Question: You’ve written a lot about intensity, advanced HIT techniques, training programs etc. but, correct me if I’m wrong, you haven’t written about muscular imbalances? I mean a situation, for example, where left hand is stronger than right hand.
Sometime ago I thought that my other hand was stronger than the other, but there was no significant difference, and now it seems that there either never was an “imbalance” or it has evened out, so to speak. I rarely do single-arm or single leg exercises, it just doesn’t “fit in my program”.
So, what is your view on this? How to fix imbalances, and how to properly detect them?
There seems to be a lot of confusion about this. Some people suggest that you should train that weaker part more etc.
Answer: Since there are different types of muscle imbalances it is important to first specify we are talking about bilateral strength imbalances, as opposed to strength imbalances between agonist and antagonist muscle pairs, or size imbalances between different muscle groups or body parts. We are also not talking about imbalances resulting from a major injury or a neurological damage, which may require very different solutions depending on the type and severity.
Nobody is perfectly bilaterally symmetrical and it is normal for there to be a slight difference in strength between your right and left sides. Many people will have a little more difficulty on one side during the last few reps of a barbell exercise, or are often able to get one or two more reps with one side on unilateral exercises. Slight bilateral strength imbalances usually balance out pretty well over time with normal training if the resistance progression is the same for both limbs.
If there is a larger imbalance, you don’t need to do extra sets or exercises for the weaker side and doing so may actually overtrain it and worsen the imbalance. Instead, you should only increase the resistance when you are able to complete your upper target rep number with both sides in good form, even if you are able to perform many more repetitions with your stronger side.
If you have access to properly designed machines with fused movement arms they are your best option, since they allow your stronger side to assist your weaker side. As long as you are contracting on both sides with equal effort the stronger side will not do all of the work resulting in the weaker side being underworked. If your stronger side is producing much more force initially it will fatigue faster, making the weaker side work harder towards the end of the exercise. If you do not, you can still correct the balance using machines with independent movement arms, free weights, or bodyweight.
For barbell exercises only increase the resistance when you are able to complete your upper target rep number while keeping the bar perfectly level.
For dumbbell exercises performed bilaterally or when using machines with independent movement arms if you are able to perform more reps with one side after that side reaches momentary muscular failure continue the exercise with the other side with a five to ten second rest-pause between reps until you have matched the number of reps completed on your stronger side. Or, if you are working out with a training partner, if one side fails before the other have them assist you with forced reps for just that side, giving you just enough help to match the speed of the other side. Increase the resistance when you are able to complete your upper target rep number with both sides without rest-pause or forced reps.
For exercises performed unilaterally, like one-legged squats and dumbbell heel raises and one-armed dumbbell rows, work your stronger side first. Then attempt to match the number of reps completed with your other side, using rest-pause or forced reps if necessary. Increase the resistance when you are able to complete your upper target rep number with both limbs without rest-pause or forced reps.
Some recommend performing unilateral exercises with your weaker side first claiming you will have more energy for it, however few unilateral exercises are demanding enough to significantly compromise your ability to work your strong side effectively afterwards, especially if done earlier in the workout. The problem with working your weaker side first is it sets the bar low for your stronger side. When performing unilateral exercises people tend to try to match the reps completed with the first side worked when working the other, and if there is a bilateral strength imbalance this can result in the stronger side not being worked as intensely as the weaker if it is worked last. While this can also help reduce the imbalance by slowing down the progress of the stronger side, it makes more sense to try to increase the progress of the weaker side instead.
For example, my left calf has always been slightly stronger than my right, the difference being enough that I am usually able to perform one or two more repetitions with the left with the same weight. I found when I work my right calf first I would not try as hard with my left calf after matching the reps. However, if I work my left calf first, I usually work my right even harder. I have noticed the same thing with clients who I have perform unilateral exercises, and because of this whenever someone does a unilateral exercise I have them start with the side they completed the most reps with previously, if there was a difference. This approach has worked well both to correct imbalances, and to prevent them from developing.
Comments on this entry are closed.
Drew,
I work with a client that has MS and has greatly affected only one side of her body and is thus very weak on that side. In the short time that I’ve worked with her using body weight isometric and full range reps where possible, (I do not have access to machine weights and elastic cord exercises were difficult for her to control), she has made excellent progress overall but unilateral exercises reveal a marked difference in strength. She may never regain equal bilateral strength so I am starting to do 1 more set on the weak side and encourage her to do as many reps as possible on the strong side as it may have to carry the bulk of the burden from here on out. Do you have any training experience with this condition and or any suggestions?
With much appreciation!
Patrick
Hey Patrick,
I’ve trained a few people with MS, but bilateral strength imbalances were not significant with any of them. Instead of having her perform a second set for her weaker side I suggest performing two or three forced reps or slow negatives after momentary muscular failure. An increase in volume usually makes little difference, or a negative difference. Increase intensity of effort instead.
I also strongly recommend checking out Dr. Terry Wahls book The Wahls Protocol for nutrition for people with MS.
Thanks Drew for the recommendations….I will implement on the next session. My client was a participant in Dr. Wahl’s program for several years and now is on her Board of Directors!
Patrick
Hi Drew
I have a strength deficit on the right side for years, due to cervical myelopathy and 3 surgeries in that area. I tell him about my experience.
The difference in strength is very large and has long decided only perform unilateral exercises. Bilateral exercises performed them in an unbalanced way and I produced pain and injury. Would have to use a very low load (possible on the right side) to prevent this from happening. In addition, the right side never progresses at the same rate. The left side I can not wait.
For example, I do 5 reps with a dumbbell held in the shoulders of 20 kilos in squat one leg with the left leg. But I can not make any full repeat with the right leg, even without load. I have to limit to perform partial reps, which I will gradually increase the tour as a way to progress. Bilateral squats always performed very unbalanced and ended produciéndome pains and back injuries.
Grip strength is also greatly affected. I do 5 chin ups with the left arm and a load of 5 kilos, helped grip of the right hand at the wrist. However, I am not able to hang with the right hand more than a few 5-10 seconds. With my right hand I hang for 30 seconds, with an additional load of 25 kilos. With that arm I have to perform this exercise with a lot more help from the other. The bilateral chin ups performed the very unbalanced, and giving impulses to the right arm. Besides, I had constant pain and elbow injuries, shoulder and back.
Obviously, I have more examples of this experience though I think it is an idea. Making unilateral ejercios allows me to keep a soft style, controlled, no imbalances or jumps, in which each side strives to the best of their abilities and at least for now without pain or injury. I train at home, and I have selected a series of exercises that can be performed in this way, allowing me to stay motivated to train high, for the moment. I think of “being good” and get reasonable marks at least the unaffected by neurological problem. I am 54 years old.
Jose,
This is why I specified that I was talking about minor bilateral strength imbalances and not imbalances due to injuries or neurological conditions which require a different approach depending on the nature and severity of the injury or condition. Often, with severe bilateral strength imbalances resulting from injuries or neurological conditions unilateral exercises scaled appropriately to each side is the best option, but this is not necessary for people who only have slight bilateral strength imbalances.
Hi Drew,
Somebody named Grant on bbs website said something interesting about imbalances- that when the dominant arm is larger than the non-dominant arm this is an indication that volume is still a key factor in growth stimulation for that individual. As initially when we start out exercising our dominant arm or leg is stronger due to the higher volume of work it recieves on a daily basis.
AJ also mentioned that almost all top bodybuilders have a larger non-donminat arm, could this be a sign that you are closer to you muscular potential? or could it be a sign that you are overtraining?
Is possible that if you trained too much that the dominant arm, the on that recieves the most volume in general, would atrophy due to the increased workload?
Just increasing volume maybe a good way to correct the imbalances in some indivduals!
Bradley,
No.
Untrained invididual’s dominant arms tend to be slightly larger than their non-dominant arm because of greater use, but this does not suggest more exercise volume is more effective. Despite a lifetime of greater use the difference between the dominant and non-dominant arm is usually almost imperceptibly small, requiring measurement to detect, because most daily activities are not even slightly demanding, nowhere close to the intensity of proper exercise. There is a larger difference between the dominant and non-dominant arm in individuals involved in sports or physically demanding jobs where one arm is favored because of the greater demands, but even this difference usually isn’t very large.
Unless you are involved in a sport or work that consistently places significant demands on only your dominant arm you are not going to overtrain it unless you are overtraining everything. It is neither necessary nor beneficial to increase exercise volume for your non-dominant side to correct a size imbalance, and doing so may even be counterproductive.
Drew,
Do you recommend any specific functional screening protocol to determine imbalances and or restrictions?
Hey Thomas,
No, I don’t. Imbalances and restrictions are best determined by discussing medical and health history before training and carefully observing the trainee’s performance. This is one of the reasons a lighter weight should be used when first teaching an exercise.
I must compliment you, Drew, for continually pumping out timely and consistently outstanding material. There should be somekind of award for you in the Exercise Instructor Hall of Fame. Thanks!
Thanks Trace!
Hi Drew,
I see people testing bilateral strength imbalance by conducting various tests for each side of the body, the tests often reveal bilateral strength imbalances. The method used to correct the bilateral strength imbalances normally are to put the trainee on an unstable base of support. I noticed that most of your suggestions are based on a stable base of support and best option is to use fused movement arms on machines. This is contrary to current opinions of the so-called fitness experts.
Thanks
Steven
Hey Steven,
There is no need for these kinds of “functional assessments”. If you know what to look for you will be able to identify problems during the course of normal exercise instruction and performance.
Training on unstable surfaces for any reason other than to address specific neurological problems is unnecessary and counterproductive to improving muscle balance and overall functional ability.
I’d like to know why the so-called “fitness experts” believe that an unstable base of support is the apparent cure-all for practically every physical defect that you can name! I would suggest that some of them re-examine and re-consider the “Six Factors of Functional Ability” before they go off the deep end.
Hey Trace,
It is because they don’t really understand exercise. If they did, they wouldn’t recommend such nonsense. Ken Hutchins Requirements For Functional Ability should be considered required reading for anyone who teaches exercise. An expanded version appears as a chapter in SuperSlow: The Ultimate Exercise Protocol.
Your insight regarding imbalances which occur after injury (etc.) would be really helpful too! But thanks – again – anyways!
Hey Chief,
How to best handle extreme imbalances due to injury depends on the type, severity, and location of the injury, whether the injury has healed, and how much of an imbalance there is. Minor injuries like broken bones, sprains, and muscle tears will usually only result in temporary imbalances which correct themselves when training is resumed. For extreme imbalances as a general rule the sides should be trained unilaterally using a level of resistance that is appropriate for each side.