Hi Everyone,

I've been trying to do cardio and whole body lifting every other day. So far so good. It's been a very short time I've been doing this but I'm already seeing results! Love that!

My question is: When doing shoulder work with free weights (I do the BFL sets - 12, 10, 8, 6) I have a noticeable difference in the amount I can lift with my right arm. My left shoulder seems to be so weak. I can barely eek out the 6th and 7th in the 8 series. Should I be doing something different like less reps with that arm or lower weights? Or do I just keep plugging away until that arm catches up to the right one?

I also do notice this difference when doing barbell chest presses. My left side is weaker. None of the other bicep, tricep, etc seem to be different though.

TIA, Beth

Beth, I'm guessing that you're right-handed?

It's completely normal for 'righties' to be stronger on the right side and 'lefties' to be stronger on the left. After all, you do almost everything with your dominant side, right? Think about reaching up to the top shelf, lifting the carton of milk out of the frig, carrying a briefcase or grocery bag - which side are you using?

As you keep working out, the left side will catch up. Don't ever use different weights for the different sides - that would only make the problem worse. Always work to the weaker side - let it set the pace. So pick a weight that lets your left side complete the sets. If you're using alternating hands (like alternating bicep curls or one-arm rows) start with the left side, even though you'd probably naturally start with the right. When the left side fails, you're done with that set. Don't continue to do reps with the right side, even though you can.

Just focus on letting the left side set the pace and you'll start to see strength increases soon. Eventually it will be as strong as the right.

My right's stronger (and I'm right handed) but that might be because I tend to punch with a more powerful technique on the right hand side - I also have leg imbalances too

FWIW I'd always use my right hand for unlocking a door...

Thanks for the advice, Meg. You're right I am right-handed. And now that you mentioned it I was like duuuuhhhhhhhh! LOL

I also realized I do start alternates on my right side so I'll definitely watch that in the future.

Geeeez I'd forgotten how much I TOTALLY LOVE lifting. I can't believe I ever quit! This is so fun and you should see my arms already!

Thanks everyone!
Beth

Meg, I think I am going to start lifting the gallon of milk out with my left hand from now on as well as other things that I can think of thruout the day!! That milk is a killer from the top shelf - it's about at eye level and I'm tall. Maybe that will get my left side stronger. I remember posting the same exact question last fall - remember my Arnold side and my mini-me side? lol

Yep, I remember Arnold and mini-me. So is your left side catching up since you posted that?

A gallon of milk is 8 pounds, so yeah, try using the left for a while - it's like an 8 pound kettlebell.

I didn't realize that I use my right side for everything until I had my shoulder surgery and had to use Lefty instead. I mean, holding the hairdryer, brushing my teeth, getting dressed, putting away clean dishes ... everything was right-handed. No wonder I used to be able to curl 5 pounds more with my right than my left (back in the pre-surgery days)!

But that's one of the awesome things about DBs - they force each side to work independently. Whether you realize it or not, your dominant side is doing the majority of the work on a machine, unless it has independent handles. When you use DBs, you're forcing the weaker side to step up and carry it's own weight, so to speak.

YES!! I DID!!

Actually, in my ubwo just Monday, I realized that I could do bicurls and hammers all the way thru now for the first time. I'm not saying I'm ready to move up just yet - I want to enjoy doing all my reps for another session or two, then I'll challenge again. SO that only took, what, 4 months? Not sure if that's good or bad!