problem with RIGHT pec - it wont grow !

[beginner84]

hey !

so im working out for 4 months now and have had a nice gain in both muscle mass and bodyweight so far,
however my chest has turned out to be a big problem.

my left pec has developed nicely whereas in comparison my right pec looks just like
as if i didnt workout at all ! over the months i watched it closely and always told myself
that it will catch up and i just have to give it time and its because im right handed (i really looked for any possible explanation)
.. but seriously, 4 months and no growth EH ?!

as for the exercises, i was doing Barbell Bench Press 3 times a week for the first 3 months
when i was doing my full body workout and changed to a 2-split (still 3 times a week)
for a month now.

my current chest routine is as follows: dumbell bench press / dumbell incline bench press / butterfly.

so ive been at this for a month now, hoping that maybe the dumbells would stimulate both pecs
the same but nada

im getting really depressed and id like any input as this is a REAL turnoff everytime i take
of my shirt after workout and look at my pumped up body, just having to see that the left
pec looks bigger each time whereas the right one still doesnt seem to care to grow a bit ..

pics are looking down from above, as you can see the left one is quite nice whereas right ...
especially the dark one gives you the right image *sigh*

heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp !

[Big_D]

I *thought* that was happening to me for awhile, but it really is just perspective, I think.

[beginner84]

sadly it really shows if i am looking at myself from the side, i try to take pics but i cant get it down - it clearly is not perspective, it really just grows left.

ALSO if i got muscle ache in the chest, which i barely ever have, its only left also

[Big_D]

I would suggest doing dumbell bench or some other unilateral exercise to see if there is a strength discrepancy with the two sides, and if there is, correct it.

[beginner84]

Originally Posted by beginner84

my current chest routine is as follows: dumbell bench press / dumbell incline bench press / butterfly.

...

[Big_D]

Originally Posted by beginner84

...

You didn't really mention if there is a strength discrepancy, though.

[beginner84]

well how can i find that out ?

i can do the same number of reps with each side, so i guess they are equal.

the biceps on my left arm however is weaker than the one on my right,
if that counts ?

[Big_D]

Originally Posted by beginner84

well how can i find that out ?

i can do the same number of reps with each side, so i guess they are equal.

the biceps on my left arm however is weaker than the one on my right,
if that counts ?

If you do the same number of reps, they should be equal. Also, when I first looked at those pictures I had no idea what you were talking about, so guaranteed when you have your shirt off no one is gonna say "OMG LOOK AT HIS PECS THEYRE UNEVEN"
In fact, they'll probably say "Damn man, lookin' huge" or something =).

Other than that, you've only been at it for 4 months, give it some time!

[darksleeper25]

Hmmm, I can kinda see what your talking about from that pic. How's your form when you use the dumbells. With a lot of people, there is one side that is slightly weaker than the other. Once they start struggling with a weight, they tend to lean towards the dominant side and it causes more of the delts to kick in on the other side.

I'm not entirely sure if that would cause it but I'm just throwing out some ideas here.

[Rymanes]

I think everyone suffers from this to some degree--I certainly do. The most plausible explanation I've heard is that a strength-discrepancy in the triceps actually causes it. That is, our left tricep is weaker than our right, so our left chest muscle compensates with a little more force than our right under the same circumstances. I've tried balancing out my tricep-strength and I think that helped to some degree, but my chest-imbalance is still noticeable, if a little better. So I really don't know what to tell you, except that many of us are in the same boat.

[carguy]

beginner84, I have the exact same problem, even down to it being the right pec. Mine almost looks like there's something missing inside. If I were photographed from the left side, you wouldn't even see my right pec. And if I was photographed from the right, you would be able to see my left pec sticking out further than the right one, even though it is behind it in the picture. I've been lifting for two years now and the difference is less noticeable now that my chest has grown. But the left pec looks perfect and the right one looks flat and distorted a little. I figured it was just poor genetics and that there wasn't much I could do about it. Probably doesn't help you much but just know that most people have issues like this.

[beginner84]

damn !

i just recalled, the one and only time i actually had muscle ache in both pecs was when
i worked out at @ a friend's gym - he had some sort of chest machine that u sat in
and basically u were doing benchpress sitting and pushing two handles in front of your body.

that day i was like OMG and dreamed of going to that gym eversince cause that machine may
finally be key to ketting a right pec ! or atleast i hope so, anyways im changing gym by the end
of next month (as its even cheaper there) and there is that machine, so with a little luck,
and some help from that machine, ill grow an even pair of tits

unless however its really a genetic issue .. that would like REALLY suck ..

[JoeSchmo]

These sorts of asymmetries are fairly normal. I am in the same boat as you -- my left pec is larger than my right pec. Also, my right arm is larger than my left arm, and my left calf is larger than my right calf!

I wouldn't worry too much -- just concentrate on getting your muscles bigger overall, and the asymmetries will be less noticeable. I suspect that you are probably the only person who really notices anyway. In my case, I thought it was so obvious that my left pec was larger, yet when I had my girlfriend take a look, she said they both looked the same. We tend to focus on our own flaws and magnify them, so unless you are getting comments from other people about it, I wouldn't worry.

[tennisball]

Originally Posted by beginner84

my current chest routine is as follows: dumbell bench press / dumbell incline bench press / butterfly.

Start doing weighted DIPS!!!!

[betastas]

check your forms. You could be shifting weight to the triceps and shoulders over the chest. I find that I use my shoulder more to press on my right side, my tricep more on my left side. This is largely due to how I "naturally" press the bar (IE - when I don't actively think about it). Analyze how you're pressing so you can be certain you're symmetrical. I've seen people do some pretty silly presses in the past, with a large degree of asymmetry.

[beginner84]

Originally Posted by tennisball

Start doing weighted DIPS!!!!

i am doing dips on my other training day, currently not weighted but i am up to 8/8/10 reps - once i hit 12/12/12 clean reps ill add weight.

i heard bent forward dips are good for the pecs ?

[tennisball]

Since youre a beginner, I wouldn't worry too much about imbalances. If you still can't do 12x3xbodyweight dips yet, I think your pec imbalance will even out over time. Once you get stronger, get used to lifting heavier weights, and putting on some muscle, it should work itself out. Most people start out with the typical "one bicep larger than the other" but over time, it usually evens out.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by beginner84

i am doing dips on my other training day, currently not weighted but i am up to 8/8/10 reps - once i hit 12/12/12 clean reps ill add weight.

i heard bent forward dips are good for the pecs ?

[beginner84]

i have just been doing dips for the last couple of weeks, i didnt have that exercise in my other plan that i was @ for 3 months.

however i am still a beginner thats right, however i have the feeling
that tomorrow 9/9/9 dips wont be an issue

[SpiderKing]

Alright I haven't read all the other posts, but something I noticed a while back. If something like this happens, you *might* be using your right forearm on the bench motion, a lil bit more than the left arm. So it's like you're lifting with predominantly chest on the left, and using more of your arm on the right.

I noticed the same thing, and it's all mental really. Just make sure you're using CHEST.

I dunno. Does that sound stupid? Sorry.

[KevM]

Again, I have the exact same problem with my right pec and I’m right handed. When lifting weights not only does it feel like the right side of my chest doesn’t get worked the same, my right pec seems very flat as if there is no muscle when compared to my left side. Also, when really pushing myself I get more of a burning sensation in my right shoulder while it’s in my chest on the other side. I totally appreciate how annoying and frustrating this is. I’ve used a gym for the last seven years and although I’ve never really built up an amazing physique I’ve always kept myself fit and strong. The most interesting this is that for the first time ever I actually got someone to analyse my form. I was quite amazed when my girlfriend told me that there was a good 8 inches difference in where my hands finished on a fly exercise with dumbbells. In my sense of space during the movement I honestly believed I was matching the movements perfectly with both arms. So anyways, I would suggest taking your shirt off and have someone watch you on your chest exercises. I’m finding it nearly impossible to correct as it feels like I’m now training crooked! Hopefully I’ll sort it out with time though…