One arm feels more pumped than the other, is this a concern?

Mellouk89
Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
edited July 2020 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Whenever I workout I notice my right arm gets more pumped and swolen, to the point where I feel my bicep is going to tear (it's a strange sensation). I injured my bicep 5-6 years ago. It also happens that my right arm is significantly weaker than my left arm. Is this normal, what can I do to correct this?

Replies

  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 698 Member
    edited July 2020
    When i lift, i do get that swollen arm feeling in both arms like my muscles are expanding and wants to get out of my skin, this usually happens when im deadlifting or carrying dumbbells that are super heavy so logically i would say to use lighter weights and progressively increase the weight up to where you are now and see if theres any change.

    I've never had a bicep injury so my advice isnt specific to your situation but seeing that your left arm is alot stronger, im guessing it's responding better to the same weights than the right arm with less muscle stress, if you get what i mean so it does not swell. If youre to use lighters weights for your right arm, use the same weight for your left side to keep your arm sizes symmetrical.
  • methodman78
    methodman78 Posts: 126 Member
    My left arms bicep is smaller, my trainer told me its natural to have some deviation, usually when its your main use arm vs your other arm, to even up, use a slightly heavier weight on the smaller arm
    I have the same on my legs due to injuries, my right leg is much stronger and naturally takes the extra strain and in turn gets more growth

    the swollen issue could be over-training, are you training until failure or is it every time no matter how many sets and reps?

    as you say though, could be just because you damaged it and the muscle repaired in an unorthodox way

    (i'm not an expert or qualified, just my opinion)
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    How often do you work your upper body with dumbbells vs barbells or machines?
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited July 2020
    Perfectly normal one arm is stronger or bigger than the other. We are living beings not robots. In almost every case nothing to be concerned about.

    Yah, just train with proper load management and if you are concerned then contact professional medical personal.

  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
    richardgavel wrote: »
    How often do you work your upper body with dumbbells vs barbells or machines?

    I'd say 80% of the time I use dumbells or I do cable movements one arm at a time. There's a lot of barbell exercises i'm unable to do cause my right arm is too weak.
    tirowow12385 wrote: »
    When i lift, i do get that swollen arm feeling in both arms like my muscles are expanding and wants to get out of my skin, this usually happens when im deadlifting or carrying dumbbells that are super heavy so logically i would say to use lighter weights and progressively increase the weight up to where you are now and see if theres any change.

    I've never had a bicep injury so my advice isnt specific to your situation but seeing that your left arm is alot stronger, im guessing it's responding better to the same weights than the right arm with less muscle stress, if you get what i mean so it does not swell. If youre to use lighters weights for your right arm, use the same weight for your left side to keep your arm sizes symmetrical.

    Yeah I get the same sensation and I don't even train that heavy. It may be because I use my right arm a lot more in everyday life, i'm trying to change that and use my left arm more.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,977 Member
    edited July 2020
    One arm is always dominant but if 1 is getting bigger than the other (at rest flexed) then you probably need to more iso work w/the one that's smaller.
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 698 Member
    Mellouk89 wrote: »
    richardgavel wrote: »
    How often do you work your upper body with dumbbells vs barbells or machines?

    I'd say 80% of the time I use dumbells or I do cable movements one arm at a time. There's a lot of barbell exercises i'm unable to do cause my right arm is too weak.
    tirowow12385 wrote: »
    When i lift, i do get that swollen arm feeling in both arms like my muscles are expanding and wants to get out of my skin, this usually happens when im deadlifting or carrying dumbbells that are super heavy so logically i would say to use lighter weights and progressively increase the weight up to where you are now and see if theres any change.

    I've never had a bicep injury so my advice isnt specific to your situation but seeing that your left arm is alot stronger, im guessing it's responding better to the same weights than the right arm with less muscle stress, if you get what i mean so it does not swell. If youre to use lighters weights for your right arm, use the same weight for your left side to keep your arm sizes symmetrical.

    Yeah I get the same sensation and I don't even train that heavy. It may be because I use my right arm a lot more in everyday life, i'm trying to change that and use my left arm more.

    Dont bother doing that, just stick with lifting the same weights for both arms while progressively overloading and your arms will be symmetrical, in strength and aesthetics, over time. You will still be using your dominant hand more than your other, but everyday mundane tasks will not give the muscle enough stress to to make it assymmetrical compare to what you do in the gym as you lift heavier and gain strength.
  • jim_n_virginia
    jim_n_virginia Posts: 59 Member
    It’s very common. Your dominant hand will accordingly have a dominant arm. That’s why many years ago fitness engineers changed fitness equipment from unilateral (Both sides lift up at same time) to unilateral (each side independent of each other)
    If you train with dumbbells or unilateral fitness equipment your strong arm won’t be able to help the weak arm and eventually the smaller arm catches up.

    If you are working a bicep to where it hurts and feels like it’s going to pop out you are most likely over training it.
  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
    edited August 2020
    jim_n_virginia wrote: »
    It’s very common. Your dominant hand will accordingly have a dominant arm. That’s why many years ago fitness engineers changed fitness equipment from unilateral (Both sides lift up at same time) to unilateral (each side independent of each other)
    If you train with dumbbells or unilateral fitness equipment your strong arm won’t be able to help the weak arm and eventually the smaller arm catches up.

    If you are working a bicep to where it hurts and feels like it’s going to pop out you are most likely over training it.

    It's more that i've been doing nothing but arms and lower body training since I have chronic shoulder problems. But I notice that my arms are swollen constantly, I think I have no other choice but to train the rest of my upper body.

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