My left side is so freaking weak. On most upper body exercises, I find my left arm giving out way earlier than my right, especially on curls, presses, lateral raises, things like that. Also on exercises such as lat pull downs or cable rows it hinders my ability to finish my set...

I could probably lift twice as much weight with my right, and this is what I'm worried about. I feel that I could be using more weight because my right side can handle it, but then my left arm would be completely worthless. For example I'm doing curls with 20 lb dumbells (just started lifting, still very weak overall) but I feel I could be doing at least 25 if not 30 with my right arm. Sure I feel a burn with 20lbs on my right arm, but I know I could do more.

My question is this... Should I stick with the weight my left arm can handle, (and incorporate an extra set for that arm as I've seen in other posts) and let my right arm not improve.. or should I increase the weight and just let my left arm struggle with low reps?

I'm worried my right side isn't getting the max workout that I'm able to do because my left arm gives out so soon. I've never in my life seen someone using two different sized dumbells for an exercise so I don't think that's feasible.

Thanks for the advice.

When you do things involving alternating between your arms, start with your strongest arm and try to force the reps with the weak arm that you can do with the strong arm.

That's what I do, I've got a slight weakness in my right arm, so I start on my stronger arm then try to match the rep with my right arm, if I can do a complete rep with my strong arm I still attempt the rep on the weak arm until I either complete the rep or the strength runs out.
I'm slowly making up the difference that way.

I would do the opposite. Start with your weak arm and only match that effort with your strong arm. You could do an extra set with your weak side, but be careful you don't overtrain it. The goal is to balance out your body as quickly as possible. Trust me, it won't be long at all until your left side is just as strong as your right. On non-dumbell exercises, be sure to push/pull in an even fashion. If you can't pull or push the bar evenly, you are using too much weight or you have reached failure.

ya definatly don't do extra sets, why would you? If you're picking up weights you should be doing the optimal work out every time, if doing an extra set was a good thing, it'd be in your plan already right? if doing an extra set isn't a good thing, why would you do it to your bad arm?

Instinct says training more = better, instinct is wrong.

Just try raise the intensity bar with your left arm, go that extra percent, tell yourself you WILL do that last rep, tell yourself you won't allow your left side to be weak.

But don't do any extra sets or reps and don't add more weight to your right side, that's just admiting defeat on your left and you'll forever psycologicly be stuck with your left side being weaker.

Being left handed i have a small difference between the two but i treat is as a competition, i don't allow my right side to be weaker.

At this point in your strengthening, hopefully you are making gains quickly and this will not persist as a problem.

Lift as heavy as you can, but use the same weight on both sides.

I was in the same boat when I first started too. 20# DB were a serious workout with curls.

Get this, now my left side can actually pull one or two more than right. What is really strange is that my right Bi is about a half inch bigger too! :confused: I can't even begin to explain why.

I would do the opposite. Start with your weak arm and only match that effort with your strong arm. You could do an extra set with your weak side, but be careful you don't overtrain it. The goal is to balance out your body as quickly as possible. Trust me, it won't be long at all until your left side is just as strong as your right. On non-dumbell exercises, be sure to push/pull in an even fashion. If you can't pull or push the bar evenly, you are using too much weight or you have reached failure.

I'd disagree because it seems like negative training to me, it's like weakening the stronger arm to match the weak one rather than forcing the weak one to catch up.
Considering my right arm is slowly (yep, it's not a fast thing) catching up with my left I think I'll be sticking with my method.

Welsh Mike: I'm glad you are making progress, but I believe the other strategy will bring strength into balance in the shortest amount of time.

I think we'll have to agree to differ or this'll just keep running :nod:


:db: