Unilateral exercises for muscle imbalances

[jet]

To keep things short, my left side of the body is weaker than my right. My right side is tighter. What unilateral exercises are good to strengthen the muscles on my left side. Particularly for the left shoulder.

After a bit of research I have come across these:

Shoulder: Standing one arm dumbbell press, one arm lateral raise.
Back: Dumbbell row
Leg: Bulgarian squat, suit case deadlift, step ups
Chest: Dumbbell press, flies

Il also be doing, farmers walk, GHR, RDL and hyper extensions.

Any thoughts suggestions?

I have had these muscle imbalances and weaknesses for a while, I need to sort them out instead of wasting money on chiros, physios etc.

Thanks

 

[wingman]

Depends how big the discrepancy is. In most cases it's a lot smaller than you think. In most cases, do some mobility work and normal both-handed barbell work and your sides will catch up with each other.

Usually a large discrepancy only comes from some sorta trauma to one side like a car accident in which case a physio will recommend exercises like dumbell or kettlebell work to get that side back in the game.

 

[Bazza20]

I wouldn't worry about it at the moment. Just do the standard barbell exercises and it will most likely sort itself out.

 

[dave]

Focus pushing with the weak side on all lifts with a barbell. As was stated it all depends on how weak you are and if it is causing significant issues. A lot of the time it is more the tightness that is the real issue so balance that out.

 

[jet]

I will still continue to perform deadlifts, bench press, MP. Squats are going to have to wait as all the weight gets transferred to my right leg and I cant get proper form, right leg is externally rotated.

I have been doing compound movements for as long as I can remember, and the imbalances haven't really sorted themselves out. Mobility and stretching of my right side is probably going to be key, been slack with it.

Apart from that, any other exercises I can include?

 

[PowerBuilder]

I will still continue to perform deadlifts, bench press, MP. Squats are going to have to wait as all the weight gets transferred to my right leg and I cant get proper form, right leg is externally rotated.

I have been doing compound movements for as long as I can remember, and the imbalances haven't really sorted themselves out. Mobility and stretching of my right side is probably going to be key, been slack with it.

Apart from that, any other exercises I can include?

how long is 'as long as you can remember', are we talking a few weeks, months, years? You'll find that as time passes both limbs will need to be as strong as each other to move any decent weight. It's pretty normal to ahve a weaker side than the other.

 

[jet]

how long is 'as long as you can remember', are we talking a few weeks, months, years? You'll find that as time passes both limbs will need to be as strong as each other to move any decent weight. It's pretty normal to ahve a weaker side than the other.

2-3 years, on and off, soft-cocking it. Thats my point, I can't move decent weights caus Im practically squatting with my right leg instead of both.
In before post a video of your squat form. lol.

 

[Goosey]

As an experiment and some sort of measure....
How much difference is (rep's/kg's) there if you perform a leg extension, curl or leg press with using the one leg?

Are you left/right handed?

 

[jet]

As an experiment and some sort of measure....
How much difference is (rep's/kg's) there if you perform a leg extension, curl or leg press with using the one leg?

Are you left/right handed?

Andy, I have only performed them a handfull of times, but I will tell you next time I do them, I do know that my left leg was failing quicker. Im right handed also.

 

[dave]

As an experiment and some sort of measure....
How much difference is (rep's/kg's) there if you perform a leg extension, curl or leg press with using the one leg?

Are you left/right handed?

This. I have been correcting my bosses issues and she looked to be failing in leg press and one legged squats (bulgarian) on the left. It was not a strength issue as her leg extension was stronger on the left she was just getting greater ROM and therefore felt weaker as she had to work harder. Test it out properly like Andy stated, also look into a glute test too.

 

[0ni]

To get the benefit of a unilateral do you need to lift with both sides separately?
For example dumbbell curls vs alternate dumbbell curls
I read somewhere that the CNS treats it as if you were lifting with both arms if you move both at the same time just wanted to see what people's opinion here was of that

 

[dave]

To get the benefit of a unilateral do you need to lift with both sides separately?
For example dumbbell curls vs alternate dumbbell curls
I read somewhere that the CNS treats it as if you were lifting with both arms if you move both at the same time just wanted to see what people's opinion here was of that

That is easily dissproven due to your other arm not moving, if they were treated the same then both arms would be stimulated to move. There is a small overlap though, strength gained from a single arm curl has shown to increases strength in the opposite unused arm.

 

[0ni]

So is it worth while doing alternating dumbbell curls or should I just do them together (i've noticed a lot of pros do dumbbell preacher curls with one arm then the other and just wondered if there was any reason for not doing both arms at the same time)

 

[dave]

Do whatever suits you. Single arm allows a little more full stretch and concentration over barbell movements. In the end it wont be a big deal.