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Weightlifting question.

B

BlancoNino

Diamond Member
So it's pretty normal for a right-handed person to have the right side of their body stronger than then left...but it's better to balance it out.

Would it be okay to just work out the left side for awhile until it gets balanced? Or is it better to lift evenly and only let your right side do as much as your left?
 
IF you are really concerned about balancing out, then as BigJ said you should use dumbells. Also, make sure you work your left side to exhaustion and then do the same number on your right side. Even if you can do more on your right, I would just stop and do however you can do on your left side. Eventually the two sides will even out. Good Luck.
 
i would work evenly, then work the weaker side for a little more. definitely don't let your stronger side do more work than the weak though.
 
ABSOLUTELY NOT

Do not try to even out your sides. One side is not stronger than the other. This "unbalance" you are observing is due to neuromechanics. Your body is not yet used to the lifts you are doing so your dominate side takes over. Eventually your nervous system optimizes itself as one gets more used to a certain lift and it finds the shortest way to achieve the lift. Keep lifting and training evenly as it is still working out both sides. Concentrare on form, always form, especially since you are new to lifting. Form then weight.

Also you should not be concentrating on isolation exercises this new to lifting, stick to full body exercises (bench, deads, squat, cleans) until you are expereinced. Because you are just starting to lift you will get great gains this way.

Try reading more at bodybuilding.com and other places.

EDIT:
Also dumbell exercises should not be used until you find your weakness, such as traps or triceps on bench, then do dumbell stabilization exercises for assistance.
 
yea honestly i wouldn't even use dumbells. just use a barbell. you won't be able to do more on one side than the other.
 
Originally posted by: purbeast0
yea honestly i wouldn't even use dumbells. just use a barbell. you won't be able to do more on one side than the other.
Click to expand...

actually it's easier than you think to unbalance yourself on a barbell. if one arm is REALLY dominant over the other, that arm will be doing most of the work. This doesn't apply if you're attempting your max, though, i guess.
 
Originally posted by: purbeast0
yea honestly i wouldn't even use dumbells. just use a barbell. you won't be able to do more on one side than the other.
Click to expand...

actually that's not true. When doing reps with barbells you can lift mroe with one side to help it up.

Edit: Aflac ya beat me to it 🙁
 
Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Originally posted by: purbeast0
yea honestly i wouldn't even use dumbells. just use a barbell. you won't be able to do more on one side than the other.
Click to expand...

actually that's not true. When doing reps with barbells you can lift mroe with one side to help it up.

Edit: Aflac ya beat me to it 🙁
Click to expand...

Once again, this is not due to muscle strength.
 
Originally posted by: F22 Raptor
Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Originally posted by: purbeast0
yea honestly i wouldn't even use dumbells. just use a barbell. you won't be able to do more on one side than the other.
Click to expand...

actually that's not true. When doing reps with barbells you can lift mroe with one side to help it up.

Edit: Aflac ya beat me to it 🙁
Click to expand...

Once again, this is not due to muscle strength.
Click to expand...

Correct.
 
Once again...I took measurements (along with a friend) and BOTH of our right side muscles are BIGGER than the left. How could that not be due to more muscle mass?
 
Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Once again...I took measurements (along with a friend) and BOTH of our right side muscles are BIGGER than the left. How could that not be due to more muscle mass?
Click to expand...

First of all size is related to strength, but not a direct comparison. When I get pumps at the gym my right always appears a bit bigger (not noticable at all really). Why? It is my dominate muscle, so my brain sends more blood to it. This is very common (hence why BB'ers are always looking for symmetry), yet not really noticable unless you start pulling out the mm tapemeasure.

Second of all you are probably measuring wrong if you have a big difference. If you are measuring yourself, there you go.

 
Originally posted by: Descartes
My right arm is stronger than my left, but I'm left-handed. Hmm.
Click to expand...

Switcharoo this around and that's how I am. I arm wrestle with my left arm b/c it's dominant over my right... but writing comes w/ the right hand.
 
Keep the weights even - chances are the difference is very slight anyway.

Oddly enough, I'm right handed (but left legged!), yet my left side is stronger.
 
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