Uneven muscle growth, or muscles growing more on one side of the body than the other, is a common problem for people who are new to bodybuilding training. Here are some suggestions on how to deal with this problem and some training plans on how to fix chest and shoulder muscles one average that will hopefully help you.
Do a simple self-check
The first thing to do is to do a simple self-assessment. When you are a beginner, the stronger side (if you are right handed, most people are commonly right handed, although this is not always the case) tends to do more work than the other side, resulting in muscles that will develop disproportionately.
The solution
Practice the perfect training movement:By ensuring the correct training movement, you not only ensure that the target muscle is the muscle that completes the movement, but also that both sides are applying an equal amount of force as the movement is performed, thus preventing imbalance.
Concentrate on activating the muscle on the weak side:While performing this movement, really concentrate on using and squeezing the muscle on the weak side to complete the movement. This extra concentration will ensure that your training focus is skewed towards the weak side.
Do more sets of unilateral exercises, targeting only the underdeveloped area:Doing more sets of unilateral exercises, concentrating only on your weaker side, will teach your body to better activate the muscle fibres on that side.
Training programmes to address imbalances
Chest programme:
Supersets:
Incline bench press + unilateral dumbbell bench press, 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps each
Make sure the dumbbells are not too heavy for the dumbbell press as you need to balance your strength.
Chest double arm extensions + unilateral flyes, three sets of 8 to 12 reps each
Shoulder programme
Supersets:
Unilateral lateral planks + standing row, three sets of 12 - 15 repetitions each
Prone flyers three sets of 10 to 12 reps each + unilateral shoulder dumbbell presses three sets of 12 - 15 reps each
Rest only 1 minute between supersets and then observe how those weak areas feel.
If the whole side of the body is unevenly
If one side of the body is significantly more developed than the other, as is the case with athletes who practice bowling and other sports where one side of the body is practised regularly, then devote all your training to working only the weaker side.
The following illustrates how to create a one-sided fitness programme. We will be targeting the weaker side of the body for individual workouts. Plan i:Chest/back/biceps/triceps (monday)
Plan 2:Shoulders/thighs/calf (tuesday)
Rest on wednesday
Plan 3:Chest/back/biceps/triceps (thursday)
Plan 4: Delts/thighs/ hamstrings/calf (friday)
Weekend off
Plan 1 and plan 2 are the same normal workout for both sides of the body, while plan 3 and plan 4 should only include unilateral exercises on the left side. The unilateral exercise workouts are as follows:
Plan 3
Unilateral incline plate dumbbell bench press, 4 sets of 8 - 12 reps each
Unilateral plank dumbbell bench press, 4 sets of 8 - 12 reps
Unilateral pull-down, 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps each
Unilateral dumbbell row, 4 sets of 8 - 12 repetitions each
Unilateral biceps, three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions each
Unilateral bicep hammer curls, three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions each
One handed triceps push down, 8 - 12 repetitions per set
Plan iv
Unilateral shoulder press, three sets of 8 - 12 repetitions each
Unilateral butterfly machine reverse flyes, three sets of 8 - 12 repetitions
Unilateral lateral planks, two sets of 8 - 12 repetitions each
Lunge (left side only), four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions each
Unilateral machine stirrups (left side only), three sets of 8 - 12 repetitions each
Unilateral leg extensions, two sets of 8 - 12 repetitions
Unilateral leg curls, four sets of 8 - 12 repetitions each
Unilateral calf raises, three sets of 8 - 12 repetitions each
Note: Rest only 1 minute between sets.
Keep training and i am sure it will help you to slowly change your unbalanced muscles and strength.
