulder blade sits flat"? If I understand you correctly, you are suggesting someone with this issue keeps their shoulder (on the weak chest side) pulled back so the shoulder blade lays flatter, as opposed to having your shoulder pushed forward? Essentially should I be pulling my shoulder blades together when i lay on the bench?

I have been trying to combat this uneven pec thing for some time now and I am definitely in the uneven shoulder blade boat.


Thanks

[tagle301]

I have the same problem. My right pec is smaller than my left. I also believe that the shoulder blade has alot to do with it. I believe it is due to years of lifting too heavy with poor shoulder form. I've since changed to doing db's on the ground and concentrating on laying my shoulder flat while squeezing my traps together to take weight off my shoulders. Also concentrate on squeezing your pecs. I've noticed that I get a better burn/stretch doing it this way. I believe in my younger years I was too concentrated on lifting more weight that I forced my shoulder to take up the slack and just kept doing the same thing every time I did bench. Overtime this caused my left pec to develop perfectly but my right stayed weaker and less full. I'm going to continue and see how it evens out. Also I'm going to begin stretching my shoulder muscles mainly the subscapularis and strengthen my upper back and rear delts. If I can get my right pec to look like my left I'd be extremely happy.

[dday39]

bump of piss

[ilovegym3]

by giving more stress on left chest increase the size of right chest??????????please help!!!!!!!!

[impishsquish]

Halp, anyone notice this pulling shoulder ba co dumbbells only working, I've been trying it for about a month and just looked in the mirror

[PG28]

Ive got the same problem: my right chest muscle is fully defined while my left is shaped different and smaller. Like the muscle ends right under my nipple :/

Is dumbbells for chest the way to go? Can anybody post a link to youtube with the correct exercise for dumbbells for chest - one arm?

I have exactly the same problem. I have scoliosis, but my left side seems to me more full and defined. I usually do all machine workout, to give me more stability not only for my back but also to prevent injuries. But that really sucks!

[travestyfund]

Resurrected this thread.. Haven't met anyone with the same problem yet. I have the same issue. Training for three years mainly calisthenics. Dumbbells don't even fix the problem. The lower outer half of my left pec doesn't get any pump. I think its my pec minor. My left shoulder alignment to lower outer chest is aligned differently to my right. Everything I do I can feel stimulation in my right pec but my left barely/doesn't get any at all

pulls/chins/push/dips/muscle ups/bench/shoulder press/machines/etc... I also train with a weighted vest thats at 53 lbs at the moment . I feel burning sensation in the outer lower of my smaller pec when doing dips/push ups. It's like there is No muscle attachment. Only the pec major gets uncomfortable stimulation.

I have a posture brace in the mail I ordered through alibaba express on a hope that it can bring back my left shoulder and open my left chest cavity more (if that makes any sense). My shoulders are rolled forward. my right shoulder is also a bit bigger than my left. Both my arms/triceps are balanced. Its mainly just my left pec lower outer pec. its not something I just notice.

I felt an imbalance in my left butt too from leg day, and have balanced it out with pistol squats.

I am working on the 1 arm push up

Cursed

[travestyfund]

after 2-3 years, i am starting to balance out. i learned to do the 1 arm push up. still hard. im 6'2, 189.

with the weighted vest (53 lbs right now), i make sure to squeeze my shoulder blade/pec minor/side of chest. *you need to play with the angles of your shoulder /chest and find the Socket where everything connects for the smaller pec.

For me, i will be in a half-rep push up position with the vest and elbows flared out to the sides. slightly lean on your smaller side. then push nice and slow and always return to the half-rep or 3/4 rep position until you start to feel the smaller pec burning out. after, you can change the positioning of your hands/elbows to close, wide, whatever (still returning to half-rep or 3/4 rep). then do full reps. never forget to squeeze the muscle and push to get that burn. its hard, frustrating but possible. also, arch your back a bit for some sets and have your chin pointing upwards when your doing these push ups with the weighted vest. it feels like a decline and i can feel the smaller pec getting a nice lower burn. also street curb push ups are good too. same guidelines ^^

after lots of trial and error, still a long way to go. but, i think i got it. lots of muscle memory is required. at first you will think this isnt working. after 1 month your muscles will get used to the contractions. you need to really tweak the smaller side of chest by bringing back the shoulder blade on the smaller pec. you want to shift the shoulder blade so its in a downward position. you will know this feeling when your in the weight vest. it really helps . ive been training with weighted vest for 2.5 years and now I'm only figuring this out. maybe i have scoliosis. i dont know.

still looks a bit weird/feels a bit weird wearing tshirts. my left side is still slightly sunk in from not having a developed lower pec. it makes me self conscious. i roll my shoulders forward when i walk on the street. but now I'm starting not to mind cause I know I'm fixing the problem. im starting to get some weight and lift in it.

dumb bells still dont do **** . only good at the end of push up session ^^ . i still feel it more on my shoulder than pec. bench press, i haven't touched that in a while but will take another go at sooner than later. push ups/dips (gironda dips) seem to be the only thing that will work if you have what i have. with a weight vest. unless you want to body build and be thick as f*** , i think i may have cracked this for the smaller lower outer pec (frog pec problems). compare C1 and C3 .

you need to fight gravity. it takes a lot of mental determination. I will post another progress pic in a couple months

im sick of having this and just want it to be over. its embarassing when you hook up with a girl and shes expecting to see a nice chest

mind the mess. i took a 1 month sublet and moving out tomorrow

Hope this helps. if any of you want to provide feedback, cool

[xxchumxx]

Hey all,

Glad to hear there are others out there struggling with the same issue as myself. I played multiple sports in high school, and then a DII football career that segued into a short NFL stint. The focus then was always strength at any cost. Unfortunately one of those costs was years of fairly unbalanced form, which led to developing an asymmetrical upper body. Now being done with football training, my efforts have switched to a healthier, longitudinal approach to weight training. Through research and trial/error, I've narrowed it down to this- improper shoulder posture and strength imbalances in that area. Through proper warm ups, stretching and exercises focused on these areas, I've come up with a winning mix... finally.

One lift that helps immensely is DB floor presses and flies. Being on a solid, wide platform (the floor) doesn't allow for shoulder slouching and identifies the areas of bad posture. With this I'm able to adjust accordingly and feel immediate feedback/reinforcement, which goes a long way mentally. It's a frustrating journey. Some days it's easy to "set" my shoulder correctly. Others not so much. Just stay focused on the goal of fixing those areas, and fight through the frustrating times. Eventually it will balance out. Cheers!

[Huncho7]

Hey...10 years later did you fix the problem.. I have the same issue and It kills me too...kindly a brother out