Hi all,

I'm using a weight training program based on Max-OT. On my back/bicep day, I've been doing three sets of curlbar curls and two sets of alternate dumbell curls.

I have two questions about alternate dumbell curls: first of all, following the usual 4-6 reps to failure guideline, should I be doing 4-6 reps on each arm, or 4-6 total reps? I've been doing 4-6 on each arm, and though it's not necessarily more difficult, the energy expenditure seems significantly greater during these final two sets. Secondly, being right handed, my right arm is quite a bit more powerful than my left. I can squeeze out four reps at 40 lbs. with my right, whereas my left can barely manage four reps at 30. Should I then stick with 30 lbs. on both arms until my left catches up, so to speak, or use different weights for each arm?

Thanks.

4-6 reps with each arm, count like this:

1 right, 1 left, 2 right, 2 left, 3 right, 3 left... and so on until your left arm fails. So, you must aim to use a weight that fails your left in 4-6 reps.

10#s is a huge difference with biceps, so, were I you, I would eliminate any barbell curl movements and stick with dumbbell movements to really aid the biceps to equalize. You might try incline curls as a substitute for your bar curl.

This is why MAXOT shys away from a lot of alternating and 1-arm style movements, like alternate db curls, concentration curls, 1-arm kickbacks, frontal raises, 1-arm db rows, etc.

They list a few of these exercises in their literature but they don't say they are in the "best exercises" list by any means. WAY more energy expenditure.

Personally I love alternate db curls though. I can go fairly heavy and they just feel good. Stand there in the mirror and stare at myself, it's just fun. :)

I had sort of the same problem, except even though I'm right handed, I seemed to be able to curl more with my left arm than my right. I used different size weights accordingly and after awhile, I was able to do 4-6 reps with equal weights.

Jason

I had sort of the same problem, except even though I'm right handed, I seemed to be able to curl more with my left arm than my right. I used different size weights accordingly and after awhile, I was able to do 4-6 reps with equal weights.

Jason

It's very common to be able to lift more with your left hand even though you're right handed. It's also very common to be bigger on the left side. For example, I am right handed. My left pec and arm are both bigger than my right. It's not noticable to most people, but I can tell.

It's very common to be able to lift more with your left hand even though you're right handed. It's also very common to be bigger on the left side. For example, I am right handed. My left pec and arm are both bigger than my right. It's not noticable to most people, but I can tell.

I knew I was strange. I am right handed, and I can lift more with my right hand and my right bicep is BIGGER than my left.

I am keeping my weights the same for each arm. I want to try and get my biceps the same size, if possible. I feel, correct me someone if I am wrong, that keeping the weight the same for both arms, regardless of which one is stronger, will eventually lead to both of them being able to curl the same weight.

I don't think it is possible to use different weights for each arm and end up with symetrical arms. Won't doing this also eventually affect the way you lift other weights. If you continually strengthen one arm more than another, won't you continually favor that side, thus causing an imbalance.

Hi all,

I'm using a weight training program based on Max-OT. On my back/bicep day, I've been doing three sets of curlbar curls and two sets of alternate dumbell curls.

I have two questions about alternate dumbell curls: first of all, following the usual 4-6 reps to failure guideline, should I be doing 4-6 reps on each arm, or 4-6 total reps? I've been doing 4-6 on each arm, and though it's not necessarily more difficult, the energy expenditure seems significantly greater during these final two sets. Secondly, being right handed, my right arm is quite a bit more powerful than my left. I can squeeze out four reps at 40 lbs. with my right, whereas my left can barely manage four reps at 30. Should I then stick with 30 lbs. on both arms until my left catches up, so to speak, or use different weights for each arm?

Thanks.I used to have the same right-left balance issue. To correct it, I started doing the right and left DB curls simultaneously (to avoid one arm doing more than the other--I would stop when the weaker arm hit positive failure), and follow the set with a few negatives for the weaker arm only. This will more than likely result in the weaker arm "catching up" while the stronger one is merely maintained, and can be discouraging if you gauge your progress by measuring your stronger arm...:cool: But it works.

Also, I noticed that I instinctively tend to carry and lift things outside the gym with my right arm, and started to make a conscious effort to balance that out (although that still slips my mind sometimes).

I hope this helps!

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

I think I'll stick with like-weighted DB curls until both arms are equally strong. It's going to be a little discouraging not to see any weight improvement in my BB curl, but I doubt my OCD will allow for unequal sizes and strengths in my biceps.

Thanks again guys, and take care.