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Questions and answers about sports

Left side weaker than the right side?

5 min read

Asked by: Lakeisha Hughes

It is a very common thing that people have strength difference between both the body sides, say experts. In fact, it is more uncommon for the bodies to be symmetrical in size and strength on both sides than it is for them to be different. And this is not your fault or the fault of your workout.

Why is my left side so weak?

An injury to the right side of the brain typically results in weakness on the left side of the body. Depending on the type of spine injury and the level of injury within the spine, hemiparesis may involve the same side of the body as the spine injury or may involve the opposite side.

What does it mean when one side of your body is weaker than the other?

Muscle weakness can be a sign of several different health issues. With that said, when it occurs on only one side of the body, there’s reason for alarm. Many times, this symptom is a sign of a stroke, which occurs when arterial blockages interrupt blood flow to the brain.

How can I fix my left arm weaker than my right?

“When you use a barbell, your ‘good’ arm always moves more of the weight.” Perform dumbbell exercises instead — curls, rows, shoulder presses, and bench presses — one arm at a time. Choose a weight that you’re able to lift eight times with your weaker arm, and do as many repetitions as you can.

Why is my left arm significantly weaker?

Causes for weakness in arms include trauma from an injury, repetitive strain injury, nerve damage or compression in the neck or upper back, or blockage in the bloodstreams. Left arm weakness with chest pain may need immediate medical attention.

How can I make my left side stronger?

Two or three reps earlier on the weaker side this is only going to develop those imbalances. Further. So what we're better off doing is adjusting the intensity of weight to the weak side work.

How do I fix my strength imbalance?

However, there are a number of strategies you can use to correct a muscle imbalance;

  1. Use unilateral exercises.
  2. Start with the weaker side.
  3. Let the weaker side set your workout volume.
  4. Do additional work on the weaker and/or smaller side.
  5. Fix the problem i.e. mobility and/or flexibility.


Why is the left side of my body different from the right side?

What is hemihyperplasia? Hemihyperplasia, formerly called hemihypertrophy, is a rare disorder in which one side of the body grows more than the other due to an excess production of cells, causing asymmetry. In a normal cell, there is a mechanism that turns off growth once the cell reaches a certain size.

Will muscle imbalance fix itself?

Eventually your muscles will equalize themselves out. Increase the weight or reps for the stronger side once the weaker side is caught up. When it comes to different muscle groups (your back versus your chest for instance), it’s easy to see how much weight you are lifting with each muscle.

Why does my left arm not build muscle?

A muscle imbalance is a noticeable size or strength discrepancy between muscle groups, such as having a right bicep that’s larger than your left, or a bigger upper body than lower body. The most common causes of muscle imbalances are improper workout programming and poor exercise technique, mobility, and flexibility.

Why is the dominant arm stronger?

When you’re working out, you’re probably not aware that your dominant side is secretly doing most of the work. Whether you’re right-handed or left-handed, your dominant arm has the advantage of being stronger simply because you use it more often in day-to-day activities.

Why is my left arm stronger if I’m right handed?

The more repeatedly we use one side, the more efficiently our brain learns to use those muscles. This results in stronger muscles on that side and quite often larger muscles.

Why is my left arm more defined than my right?

One of the biggest reasons why one arm might be larger than the other is related to your dominant side. When they are lifting weights, almost everybody is going to develop a weaker side and a stronger side, with the weak arm generally being on the left side for most people.

How do you strengthen your left arm?

5 moves to build up your weaker arm

  1. Flat unilateral dumb-bell press. Reps: 6-8 each arm. Sets: 3. …
  2. Prone 30-degree dumb-bell unilateral row. Reps: 6-8 each arm. …
  3. Unilateral dumb-bell shoulder press. Reps: 6-8 each arm. …
  4. Unilateral neutral grip pull down. Reps: 6-8 each arm. …
  5. Prone 30-degree unilateral reverse fly. Reps: 6-8 each arm.


Are muscle imbalances normal?

Subtle imbalances are normal and fine. So what about pain? Yes, you should also get qualified medical help if you’re feeling chronic pains, but this is usually coincidental to asymmetries and isn’t really a symptom that’s specific to muscular imbalance.

How do you get equal strength in both arms?

Do one-and-two-and-one repetitions during each arm move. This allows you to work both arms at the same time, but emphasizes the weaker one. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. When doing an arm exercise, perform one repetition with your underdeveloped arm, while keeping your stronger one at rest.