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Need Guidance on Muscle Balance

Should I lift heavier on my stronger arm or not?

chinitowits
chinitowits g Chinito Wits
2 Post(s)
2 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: June 6, 2015
Posted

Hello, I've been working out for more than a year now. Got stronger and got me a better physique than before however I never got to make my right arm catch up to my left which is my stronger arm. As an example I can finish 10 reps of bicep curls with 35lbs on my left but my right struggles starting at 6 or 7.

 

I've been told and been reading that my weaker arm will catch up and that I have to make sure that my weaker arm does the same reps and sets of the same weight as my stronger arm. I don't have a problem with that in fact I followed their advise religiously.

 

My concern is my right arm still got bigger by contrast in comparison to my left although my left is still stronger. I'm getting bothered by it and worried that as time goes by my left and right arm will have a bigger difference aesthetically. 

 

I should note however that the bone of right arm, humerus I think it is called, grew abnormally. My humerus instead of growing straight is bent outwards which may have an impact on making my right arm look bigger. 

 

To cut this short my question is, should I still do the same reps and sets with my left as my right? Here is how my arms look like currently my right looks bigger while my left doesn't even look like I've been lifting...

 

Thanks for the advise.

ohawkey
ohawkey g Robert Fong
445 Post(s)
445 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: chinitowits

Hello, I've been working out for more than a year now. Got stronger and got me a better physique than before however I never got to make my right arm catch up to my left which is my stronger arm. As an example I can finish 10 reps of bicep curls with 35lbs on my left but my right struggles starting at 6 or 7.

 

I've been told and been reading that my weaker arm will catch up and that I have to make sure that my weaker arm does the same reps and sets of the same weight as my stronger arm. I don't have a problem with that in fact I followed their advise religiously.

 

My concern is my right arm still got bigger by contrast in comparison to my left although my left is still stronger. I'm getting bothered by it and worried that as time goes by my left and right arm will have a bigger difference aesthetically. 

 

I should note however that the bone of right arm, humerus I think it is called, grew abnormally. My humerus instead of growing straight is bent outwards which may have an impact on making my right arm look bigger. 

 

To cut this short my question is, should I still do the same reps and sets with my left as my right? Here is how my arms look like currently my right looks bigger while my left doesn't even look like I've been lifting...

 

Thanks for the advise.

I would use more dumbbells. Start with your weaker side first and get as many reps as you can. Then work your left side and do the same number of reps your right side did. I used to be imbalanced too. It just takes a long time to make it less noticeable.

chinitowits
chinitowits g Chinito Wits
2 Post(s)
2 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: June 6, 2015
Posted

I see. So I should not worry too much about it then. Thanks!

jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: chinitowits

Hello, I've been working out for more than a year now. Got stronger and got me a better physique than before however I never got to make my right arm catch up to my left which is my stronger arm. As an example I can finish 10 reps of bicep curls with 35lbs on my left but my right struggles starting at 6 or 7.

 

I've been told and been reading that my weaker arm will catch up and that I have to make sure that my weaker arm does the same reps and sets of the same weight as my stronger arm. I don't have a problem with that in fact I followed their advise religiously.

 

My concern is my right arm still got bigger by contrast in comparison to my left although my left is still stronger. I'm getting bothered by it and worried that as time goes by my left and right arm will have a bigger difference aesthetically. 

 

I should note however that the bone of right arm, humerus I think it is called, grew abnormally. My humerus instead of growing straight is bent outwards which may have an impact on making my right arm look bigger. 

 

To cut this short my question is, should I still do the same reps and sets with my left as my right? Here is how my arms look like currently my right looks bigger while my left doesn't even look like I've been lifting...

 

Thanks for the advise.

Chinito,

 

The answer is "yes". I broke my right arm about 1/2 inch above the elbow when I was 9. The doctor couldn't use a pin to set it as there was not enough bone at the elbow to insert it into so he had to set it by hand and "feel". As such, my right arm grew slightly deformed to my left causing my right tricep to be a little smaller and weaker than my left arm. Even though I am right handed, my left arm was the strongest for a while. They are now at even strength and though they look different in size and shape to me, they measure as the same size.

 

I made sure over all the years of training to train them equally and use predominately dumbbells. Back in 2013, I tore my left bicep muscle belly deadlifting so now my left bicep is shorter and weaker than my right. I still applied the same principles and trained them evenly until my strength was equal. While my left bicep will never look or be exactly the same again, they are still about equal and size in strength. So now I am a "mess" where my right bicep is fuller than my left bicep and my left tricep is fuller than my right tricep :-P

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: chinitowits

Hello, I've been working out for more than a year now. Got stronger and got me a better physique than before however I never got to make my right arm catch up to my left which is my stronger arm. As an example I can finish 10 reps of bicep curls with 35lbs on my left but my right struggles starting at 6 or 7.

 

I've been told and been reading that my weaker arm will catch up and that I have to make sure that my weaker arm does the same reps and sets of the same weight as my stronger arm. I don't have a problem with that in fact I followed their advise religiously.

 

My concern is my right arm still got bigger by contrast in comparison to my left although my left is still stronger. I'm getting bothered by it and worried that as time goes by my left and right arm will have a bigger difference aesthetically. 

 

I should note however that the bone of right arm, humerus I think it is called, grew abnormally. My humerus instead of growing straight is bent outwards which may have an impact on making my right arm look bigger. 

 

To cut this short my question is, should I still do the same reps and sets with my left as my right? Here is how my arms look like currently my right looks bigger while my left doesn't even look like I've been lifting...

 

Thanks for the advise.

Have you ever thought about doing "forced reps" with a spotter on your weaker arm? That way you a train a bit heavier with your strong arm but still get the same reps in on both sides if you have a spotter help you push through the reps you cannot do on your own with your weaker arm.

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muscular strength
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