Muscle Imbalance

[mah5]

last year, i started my first workout regiment. being right handed, i noticed a small size difference in my forearms. so to even it out i started during a forearm workout that i thought would fix it. from a sitting position i would grab the dumbbell, (which was around 30lbs-40lbs) keeping the weight between my legs, i would curl my left wrist up. i expected to even my forearms out, but it didn't. things got worse. from holding onto the weight i strained my tricep and bicep making them stronger. and without using both arms, i had a big difference in muscle mass between my tricep and bicep. but at the time i was unaware and continued lifting as as normal, but since my left tricep was stronger than the other, when i lifted barbell bench press i started to make my left chest bigger than the other. this was when i noticed the difference and realized i messed up.

regardless if you understand what happened, i have a muscle imbalance in my chest, tricep, and bicep (but my bicep is almost evened out.) i have only told you my story to prevent you from posting reasons/theories about skeletal problems or form problems. it is simply a uneducated mistake.

i know and understand that i must use dumbbells to even out my tricep and chest. but when i tried doing isolated tricep exercises to even out my tricep it only made them more different. now, on my right tricep my long head* and middle head* are stronger and on my left tricep my lateral head* is the one that is the strongest. i want to even them out, but am unsure. Also my chest is uneven. I want to do pec flys, but am nervous to do so because i am afraid by doing my right side more than the other i will strengthen my deltoid on my right more than my left. which in the future is no good either.

i wish to even these muscles out, do you have any workouts that could solve my problems? understand that these imbalances are NOT ridiculous, they can only be noticed when pointed out. but, in terms of lifting, one side is clearly stronger than the other.


*refer to this link to understand the "*terms" in the entry.
getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/forearmmuscles/menu/image.gif

thank you for your help in advance.

[Shermanatorx]

last year, i started my first workout regiment. being right handed, i noticed a small size difference in my forearms. so to even it out i started during a forearm workout that i thought would fix it. from a sitting position i would grab the dumbbell, (which was around 30lbs-40lbs) keeping the weight between my legs, i would curl my left wrist up. i expected to even my forearms out, but it didn't. things got worse. from holding onto the weight i strained my tricep and bicep making them stronger. and without using both arms, i had a big difference in muscle mass between my tricep and bicep. but at the time i was unaware and continued lifting as as normal, but since my left tricep was stronger than the other, when i lifted barbell bench press i started to make my left chest bigger than the other. this was when i noticed the difference and realized i messed up.

regardless if you understand what happened, i have a muscle imbalance in my chest, tricep, and bicep (but my bicep is almost evened out.) i have only told you my story to prevent you from posting reasons/theories about skeletal problems or form problems. it is simply a uneducated mistake.

i know and understand that i must use dumbbells to even out my tricep and chest. but when i tried doing isolated tricep exercises to even out my tricep it only made them more different. now, on my right tricep my long head* and middle head* are stronger and on my left tricep my lateral head* is the one that is the strongest. i want to even them out, but am unsure. Also my chest is uneven. I want to do pec flys, but am nervous to do so because i am afraid by doing my right side more than the other i will strengthen my deltoid on my right more than my left. which in the future is no good either.

i wish to even these muscles out, do you have any workouts that could solve my problems? understand that these imbalances are NOT ridiculous, they can only be noticed when pointed out. but, in terms of lifting, one side is clearly stronger than the other.


*refer to this link to understand the "*terms" in the entry.
getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/forearmmuscles/menu/image.gif

thank you for your help in advance.

When you were regularly lifting what did your workouts look like?

[mah5]

When you were regularly lifting what did your workouts look like?

before i realized my imbalance: push downs, kickbacks,... etc. bb chest press, pec fly.

after: i started doing alternating dumbbell lifts, isolated tricep excersices, and i was doing pec flys. all with extra sets on my weaker side.

[mah5]

but i have stopped doing the extra sets with the pec flys because i am nervous that i will then build an imbalance between my deltoids.

[Hags]

Having a "stronger side" is something that everyone deals with. My dominant side is my left and I have always been stronger on my left than on my right. Everyone has slight muscle imbalances (My left arm is slightly bigger than my left). You can't totally prevent it but you can workout in such a way as to minimize it. One of the most significant techniques is ALWAYS start with you weaker side when performing exercises that only require lifting a weight on one side at a time (i.e alternating dumbbell curls, bent over dumbbell rows etc...) This way you can really focus on the weaker side to improve it. Also, always perform the same number of reps for each side. This is another reason you start with your weaker side. For example, if you can do only do 10 dumbbell rows with a certain weight on your weaker side ONLY do 10 reps with your stronger side even though you could probably do more. Over time, you will notice that the strength differences will diminish and become much less noticeable.

[Shermanatorx]

My suggestion would be to do compound lifts. It sounds like all you have done is isolation exercises.

[mah5]

Having a "stronger side" is something that everyone deals with. My dominant side is my left and I have always been stronger on my left than on my right. Everyone has slight muscle imbalances (My left arm is slightly bigger than my left). You can't totally prevent it but you can workout in such a way as to minimize it. One of the most significant techniques is ALWAYS start with you weaker side when performing exercises that only require lifting a weight on one side at a time (i.e alternating dumbbell curls, bent over dumbbell rows etc...) This way you can really focus on the weaker side to improve it. Also, always perform the same number of reps for each side. This is another reason you start with your weaker side. For example, if you can do only do 10 dumbbell rows with a certain weight on your weaker side ONLY do 10 reps with your stronger side even though you could probably do more. Over time, you will notice that the strength differences will diminish and become much less noticeable.

you think it is better to do the same amount of sets with my weaker and stronger side?regardless of the difference? no extra sets on my weaker side?

[egyptianboy]

Having a "stronger side" is something that everyone deals with. My dominant side is my left and I have always been stronger on my left than on my right. Everyone has slight muscle imbalances (My left arm is slightly bigger than my left). You can't totally prevent it but you can workout in such a way as to minimize it. One of the most significant techniques is ALWAYS start with you weaker side when performing exercises that only require lifting a weight on one side at a time (i.e alternating dumbbell curls, bent over dumbbell rows etc...) This way you can really focus on the weaker side to improve it. Also, always perform the same number of reps for each side. This is another reason you start with your weaker side. For example, if you can do only do 10 dumbbell rows with a certain weight on your weaker side ONLY do 10 reps with your stronger side even though you could probably do more. Over time, you will notice that the strength differences will diminish and become much less noticeable.

I know this thread is old and wont' know if you will reply but for a muscle imbalance should one increase the weight or keep the same weight in hopes of one muscle growing while the other side maintain itself in size???

[AHorv95]

Having a "stronger side" is something that everyone deals with. My dominant side is my left and I have always been stronger on my left than on my right. Everyone has slight muscle imbalances (My left arm is slightly bigger than my left). You can't totally prevent it but you can workout in such a way as to minimize it. One of the most significant techniques is ALWAYS start with you weaker side when performing exercises that only require lifting a weight on one side at a time (i.e alternating dumbbell curls, bent over dumbbell rows etc...) This way you can really focus on the weaker side to improve it. Also, always perform the same number of reps for each side. This is another reason you start with your weaker side. For example, if you can do only do 10 dumbbell rows with a certain weight on your weaker side ONLY do 10 reps with your stronger side even though you could probably do more. Over time, you will notice that the strength differences will diminish and become much less noticeable.

^This right here