9/8/2015

CorrectingaStrengthImbalanceQ&A:BodyRecomposition

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CorrectingaStrengthImbalanceQ&A
Question:Justwonderingwhataresomegoodwaystocorrectimbalances?IhadahardlaborjobwhenIwasinmy
early20sandnotthinkingaboutitatthetimedideverythingwithmydominantside,andhaveneverseemedtobeable
tofixit.Imnotevensurewheretostart.Anysuggestionswouldbehelpful.Thanks.
Answer:Imbalancesacrossthebody(e.g.leftvs.rightlegorrightvs.leftarmorwhathaveyou)arefairlycommonand
can be caused by a number of things. You mention one, many jobs involve moving in a repetitive fashion in one
directiononly.Forexample,grocerystorecheckerstypicallyrotateonedirection(fromtheregistertothebelt)repeatedly
withnoshift.Manylaborjobsaresimilarwiththesameasymmetricalpatternbeingrepeatedforhours,days,weeks,
monthsoryearsonend.
Inmanysports,thesameisseen.Runnerswhoalwaysrunthesamedirectionaroundthetrackcanendupwithissues
as one side of their body is stressed differently than the other rowers often get imbalances as a function of one oar
moving differently than the other. Imbalances (and back problems because of them) are absolutely endemic to my
formersport,icespeedskating.Ithinkyougettheidea.

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Injuries can cause this to occur as well when one side of the body is injured for example, the body often adapts by
inhibiting a certain muscle (or finding a substitution of a different muscle) and over time this leads to imbalances.
Making this more difficult is that once an imbalance occurs, the body often finds ways to use other muscles to do a
movementtoavoidtheweakness.Youalsooftenseeadaptationsinmusclelengthwiththeweakersidebecoming
somewhatlooseandthestrongmusclebecomingtight.Thisisntuniversalbutatthispointweregettingintophysical
therapy.
Sowhatdoyoudoaboutit?Imgoingtoassumeyouknowwheretheimbalanceis.Itmightbebetweenyourrightand
leftarm(mostpeopletendtobeabitstrongerontheirdominantarmsidesincetheytendtofavoritalready)oraright
andleftleg.Thatcouldmeanquads,glutes,hamstringswhenIsayleg.Forsomeonewhodoesalotofrotation,you
mightseeabunchofdifferentissuesincludingimbalancesbetweenarmsandevenrotationally(i.e.theobliquesonone
sidemightbesignificantlystrongerthantheother).
ThefirstthingIdgenerallyrecommendissometypeofstrengthtestingtodeterminetheleveloftheimbalancethiswill
alsoletyouseeifyouremakingprogresstowardsfixingit.Thisalsoletsmeaddressexerciseselection.Forthemost
part,forbothtestingandfixingimbalancesIstronglysuggestusingisolationexercises.
Whilethiswilloffendthosewhofeelthatcompoundmovementsroolandisolationmovementsdrool,myreasoningis
this:whenthereisanimbalance,thebodyisoftenfascinatinglycreativeatfindingsubstitutionstomakethemovement
happenwhilethrowingtheleaststressontotheweakmuscle.
Soconsiderthecasewheresomeonehasarightquadricepweakerthantheleft.Ifyouuseaquaddominantsplitsquat
orstepup,thebodywilltrytofindothermusclestohelpout,avoidingtheproblem.Caseinpoint,yearsagoIhada
traineewhohadsustainedahip/SIinjury.WhenIhadherdostepups,shedgetsoreinherquadsononesideand
glutes on the other. The movement looked identical but her body had found ways around the injury and was using
differentmuscles.
Incontrast,ifIwanttofixaquadproblemandIuseoneleggedlegextensions,thebodyisgoingtousethequadsno
matterwhat.Thesamewouldholdforfixingimbalancesbetweenarms(useaonearmcurlortricepspushdown),pecs
(use pec deck one arm at a time or a onearmed cable crossover). If someone had a rotational imbalance in the
obliques,thiswouldbeagoodusefortheabrotationmachinesthatsomanywastetheirtimeontryingtowhittletheir
lovehandles.
Inanycase,thefirstissueistesting.Sincewewanttoteststrength,weideallywantaweightthatwillcausefailure
somewherebetween610repetitions.Fewerthanthatcanbeaproblemforisolationmovementsmoreandyoustart
gettingintoissuesofmuscularendurance.Afteraproperwarmupyouwanttotestonesidevstheothertocomparethe
twomakesuretokeepformandliftingspeedthesame.

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Sosayyouredoingoneleggedlegextensionswith100lbsandget10repswiththestrongsideandonly6withthe
weakside.Nowyouknowyourbaseline.Everymonthorsoyouregoingtoretesttomakesurethattheweaksideis
catchingupwiththestrongside.
NowwefixitandtherearetworulesIapplyhere.Thefirstisthis:youwillalwaysstartwiththeweaksideandalways
letthestrengthoftheweaksidedeterminewhatyoudowiththestrongside.Soifyoudoyourfirstsetwiththeweakleg
andget8repetitionswith80lbsonthe1leggedlegextension,youwillstopat8repswith80lbsonthestrongleg.
Evenifthestronglegcouldeasilydomore(anditprobablycan).Ifyoudontdothis,youwillsimplykeepmakingthe
strongsidestrongerandtheweaksidewillnevercatchup.Andyes,ifyoureworried,thismayweakenthestrongsidea
bit.Thatsfine,whatweretryingtodohereisachievebalancesothatbodysidescanbestrengthenedagain.
Theotherrulewouldbetodomoresets(perhapstwiceasmanysets)fortheweaksidethanthestrongside.AsIve
discussedelsewhereonthesite,youcanmaintainstrengthinamusclegroupwithavolumereductionofupto23rds
soyoucancutthevolumeonthestrongsidedownto12setsandnotlosemuchstrength.Atthesametimeyoudwant
todo34setsfortheweakersidetostimulatestrengthgainssothatitwillcatchup.Soyoucoulddo1setforthestrong
sideand23fortheweaksideor2forthestrongsideand4fortheweakside.
Soinpractice,againusingquadsasanexample,yourelookingatasituationwhereyoumightdoaworkoutconsisting
of
WarmupsasdescribedinWarmingUpfortheWeightRoom
Firstsetwithweakside:sayyouget80lbsby8repsonthe1leggedlegextension.
Doyourfirstsetwiththestrongside.Evenifyoucandomore,stopat80lbX8reps.
Secondsetwiththeweakleg.Ifyoucandothesame80lbsby8reps,thatsfine.
Ifyouneedtodropweight,dothat.
Secondandfinalsetwiththestrongside.Matchittothesecondsetwiththeweakleg.
Thirdandevenafourthsetfortheweakleg
Takeaboutaminutebetweenoppositelegsandperhaps1.52minutesonthefinaltwosets(sinceyoureworkingthe

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sameleg).Youddotheabovetwiceperweekand,ofcourse,applyprogressiveoverloadasthingsgotstronger.IFthe
weaklegimprovesto90lbsX8reps,bumpupthestrongsidetomatchit.Andagain,retesteverymonthorso.Once
youre within 12 reps difference between sides (nobody is ever perfectly symmetrical) you can move back to more
compoundmovements.
Asafinalcomment,onethingIvenoticedandperhapsanyrehaborientedreaderscanchimeininthecommentsisthis:
oncepeoplehavehadanimbalancethebodyoftenshiftsbacktowardsitevenifyouseemtohavefixedit.Itsprobably
duetowellestablishedneuralpathwaysbuttheremaybegoodreasontothrowinsomeoneleggedworkinfromtimeto
time (e.g. finish quads with onelegged leg extensions after squats or leg press) to both ensure that the sides stay
symmetrical as well as doing a spottest from time to time. Otherwise the same imbalances seem to come back
graduallyovertime.Anditsalwayseasiertopreventaproblemthanfixit.
Idalsonotethatimbalancecanalsobecausedbyreasonstotallyunrelatedtoanythingthattheabovecanfix.Nerve
pinchesorotherthingsthatonlyacompetentphysiocanaddressarepotentialcauseshere.Ifyouapplytheaboveand
nothingishappening,itsworthgettingcheckedoutbysomeonetoseeifthereisabiggerissueatwork.
Hopethathelps,goodluck.
Tagged:

Comments
16ResponsestoCorrectingaStrengthImbalanceQ&A
enriqueonFebruary9th,201111:38am
Oneword:FMS
http://www.functionalmovement.com/SITE/
Alsocheckbrilliantbook:Movement
http://www.movementbook.com/index.html
regards!

jaredonFebruary9th,20116:53pm
Iamarighthipdisarticulate.MyfriendforwardedmealinktothisarticlewhenIasked
himhisthoughtsonhowIcouldfixwhatIessentiallyseeasamajorstrengthimbalance
inmycore,abs,etc,whichIviewasafunctionofhavingmyrightlegamputatedatthe
hip.
I was fairly overweight from 2 years after the amputation (during which I was on
chemotherapy),untiljustrecently1517yearstotalthere.LastJuly,Ibeganafocused
efforttogetintoshape,loseweight,buildmuscle.Ivebeenworkingoutregularlysince
then,eatinghealthilyandseeingresults.Inthepastyear,Ivegonefrom195poundsto137pounds.Istill
haveafairamountofbellyfatthough.
WhenIdositups,orworkmyabsviaLsitorstretching,itfeelsasifmyrightsideisleftbehindina
sense.Iattributethisinmymindtoalackofcounterweightonmyrightside.
WhatdoyousuggestIdotogetanevenworkout?Yourarticleishelpful,butdoesntaddresstheunique
situationwheretheweaksideisweak,inpart,becauseoftheabsenceofalimbtoexercise.
Thanksforyourhelp!

SteveonFebruary11th,201110:36am
GreatarticleLyle,thanks.

lylemcdonFebruary11th,201111:53am
Jared: This is so far outside of my scope of expertise that I am not in any position to
commentonit.Myapologies.

DanneonMarch8th,20116:43am
Interestingarticle.WhenImdoingthelegpressIfellmorepumpinmyrightleg.Itfeels
like it have worked more than the left one. And my right leg is bigger than the left.
Anyway,Icantseeanybigdifferensinstrength.
Anyway, I think those imbalances occur because of different length in arms and legs
(Yourbodyisntsymmetric,whichmeansdifferentmovementsinrightsidevsleftside).
I.e longer right arm than left arm etc. If yore doing a barbell movement, one side will
haveagreaterROMandsinceyouprobablyalsowillgetaaskewlift,theresbiggerrisk
youllinjureyourself.Soaoneleg/armexersicewouldprobablynothelpifyouhavedifferentarmor/and
leglengthcauseofthebetterROMinthelongerleg/arm.
oncepeoplehavehadanimbalancethebodyoftenshiftsbacktowardsitevenifyouseemtohavefixed
it.Ifyoumeanwhentheyarestartingwiththebarbell/legpresmovementwithbothlegsandarmsagainI
thinkitsbecauseofthedifferentlengthsideagain,causeofonesidewillhaveagreaterROMandyouwill
buildupdifferentstrengthagainlikeyoudidbefore.
PS.Thelengthdifferentcanalsooccurbecauseofpelvisrotationofcourse.Maybeitalsobecauseone

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sidebeingmorestiffthantheother,whichmakedifferentROM.
ThisisjustsomethoughtsIhadonmyownandImnotsureifthisiscorrect.Whatdoyouthinkaboutthis
Lyle,doyouthinkthatcouldbeanotherreason?
Thanksforthisarticle!
Bestregards

LucasonMay6th,20113:24pm
Lyle,
Ihavebeenaseriousathleteforover7yearsnow.IstartedcyclingwhenIwas12years
oldandtrainedaround50weeksoutoftheyearfor6yearsuntilIquitandstartedrock
climbing.WhenIwasacyclistIhadanoticeablyweakerleftlegwhichcausedbackand
hippain.Aphysicaltherapistdiagnosedmewithacollapsingarchinmyleftfootwhich
wascausingthedifferenceinmotionbetweenthetwolegs.Expensiveorthoticsfailedto
fullysolvetheproblem.AfterIstoppedcyclingItookuprockclimbingandstartedtotrain
seriously.Iquicklynoticedadiscrepancybetweenmyrightandleftarm.Myrightarmissignificantlylarger
thantheleftandmuchmorepowerful.Whenobservingtheminamirrormyrightlooksslightlylonger,could
thispossiblybeanillusion?Myquestionis,isitpossibletheentireleftsideofmybodyisweakerthanthe
right (the left side of my face is slightly angled downwards and my eye is smaller Also my left hand is
slightly,almostimperceptibly,smaller)andasaresultInotonlyfavormyrightsidebutamunabletofully
developontheleft?
Thanksfortakingthetimetoreadthislengthyquestion!
Lucas

RainbowonSeptember22nd,20132:54pm
IhaveanimbalancebyalwaysdrivinganautomaticcarIfoundtheaboveinformation
extremelyhelpfulthankyou

RandyonJanuary3rd,201410:18pm
Lucas
Ihadadisparitybetweenmyleftquadandglutecomparedtomyright.Ispent3years
rowingontheoneside.LaterwhenIchangedtorugbyIquicklydiscoveredthatmyright
upper body was significantly weaker than my left side. It wasnt until I met with my
osteopath that I discovered I had a transverse sling. Do some research on this, but
basicallymyunderstandingoftransverseslingisthatitsyourdeepcorethatgoesfrom
your lower pelvis (hip flexors) and goes up to your opposite latissimus Dorsi. This
explained my weak left leg and weak right upper body. There are many exercises that can help you
increaseyourtransverseslingsstrength.Pilatesisalsorecommended.
IcurrentlyhaveosteopubisduetomyimbalanceandIamstillstrugglingtomakemyreturntorugby.

TimSavageonMarch7th,20148:54pm
IechotheFunctionalMovementScreen.Sosimple(canbeperformedinabout3060
minutes)andprovenbyseveralstudies.
I suggest Gray Cooks book, but here is a guide available online:
http://www.chicagofitnessreport.com/functionalmovementscreen

NormellyaBaileyonMarch7th,201411:57pm
I to have problems with my left side. I have been doing stationary cycling for about 5
years.3ormoretimesaweek.overtheyearsIvedevelopedpaininmyneck,shoulders
hip,knee,ankleandbigtoe,allonmyleftside,nottomentionIvedevelopedbunions
on both feet. My left side is obviously noticeably being carried by my right side when
riding.Icanfeelatightnessinmyleftgluteandaninwardtwistingmotioninmylefthip
whenconsciouslytryingtocorrecttheimbalanceride.anysuggestionsofwhythisisso.

RaeonSeptember17th,201410:12am
HiLyle,
Ifoundyourarticleveryinterestingandhelpful!ForafewyearsnowIhavenoticedthat
my left leg is significantly weaker and slightly larger than my right leg. I have actually
spokenabouttheissuewithafewpersonaltrainersbeforebuttheyallseemtolaughthe
situationoffbecausenobodyreallyknowshowtohelpme.Iiusedtogojoggingevery
dayandaboutayearintoitInoticedthatallofmyrightlegwasbreakingtheweight.Its
beenabout5yearsnowandItisgettingtoapointwheremypostureisgettingaffected.
WhenIwalkmybodywillleantotherightovermyrightlegandbearallofmyweight!Imreallygetting
botheredaboutitnow.ImwanderingifyoudbeabletogivemeanyadviceonhowIdgoaboutfixingthis
issue.Ilovebikeridingnowbutitsthesamestory!Hopefullyyoucangetbacktomewithasuggestion?
Thankyou,Rae

RobonOctober6th,20149:47pm
Ima49yrmalecontractor510whousetoweighinat256lbs.wasingoodshapebutcarriedlotextrafat
evenlydistributedovermybody.decidedtoshedsomeweightattrimdown.ingetbackintoshap.Builta
greatweightroomatstartedaprogram.in7monthsIshed56lbsofdeadweightanfeelalookgreat.my
chest,armsstomach,shoulderaregettingsomedefinition!Howeverfromswinginga28ozhammernearly
30rysmyrightshoulderanarmarebiggerthenmyleftsideshoulderanarmside.wasntreallynoticeable

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withalltheextraweightIusetocarry?Nowbeingtrimaninshape.Ihaveadifferencin
sizetocorrect!!AnIreallydontnohowtogoaboutittherightwaytocompletethistask
!! kinda lost is there anyone who can direct me in the right path..would be greatly
appreciated!

lylemcdonOctober6th,20149:51pm
Umm,dowhatthearticlesays?

PetaronNovember18th,201412:11pm
AftercycloplesionremovalthisyearonmyACLreconstructedknee(2005),mygraftis
destroyedandImprettymuchacldeficientinmyrightknee.Doyoustillrecommendleg
extensionforstrengtheningquadonthatknee?RightnowImdoingoneleglegpress
andIdoseesomeprogress,butIhaveafeelinghipisdoingmuchofaworkandmy
leg(quad)isprettyshakyfrom0do30/40degreesofflexion.
[WORDPRESSHASHCASH]Thepostersentus1433835500whichisnotahashcash
value.

lylemcdonNovember18th,201412:18pm
Thisisquestionforaphysiotherapist,notme.

TayloronDecember18th,20147:34pm
HeyLyle,
Readyourarticle,greatinput.Illkeepthisshortandsimple,maybeyoucouldinformon
thisproblem.IamaroweratAustinrowingclub,andIhavebeenrowingforabout10
yearsnow.Iamcurrentlytrainingatthenationalteamlevel.
I began weight training heavily this fall, and I started feeling a muscular imbalance
developingbetweenmyleftandrightleg,leftweakerthanright.InoctoberIpulledmy
lefthamstring,Ibelieve,asaresultoftheimbalance,whichItreatedwithmyofascialreleasetherapy.
Idontknowyourfunctionalknowledgeofrowing,soIwilltrytonotusespecializedterminology,butforthe
lastfewmonths,whenIworkoutontherowingmachine,Ifeelasifmyleftleg,hipflexor,andgluteismuch
tighterthantheright,anditmakesmefeelalmostcrookedontherecovery(thepartwhenyourollup)and
thedrive(thepartwhenyoupull),almostasifmyleftlegisafewincheslonger,howeverIknowthatisnot
thecase.
I am hesitant to strengthen the left leg, in fear that it will get tighter, and stretching doesnt seem to be
gettingmeanywhere.DoyouhaveanyrecommendationsforpeopleIcouldtalktoabouthowtoremedy
thisstrength/flexibilityimbalance?
Thanks,Taylor

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Copyright2008LyleMcDonald.Allrightsreserved.

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