Curing My Very Bad Imbalance

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
1

Ever since i broke my arm 10 years ago, i have always found my left arm is significantly weaker than my right. Mainly due to getting pains in the area where it had broken i seemed to always over favour my opposing arm. Somewhere along the way and before commiting myself to the gym this imbalance has worked its way in to being seriously bad. I havent taken measurements but my bicep/tricep difference between both arms is large enough for not just myself to notice but pretty much everyone i meet.

When im at the gym im starting to also notice the effects now my weight have increased. It is now a case of “if my left arm can do this then ill be fine”. It fatigues quicker, it struggles with stabalising dumbells (especially the first rep on incline db press) and im fearing im going to start noticing the knock on effects through the rest of my upper body.

To put this simple, what can i do to cure this? i have been told by a few people “just simply do an extra set or two on the weaker arm” but i am doing a monday/tuesday thursday/friday routine and im wondering if these extra sets on one arm will just leave it more tired for the next day? resulting in my other doing more work?

Any help would be appreciated.

2

Sick with dumbell work for a while, a long while. The exra set is probably pointless. just keep going up in db weight until your balenced out.

3

Zeps right; only do unilateral work. I’ve dislocated my left shoulder 15 times and so I know where you are coming from. Once you gain 20 - 30 lbs with straight unilateral work the difference won’t be noticeable. My right is still bigger than my left but its not too big of a difference now.

4

Thanks for the suggestions, also is it a case of as soon as i notice my form going with my weaker arm i stop there on that set?

5

Or call in a spotter to help force your form, of course you’ll be aching more on the weaker arm. But if you want to push yourself you could enlist spotters from the regulars or friends.

6

[quote]Spacemunkee wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions, also is it a case of as soon as i notice my form going with my weaker arm i stop there on that set? [/quote]

I would say stop. Totally ignore if your good arm is getting a proper workout. This will be hard but it’ll be beneficial in the end. once they are caught up switch to barbell movements.