Uneven strength (left vs right). Help?

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

Hi, hoping someone can help point me in the right direction.

After carrying my little girl consistently on my left side for a couple of years (she's now up to about 40lbs and gets carried lots, since we do lots of walking to get around the city), I'm pretty strong on my left side, but my right side is terribly weak in comparison. (I honestly never thought there could be THAT much of a difference, or I would've switched sides more). Obviously, I'm trying to carry her on the right side more, but I'm really wanting to even out my two sides strength-wise (mainly shoulders and arms).

So what is a good strategy for catching the right side up to the left?

I was thinking of taking Sunday (which should be rest day, but will be the day after lowerbody day, so my upper body will be fairly rested already) to go to the gym and work only my right side. I've also been thinking to add an extra strength set for just my right side, with little rest before. (Note: I'm using machines, doing reps 12, 8, 6...resting accordingly, so I was thinking of taking shorter rest after 3rd set and do a 4th set of 6 for my right side--really get a burn going).

These are just some ideas I had, but maybe there are some known strategies for this sort of thing??

Thanks!

GetSoda · January 2014

stop using machines and start using freeweights with a progressive lifting program.

tegalicious · January 2014

I was always told to work both sides with the amount of weight that the weak side can handle until you catch up to having equal strength. This was a while back though when I was in physical therapy for patellar tendonitis so that might not be the prevailing way of doing things these days.

rduhlir · January 2014

I have an uneven strength issue with left vs. right, and after shifting from machines to free weights it has evened out a lot. I still have some balance/strength issues when it comes to weighted lunges and stuff, but they are progressively getting stronger/better.

I agree with GetSoda and switch to free weights vs. machines. The only machine I use now is the lat pulldown machine, everything else is dumbbells or barbells.

stealthq · January 2014

stop using machines and start using freeweights with a progressive lifting program.

+1

Machines can contribute to the problem because most let you get away with using more force on one side or the other. I've just switched to free weights from machines and the first thing I noticed is that I'm not balanced, even though I was doing similar movements with the machines.

It was obvious on weaker exercises for me - bench press for example. The barbell had a tendency to sway on my left and remain steady on my right. Got bad enough the towards the end of my last sets during my first barbell bench press that the barbell collided with the rack, causing me to lose control and fail the lift. Ended up with the thing on my chest and had to roll it off me. Good thing it was just the Oly bar and I didn't actually drop it (cause there's no safety cage) - just couldn't reverse the descent :blushing:

On the plus side, it's only taken a few sessions to see a vast improvement. The barbell still sways a little at my working weight, but it's stopped when I'm warming up with just the bar.

rybo · January 2014

Use dumbells and train the weak arm first. Stop at that same # of reps for your strong arm.

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

I was hoping I wouldn't have to post this, but (sigh) alas I will. I understand how magical free weights are and have been wanting to do a free weight program since last year. So, yes, I would like to use free weights, but at the moment it is not a reasonable possibility for me.

If that's my only option, then my sides will just have to stay uneven. If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

stop using machines and start using freeweights with a progressive lifting program.

+1

Machines can contribute to the problem because most let you get away with using more force on one side or the other. I've just switched to free weights from machines and the first thing I noticed is that I'm not balanced, even though I was doing similar movements with the machines.

It was obvious on weaker exercises for me - bench press for example. The barbell had a tendency to sway on my left and remain steady on my right. Got bad enough the towards the end of my last sets during my first barbell bench press that the barbell collided with the rack, causing me to lose control and fail the lift. Ended up with the thing on my chest and had to roll it off me. Good thing it was just the Oly bar and I didn't actually drop it (cause there's no safety cage) - just couldn't reverse the descent :blushing:

On the plus side, it's only taken a few sessions to see a vast improvement. The barbell still sways a little at my working weight, but it's stopped when I'm warming up with just the bar.

The machines at my gym do NOT let you get away with it, which is why I noticed it. The two sides move independently. And I am hoping to someday start SL (family logistics stand in the way) and this is EXACTLY why I want to tackle the problem now, because my upper body is already so very weak, that OHP and BP are really difficult for me, so I'm hoping I can use shoulder press and chest press (plus bicep & tricep and chest fly and pullover and reverse fly) to try even things out before I start heaving an Olybar over my head lol.

rduhlir · January 2014

I was hoping I wouldn't have to post this, but (sigh) alas I will. I understand how magical free weights are and have been wanting to do a free weight program since last year. So, yes, I would like to use free weights, but at the moment it is not a reasonable possibility for me.

If that's my only option, then my sides will just have to stay uneven. If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Why isn't reasonably possible for you to use free weights? You stated you have access to a gym, which would mean access to free weights.

WhiteRabbit1313 · January 2014

I was hoping I wouldn't have to post this, but (sigh) alas I will. I understand how magical free weights are and have been wanting to do a free weight program since last year. So, yes, I would like to use free weights, but at the moment it is not a reasonable possibility for me.

If that's my only option, then my sides will just have to stay uneven. If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Why aren't they a reasonable possibility for you?

WhiteRabbit1313 · January 2014

I was hoping I wouldn't have to post this, but (sigh) alas I will. I understand how magical free weights are and have been wanting to do a free weight program since last year. So, yes, I would like to use free weights, but at the moment it is not a reasonable possibility for me.

If that's my only option, then my sides will just have to stay uneven. If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Why isn't reasonably possible for you to use free weights? You stated you have access to a gym, which would mean access to free weights.

^^This

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

Logistics. It took me ages to find a gym with proper free weight equip. When I finally found one, I didn't realize that it was the only gym with this equipment for 3 neighborhoods, which means every other person wanting to use the equipment joins that gym too. The free weight section is very small and always packed. I have a very VERY strict time frame where I barely have enough time to get to the gym and get a workout and get back to pick my son up from his lessons. This is the only time I have in the whole day to go. The gym is a little better on Sat & Sun, but I couldn't do SL back-to-back and just 2x/wk. It's all logistics, having 2 kids, no nanny, and hardly any gyms with the proper equipment resulting in overcrowdedness. With the machines, I can bounce around and get most of my exercises done before I have to run out the door again.

WhiteRabbit1313 · January 2014

Logistics. It took me ages to find a gym with proper free weight equip. When I finally found one, I didn't realize that it was the only gym with this equipment for 3 neighborhoods, which means every other person wanting to use the equipment joins that gym too. The free weight section is very small and always packed. I have a very VERY strict time frame where I barely have enough time to get to the gym and get a workout and get back to pick my son up from his lessons. This is the only time I have in the whole day to go. The gym is a little better on Sat & Sun, but I couldn't do SL back-to-back and just 2x/wk. It's all logistics, having 2 kids, no nanny, and hardly any gyms with the proper equipment resulting in overcrowdedness. With the machines, I can bounce around and get most of my exercises done before I have to run out the door again.

Oh. I can understand time crunches. I go to the gym at 9:30 at night...sometimes later, because it's the first bit of free time I have during the week. My husband stays with our daughter then, though. Have you checked the Y?--people sometimes forget that they have free weights at many of them.

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

I've been told that night is better at my gym too, but my son's martial arts is from ~7:50 til ~9:15 and then dinner, baths, bedtime, etc. sigh.

Anyway, I live in Greece, so no Y.
It's kinduv a different world.

Suffice to say that I've investigated all possibilities and was lucky to find this gym and joined it for a whole year, but for right NOW, I have to stick to the machines due to the time crunch.

gary5661 · January 2014

i had uneven strength from slipping a disc in my neck at c5-c6 and lost 90% of my strength in my left arm had a job to lift and hold a bottle of pop in that arm, had the operation to remove the disc. then few weeks later resumed weight training, what i did was just kept doing excersices to failure 4-6 sets of 10 until both sides are now pretty even, i bench 300lbs now. from 132lbs my advice is just percervere with it wont take long to catch up

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

i had uneven strength from slipping a disc in my neck at c5-c6 and lost 90% of my strength in my left arm had a job to lift and hold a bottle of pop in that arm, had the operation to remove the disc. then few weeks later resumed weight training, what i did was just kept doing excersices to failure 4-6 sets of 10 until both sides are now pretty even, i bench 300lbs now. from 132lbs my advice is just percervere with it wont take long to catch up

"just kept doing excersices to failure"

so go to failure, even if the strong side could keep going, and eventually everything evens out?
I hope so, but it's a little nervewracking when I know that I can go more on the other arm, but ...well, duh, right. lol

GetSoda · January 2014

I was hoping I wouldn't have to post this, but (sigh) alas I will. I understand how magical free weights are and have been wanting to do a free weight program since last year. So, yes, I would like to use free weights, but at the moment it is not a reasonable possibility for me.

If that's my only option, then my sides will just have to stay uneven. If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

Does it have a suspension trainer?

Hell, even look into body weight exercises.

There is no excuse. Just do it.

WhiteRabbit1313 · January 2014

Hmmm...did you say if your gym has dumb bells? If so, some of these might work:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_top_10_unilateral_exercises

Don't let the big men scare you; I think most people could do those movements with the right weights...even if you start with tiny dumbbells and kettlebells (for the barbell exercises).

I'd train both sides, though. I think someone else said to train at same weight per side and that makes sense to me, also.

I looked into this, because my right side is stronger than my left, but I decided to just proceed with my SL5x5 program, since it's not that pronounced.

Just fyi, I'm only a month in to training/lifting, so someone else with more experience may have better information than me.

gary5661 · January 2014

the pull down machine is good to build you up it works your lats but does biceps as a secondery muscle, just do full body work out and it'll catch up took me about 8 months but obviously i was careful as my spine was healing, be patient and it'll come give it time

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

I was always told to work both sides with the amount of weight that the weak side can handle until you catch up to having equal strength. This was a while back though when I was in physical therapy for patellar tendonitis so that might not be the prevailing way of doing things these days.

Yeah, I guess that's going to be the most direct path to where I want to be, but it just seems like such a pity to lose a little ground on the stronger side, but I guess the quicker I can even-out, then the quicker I can move up.

rduhlir · January 2014

Logistics. It took me ages to find a gym with proper free weight equip. When I finally found one, I didn't realize that it was the only gym with this equipment for 3 neighborhoods, which means every other person wanting to use the equipment joins that gym too. The free weight section is very small and always packed. I have a very VERY strict time frame where I barely have enough time to get to the gym and get a workout and get back to pick my son up from his lessons. This is the only time I have in the whole day to go. The gym is a little better on Sat & Sun, but I couldn't do SL back-to-back and just 2x/wk. It's all logistics, having 2 kids, no nanny, and hardly any gyms with the proper equipment resulting in overcrowdedness. With the machines, I can bounce around and get most of my exercises done before I have to run out the door again.

So explain to me then...why you can't go into the free weight area, grab a pair of dumbbells, find an open area (in the machine area if needed) and do your exercises? I go in, grab dumbbells and walk to an area that is open, which may or may not be in the free weight area.

I mean...if you -want- to use machines then fine. But if you are serious about wanting to even out the imbalances then free weights are going to be the way to go. And honestly, you can achieve a lot more with free weight compound exercises in a shorter amount of time as compared to machines.....Like I said, I use free weights only w/ compound exercises and am in and out in 45 minutes....and that is with a heavy crowd some days.

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

the pull down machine is good to build you up it works your lats but does biceps as a secondery muscle, just do full body work out and it'll catch up took me about 8 months but obviously i was careful as my spine was healing, be patient and it'll come give it time

I have a "clicky" shoulder and do lat pull downs when it isn't clicking and do pull overs when it is in a clicky mood. Both of those machines cannot isolate right/left, so the strong side can assist the weak side, so I haven't been able to notice if my lats are uneven, but i'll always keep those exercises in my routine.

Guess it'll just take time.

FromHereOnOut · January 2014

Logistics. It took me ages to find a gym with proper free weight equip. When I finally found one, I didn't realize that it was the only gym with this equipment for 3 neighborhoods, which means every other person wanting to use the equipment joins that gym too. The free weight section is very small and always packed. I have a very VERY strict time frame where I barely have enough time to get to the gym and get a workout and get back to pick my son up from his lessons. This is the only time I have in the whole day to go. The gym is a little better on Sat & Sun, but I couldn't do SL back-to-back and just 2x/wk. It's all logistics, having 2 kids, no nanny, and hardly any gyms with the proper equipment resulting in overcrowdedness. With the machines, I can bounce around and get most of my exercises done before I have to run out the door again.

So explain to me then...why you can't go into the free weight area, grab a pair of dumbbells, find an open area (in the machine area if needed) and do your exercises? I go in, grab dumbbells and walk to an area that is open, which may or may not be in the free weight area.

I mean...if you -want- to use machines then fine. But if you are serious about wanting to even out the imbalances then free weights are going to be the way to go. And honestly, you can achieve a lot more with free weight compound exercises in a shorter amount of time as compared to machines.....Like I said, I use free weights only w/ compound exercises and am in and out in 45 minutes....and that is with a heavy crowd some days.

Okay, so what are the dumbbell exercises that you recommend I do to address the imbalance?

rduhlir · January 2014

Logistics. It took me ages to find a gym with proper free weight equip. When I finally found one, I didn't realize that it was the only gym with this equipment for 3 neighborhoods, which means every other person wanting to use the equipment joins that gym too. The free weight section is very small and always packed. I have a very VERY strict time frame where I barely have enough time to get to the gym and get a workout and get back to pick my son up from his lessons. This is the only time I have in the whole day to go. The gym is a little better on Sat & Sun, but I couldn't do SL back-to-back and just 2x/wk. It's all logistics, having 2 kids, no nanny, and hardly any gyms with the proper equipment resulting in overcrowdedness. With the machines, I can bounce around and get most of my exercises done before I have to run out the door again.

So explain to me then...why you can't go into the free weight area, grab a pair of dumbbells, find an open area (in the machine area if needed) and do your exercises? I go in, grab dumbbells and walk to an area that is open, which may or may not be in the free weight area.

I mean...if you -want- to use machines then fine. But if you are serious about wanting to even out the imbalances then free weights are going to be the way to go. And honestly, you can achieve a lot more with free weight compound exercises in a shorter amount of time as compared to machines.....Like I said, I use free weights only w/ compound exercises and am in and out in 45 minutes....and that is with a heavy crowd some days.

Okay, so what are the dumbbell exercises that you recommend I do to address the imbalance?

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/08/01/dont-be-a-dummy-how-to-get-a-full-workout-with-only-dumbells/

Any of those at the site.....

And/or

Step-ups (been known to use benches or the ledges at the gym if the steps are all being used)
Static Lunges (used seats of machines for this if I can't use a bench because they are all being used)
Bulgarian Lunges (same as above)
Squat Push Presses (you just use dumbbells instead of barbell)
Walking Lunges
One-arm Snatches
Dumbbell bench presses (I have been know to grab dumbbells and use one of the machine benches if others are occupied)
Wood Chops
Dumbbell Single Overhead Squat
Dumbbell Bent Over Rows
Dumbbell One Point Rows

ETA: To work my imbalance issue, I use the weight that I am at on my weak side for both left and right...allowing my weak side to catch up with my strong side, just as others have suggested.

tlcarolinagirl · January 2014

Thanks for starting this thread. I have the same problem as my left left is significantly weaker than the right. I can't even stretch that leg as far as the other.

Uneven strength (left vs right). Help?

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