How long did it take for your non-dominant side to catch up?

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dubble818
dubble818 Posts: 132 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I've been working primarily with dumbbells in hopes of getting a little more balanced. My left arm is considerably weaker and gasses out before the right even feels like it's getting warmed up.

I've been eating right and lifting 3 days per week. How long do you think it will take to balance things out?

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  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    I've been lifting 7 years and I'm still not balanced (strength and proportions).
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
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    I have been lifting for years too and my left side is still weaker
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,392 MFP Moderator
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    It won't ever be 100% balanced.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    edited May 2017
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    If your imbalance is that bad your warmup sets may be too many, or to heavy, or both.

    You didn't mention what program or exercise you're doing
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Been lifting 3 years and I am not balanced in strength or size either.
  • dubble818
    dubble818 Posts: 132 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    If your imbalance is that bad your warmup sets may be too many, or to heavy, or both.

    You didn't mention what program or exercise you're doing

    I'm working with a personal trainer for an hour 3 days per week. We do a push, pull, and leg day. We start with compound lifts and move on to isolation exercises and ab work for the last 20 minutes or so. I've been squatting, deadlifting, db chest pressing, assisted pull ups, etc. It's been several months and I'm seeing strength gains, but it always feels like my right side is barely breaking a sweat while my left struggles to get reps in.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    dubble818 wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »
    If your imbalance is that bad your warmup sets may be too many, or to heavy, or both.

    You didn't mention what program or exercise you're doing

    I'm working with a personal trainer for an hour 3 days per week. We do a push, pull, and leg day. We start with compound lifts and move on to isolation exercises and ab work for the last 20 minutes or so. I've been squatting, deadlifting, db chest pressing, assisted pull ups, etc. It's been several months and I'm seeing strength gains, but it always feels like my right side is barely breaking a sweat while my left struggles to get reps in.

    If you're paying a Trainer, that's who I would ask.
  • dubble818
    dubble818 Posts: 132 Member
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    Thanks for the responses everyone. Much appreciated. Suppose I should reword the question - how long until your non-dominant side could keep up with the dominant one?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
    edited May 2017
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    dubble818 wrote: »
    Thanks for the responses everyone. Much appreciated. Suppose I should reword the question - how long until your non-dominant side could keep up with the dominant one?


    For Dumbell press(for example, my non-dominant side normally runs 5-10 % or less or 1 rep or so behind) In other words, If I'm doing 55s or 60s, I might have 10 reps vs 9... or I could asymmetrically press 10x55 and 10x60

    Not sure why you're mixing in isolation exercises after you've pre-fatigued your muscles with complex movements, but again, that's a question your trainer should be answering
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,216 Member
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    What's wrong with doing isolations after compounds? What would be strange - and dangerous, would be to do isolation work first and then attempt heavy compounds.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    It won't ever be 100% balanced.

    This. Train to progress. Things work themselves out if ypu are progressing.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,392 MFP Moderator
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    jseams1234 wrote: »
    What's wrong with doing isolations after compounds? What would be strange - and dangerous, would be to do isolation work first and then attempt heavy compounds.

    Yea, I am confused by this as well. All good programs start with compounds and then utilize isolation to work on the small supporting muscles that aren't being addressed by the compound moves.

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