Alright so I get this question a LOT from new clients. Here's the breakdown and the solution:
Client: "Celeste my left side seems to be so much weaker than my right!" Me: "alright so there's a lot of different ways we can go about this..." Client: "okay" Me: I'm gunna start with one non training specific and get into training specific solutions ready? 1.Start carrying more things with your left side (simple lil thing to start now and use always) 2. When lifting we are going to change your program up a bit. I am going to give you alternating exercises. So you'll be starting with one side while the other side does nothing. (Ex: bicep curls left arm then bicep curls right arm=1 total set) 3. When you do this you are ALWAYS going to start with the weaker side. (Some times our left arm is weaker but left leg is stronger so take note and ALWAYS start with weaker side--simple) ℹ️why? When you start with the weaker side you are able to determine the rep range so that you don't do more on the right side. (Ex: if you started on right side doing bicep curls and right side is stronger you may hit the top of your rep range of 12-15 and hit 15 reps but when you switch to left you can barely even get 12 so now it's uneven and your right is all yeah im cool and your left is still suffering. Not cool. Leads to imbalance. No Bueno. Fix? Weak side first!) 4. If you notice you cannot even hit 12 reps (if rep range is 12-15) on weak side then LOWER THE WEIGHT. Even if it is easier on the right it allows your right to still be conditioned but gives time for left to catch up. 5. Okay so let's say we are doing squats or barbell bench press or other movements where you need to be planted and using both at same time. Obviously we aren't going to start pushing more with the weak side and less with the strong side (if a trainer tells you to do this run the other way) instead we need to find the balance. This means lower the weight until you find yourself pushing EVENLY on both sides. (Watch the bar path if it looks like / and not - something is wrong). Keep in mind your weak side will fatigue faster soo you be mindful that the bar can look like this - and not / and the weak side can still feel it more (this is positive growth is occurring) 6. This part is much more personalized based on the person BUT their could actually be a serious muscle imbalance. In this case... We need to find the weakness and address it. Example: if you're like OMG my quads are soooo strong but my hamstrings are weak and you are like my back fudgin hurts. Then you are quad dominant. This means more hamstring work (and other specific stretches and band work and more correction exercises which like I said is very specific to the person) 7. There are ALWAYS solutions to these types of things, do NOT give up hope or SUCCUMB to the "weakness" of your body. It doesn't have to be that way. So don't trap yourself into thinking "my left side will always be weaker" because it DOES NOT HAVE TO BE! Think about balance, mobility, strength, and health. Positive, growth mindset will lead to positive growth. Was this helpful? Let me know in my FREE global fb tribe: Building More Than Just a Body
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Celeste Rains-Turk
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