imbalanced body structure

[azz]

hello, im new to this forum just came accross it while browsing. just wanted to find out some information to help me out.

i find that my left side is visually smaller than my right. in particularly my chest the right pec looks bigger. i can get away with it on the arms and shoulders but i have a problem with the chest and abs, my left side seems to have a copletely different structure.

is there any advise you can give to me for this problem?

id appreciate your feedback.
thanks

 

[Mike_Rojas]

This is a common problem. Usually you balance out over time. You can use dumbbells to balance things out. You could do a couple extra sets for the smaller side, too. You shouldn't be too concerned, though.

 

[eat big]

dont worry about it too much, when i was younger i was very unbalanced, my right side was huge compared to my left, now my left side is so much stronger. youll balance out, do dumbells and stretch

 

[TRUEsoldier]

yea bro, I notice balance to be off, favoring my right side, it just makes me push harder, and I know adventually it will smooth out, as long as you dont continue to work the right side harder!!

peace

oh yea and stick with DB's for awhile, it will ensure that each side is getting equal amount of training

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

It's pretty typical for a persons body to be asymmetrical. My left arm is a 1/2" smaller than my right arm. Same for calves. Visually you can tell the difference, but only slightly. Alot of it has to do with the brain and which side it controls most I think. If you are right handed then obviously you will favor the right side of the body, and vice versa for left handers. I wouldn't worry, just train both sides equally hard which should be the norm anyway if you do barbell work and most exercsies with both arms at the same time. You may take out a set for the bigger side and add a set for the smaller side, might help.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

do you do anything that naturally favors one side over the other? tennis maybe? or always picking stuff up with the strong side?

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Everyone favors a side without knowing it or simply thinking about it.

For example, you probably always use the same hand to eat, brush your teeth, whack off, change channels with the remote, stir and shake your protein, pull your fly down before peeing, wipe your butt etc etc etc.

Just some examples of how people favor their dominant hand/side all day long.

 

[WalkingBeast]

I had the same problem and now my dominant side switches from time to time. Sometimes my left arm is a 1/4 inch bigger and sometimes my right. I also had strength issues when I was starting out with one side of the bar going up higher then the other. Its all pretty much evened out for me over the years without even trying to fix it. Ive always used the barbell for bench presses for the most part, and its eventually evened out. Sometimes on the heavier presses one side will go up first, or sometimes when one of my shoulders is giving me pain, but aside from that it hasnt been an issue anymore. It should even out over time on its own.

 

[azz]

hello again

thanks for the replys i appreiciate it. im glad no-one has mentioned it to be anything serious.

another thing is that i dont feel any strain on my chest anymore after training. im usually in the gym for a long time and do quite exercises that benefit me.

i do use the barbell on the flat bench, and i use dumbells for the incline press and the for the flyes. i feel more strain on my forearms.
i thought maybe i was doing the exercise wrong but i used 2 feel it before now i dont.

has anyone else ever had this problem

 

[Tom Treutlein]

You're just becoming accustomed to the training stimulus.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

Maybe do a set of dumbells flyes, and then immediately go to barbell benching with the least possible rest time between exercises. So do the flyes on the bench with the barbell already loaded and set to go. This is called pre-exhaustion, it's taxing, but it works. You should be able to feel your chest more that way. Or you could try doing some drop sets. Get a spotter or training partner to help you out. Now select a weight on the barbell bench that you can do say 10-12 times. Do your reps, then have the guy quickly take off 10-20 pounds, do as many reps as you can, then have him take off 10-20 more pounds and complete to failure. This will tire you out, but your chest, shoulders and triceps should be burning very nicely after it. I wouldn't do this for more than 2-4 weeks at a time, and probably better off doing it once every third or 4th workout.