My left pectoral is very even, meaning that I have equal upper and lower mass. My right pectoral, however, is only about half the size of the left, in the upper/inner region. pic for reference
A few years ago, when I was at my peak fitness, and lifting 5-6x per week. My dumbbell incline bench press was never weaker on my right. I can remember using 90lb dumbbells, and it felt the same resistance-wise on both sides, which is odd, as you’d think the right side would’ve been weaker.
Anyhow, I’d love to trigger more hypertrophy in that area specifically, but I’m unsure on the best way to do it - if it’s even possible. A couple of things I’ve thought about:
Use a heavier dumbbell on the right side when doing incline bench press
Use the same dumbbell weight in both hands, but perform more reps on the right side during incline dumbbell bench press
Perform a few sets of cable/resistance band fly, only on the right side, 3x per week
If you’ve always done the same lifts, sets, weights and reps for both arm when you DB benched, probably not a matter of volume.
Most likely you are doing something weird with your right arm that takes tension off your pec when you press. Grip on the DB, or shoulder position, or elbow path. Something isn’t right, so when you DB bench you’re not stretching and contracting that pec correctly.
To fix it, try switching up your grips on the DB bench. Try neutral grip, underhand, rotating from neutral to overhand as you press, use a Fat Gripz handle, or get crazy and bench 1 arm at a time.
Use one style for 3-4 weeks and change to another. Or go through some rotation that switches week to week. Whatever seems the smartest to you. Just get the variety in, and throw a new challenge at the Mind Muscle Connection with your pec.
Ideally, after a month or 2 of this all your problems will be fixed.
Well I’m not entirely certain - let me explain. I’m 46 now, and I don’t remember how I looked in my early 20’s as I was in the Marine Corps and quite fit, but it’s been too long. The injury uncertainty is because when I was 17, I was involved in a car wreck, and it broke my right clavicle. I healed up fine and I often wondered if that changed my geometry or something, but when I look at myself in the mirror, my shoulders look level, etc… so I just have no idea. Maybe I should get my wife to video me pressing, and I can see if I’m pressing unevenly. Having a hard time capturing a good angle on a photo, so I’ll have my wife take a pic and I can post it.
Use dumbbells and resistance bands exclusively for your chest training. Let your weak side dictate poundages sets, and reps for both sides and your weak side will catch up.
Thanks! That’s what I’ve decided. I always used a barbell and I think I just have some sort of asymmetric pressing motion with a barbell. I’m going to go strictly dumbbells. I’m very out of shape right now, just trying to get back into it.
No weakness, it is dominant side and full range of motion. I’m thinking I just spent too much time working only with a barbell. I must have some sort of weird pressing motion with a barbell. I’m going to go to strictly Dumbbells.