Bench Press Issues

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bigblondewolf
bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've started Stronglifts and am LOVING it. However, it's made me notice something (particularly when doing the bench press). My left arm is way weaker than my right. I understand that this is not an uncommon issue, but how do I correct this? Do some extra lifts with just the left arm or just keep benching the same weight until both arms are evenly matched?

Thanks!

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  • bigblondewolf
    bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
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    Bump. Anyone?
  • mopar_lover
    mopar_lover Posts: 198
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    use dumbbells, they will require the same strength in both arms, plus will help strengthen the smaller supporting muscles.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Agree with the above - use DBs.
  • mopar_lover
    mopar_lover Posts: 198
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    You might also do incline bench presses and flies, both flat and incline, all using dumbbells. This will work the chest muscles at a variety of angles further strengthening your chest.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    In addition to dumbbells, work on strengthening your tris. You could also have an strength imbalance in your anterior delts, i.e. one of the front delts is doing more of the work. However, I wouldn't give up on the barbell press in the meantime.

    The bench press is a really full body exercise: avoid the flat back - have a healthy arch which will help squeeze the pecs as you press. Make sure your shoulders are squared and pinched behind you, and also make sure that your legs planted on the sides of the bench to assist in stabilizing your body. If your body is not tight, and your moving and sliding on the bench as you press, you are not holding your body tight enough.

    You really need to prime your body first in order to do this exercise effectively. I basically have a whole routine between each press. Setting grip, arching back, planting feet, breathing 3 to 4 times and then finally the press.
  • bigblondewolf
    bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
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    Thanks to all the suggestions so far. As I'm doing them as a part of stronglifts I'd really like to stick to the barbell if possible. However I'm really not lifting much weight (actually just the empty bar right now :embarassed: ). My right arm has no problem with the weight, but my left arm really struggles to get it moving.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    My right arm has no problem with the weight, but my left arm really struggles to get it moving.
    I don't think you are going to have much choice and you will have to modify your strong lift approach, otherwise you are only doing partial work, deepening the chasm of strength between both your arms, and not really getting that much benefit from strong lifts anyway.
  • Changeisachoice
    Changeisachoice Posts: 63 Member
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    I am having the same problem so I am in this for some possible answers.
  • bigblondewolf
    bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
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    My right arm has no problem with the weight, but my left arm really struggles to get it moving.
    I don't think you are going to have much choice and you will have to modify your strong lift approach, otherwise you are only doing partial work, deepening the chasm of strength between both your arms, and not really getting that much benefit from strong lifts anyway.

    How should I go about modifying it to lessen the gap then? If I use dumbells do I use the same weight for both arms? Or do I just continue using the barbell without any weight added until the left arm catches up with the other? Sorry if these are basic questions, I'm pretty new to all of this and want to make sure I put safety and good form first before adding more weight.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    My right arm has no problem with the weight, but my left arm really struggles to get it moving.
    I don't think you are going to have much choice and you will have to modify your strong lift approach, otherwise you are only doing partial work, deepening the chasm of strength between both your arms, and not really getting that much benefit from strong lifts anyway.

    How should I go about modifying it to lessen the gap then? If I use dumbells do I use the same weight for both arms? Or do I just continue using the barbell without any weight added until the left arm catches up with the other? Sorry if these are basic questions, I'm pretty new to all of this and want to make sure I put safety and good form first before adding more weight.
    In my training I use a variation of the Gironda 8x8 routine, but like the some others have mentioned in this thread I also do Incline dumbbell presses (as well as decline dumbbell presses). I prioritize my bench pressing first, but I'm pretty evenly match on both sides of my body. The various dumbbell presses and cable work or pushups I do comes last and I alternate that work for variety.

    But if you can't lift even the bar evenly and with proper form, then you should consider stepping back and work with dumbbells performing presses until you can.

    I'm sure there are other suggestions out there?
  • bigblondewolf
    bigblondewolf Posts: 268 Member
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    Thanks for the advice! I think I will back-track a bit and use dumbells until the other one catches up a bit.
  • mopar_lover
    mopar_lover Posts: 198
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    I believe using dumbbells is your best choice. You may have to reduce weight , meaning the total weight of the two dumbbells will be less than the total weight of the barbell, until your weaker arm catches up. You can do dumbbell bench presses using one dumbbell and one arm at a time. Dumbbells offer you a variety of exercise motions where you're pretty limited with a barbell.

    Good luck, and keep working with it. You'll get there.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    With the dumbbell presses, you could still follow the 5x5 strategy, I don't think that would have to change.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    With the dumbbell presses, you could still follow the 5x5 strategy, I don't think that would have to change.

    She could but she would have to progress slower because jumping DB's is typically the same as 10lb increments versus the 5lb recommended for the BP.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    Step 1: Learn how to bench press properly

    Step 2: Stick with it! The strength imbalance will go away as long as you focus on driving hard with both arms

    Watch the following videos in order:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHx1gYTA-Rw
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-WgUJbtiLY&list=PL38D8B0C3BFDB82F2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHG8PFBBCnc
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgb-TDul0kc
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otHqDLBi1VE
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj4qt3mCcDQ
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LaYf4KrC1E
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    With the dumbbell presses, you could still follow the 5x5 strategy, I don't think that would have to change.

    She could but she would have to progress slower because jumping DB's is typically the same as 10lb increments versus the 5lb recommended for the BP.

    slow progress isn't bad- it's better than progressing to fast me thinks (watching a girl at my gym train for 9 months and is squatting 300- she's got the weight- but she's got all sorts of joint nagging issues from going up in weight to fast)

    What you want to avoid OP- and I think you've probably read between the lines (hopefully with all the same replies) that you do NOT want to train each arm separately- you train until the other one catches up. Work them equally- do not train one as it's own unit with X weight and the other as it's own unit with Y weight.

    I really like Cable work- it forces a lot of stability- DB's can do weird things to my joints so I use them judiciously- but either DB's or a double cable tower. It's okay to do the first rotation of SL with DB's- or one of the pre-weighted bars. totally fine. Work at your level and no one else's.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    slow progress isn't bad- it's better than progressing to fast me thinks (watching a girl at my gym train for 9 months and is squatting 300- she's got the weight- but she's got all sorts of joint nagging issues from going up in weight to fast)

    I completely agree, just wanted to point out that she shouldn't increase with the typical 5lb increments recommended with SL's. Unless of course her gym has DB's that increment by 2.5lbs a side.

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