# Growth imbalance



## Lukeg (Mar 6, 2011)

Hi guys

I've noticed that my chest isn't growing equally. I'm right handed. My left pectoral is getting larger than my right. I do bb bench and db bench. With db I lift the same weight and each muscle fails at pretty much the same time. If anything I can do maybe 1 more rep with my right side.

Just looking for some insight as to why this is and anything I can do to counter act it?


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## Corby (Jun 18, 2008)

My right one is slightly smaller than my left! But not to the extent where people would notice. But I would recommend pre-exhausting your triceps before you do your chest exercises, this will mean that your chest will be working harder to push the weight and minimise any assistance from the triceps. The problem could be that your right tricep is stronger than your left therefore helping you lift the bb/db on your right hand side more than the left tricep is.


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## PHHead (Aug 20, 2008)

Hi mate, I suffer form this too and tbh there is not alot you can do about it in some cases.............a lot of cases are simply that the pectorals are different shapes due to slightly different origin and insertion points in each muscle, this is the case with mine so no matter how big they get and my pecs are pretty thick one always "feels" bigger than the other due to the fact that its a slightly smaller yet fuller shape.

This may not be the case for you as it could be lagging from injury or bad form but tbh most cases I have researched have been due to shape differences in the pec's and not size, basically poor genetics...............all you can really do to try to address the issue and not make it worse by using dumbbells only when working the pecs to make sure if there are any weakness in one it will catch up, *stop benching strait away if you are as this will only make it worse!*

I would also advise you get checked at the Doc's just to be sure your not working through some kind of injury but don't expect much from your GP as generally IME they don't give a sh*t about things like this, better to go private or pay a sports therapist if you can afford it.

The main thing to remember is not to let it get you down as generally know one will ever notice it, my gf, family and even guys on here when posting pics have all said they can't tell the difference so alot of it can be in our head ie. its not as bad as you think................also what ever you do don't just start working one pec more or upping the weight on one side etc as this will just create other imbalances in new muscle groups and fcuk you up more, just use dumbbells, concentrate on good form not weight and make sure you hit all the angles of the pecs for examples this is my chest routine, Incline DB Press, Flat DB Flies, Decline DB Press.


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## kernowgee (Jan 30, 2011)

Use dumb bells rather than the barbell and push through the same amount for each arm until the strength picks up on the weaker side, as I was typing I just read PHHead say more or less the same thing, great minds


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## Jim78 (Aug 20, 2010)

Posture can play a major part in muscle appearance, also sometimes the back can be under developed on the affected side that distorts the apopearanc of the pectoral.

I know Phhead went to some length to try and cure his problem, I have a similar problem where i naturally slouch my right shoulder in, when I bring the shoulder back its fine, but can look odd if i get lazy, there are cures, ......if its posture related, might be worth talking to a chiroprator?


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## PHHead (Aug 20, 2008)

Jim78 said:


> Posture can play a major part in muscle appearance, also sometimes the back can be under developed on the affected side that distorts the apopearanc of the pectoral.
> 
> I know Phhead went to some length to try and cure his problem, *I have a similar problem where i naturally slouch my right shoulder in, when I bring the shoulder back its fine, but can look odd if i get lazy, there are cures, ......if its posture related, might be worth talking to a chiroprator?*


Yeah definitely mate, good advice..............alot of research I did pointed to shoulder injures and posture problems effecting the pecs, unfortunately it wasn't the case for me as I spent alot of money on Chiropractors and it didn't help but it certainly does help alot of guys and will do you no harm either to try this!


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## Lukeg (Mar 6, 2011)

Guys, thank you for your replies. I think I'll cut the bb bench and focus on db. It's not a MASSIVE difference, but like anything I notice the difference a lot.


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## MarkFranco (Aug 26, 2010)

Its not a massive difference

No one can notice it but you

Bodys arnt allways symetrical

Keep benching

Stop looking at your chest loads cos youll just get more paranoid

Get over it


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

Corby said:


> My right one is slightly smaller than my left! But not to the extent where people would notice. But I would recommend pre-exhausting your triceps before you do your chest exercises, this will mean that your chest will be working harder to push the weight and minimise any assistance from the triceps. The problem could be that your right tricep is stronger than your left therefore helping you lift the bb/db on your right hand side more than the left tricep is.


Wrong


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## standardflexer (Jul 16, 2008)

Lukeg said:


> Guys, thank you for your replies. I think I'll cut the bb bench and focus on db. It's not a MASSIVE difference, but like anything I notice the difference a lot.


I personally wouldnt do this, I did have a difference when i used to use dumbells when training chest i now dont and rarely use dumbells

my chest is at its biggest now and i only do bench press and dips but i do feel standing military press bringing the bar all the way down to touch the chest has helped my pec growth a lot


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## Big Kris (Aug 25, 2009)

standardflexer said:


> I personally wouldnt do this, I did have a difference when i used to use dumbells when training chest i now dont and rarely use dumbells
> 
> my chest is at its biggest now and i only do bench press and dips but i do feel standing military press bringing the bar all the way down to touch the chest has helped my pec growth a lot


To be fair every one is different, for years I had a small chest and couldn't get it to develop how i wanted it to.

I was doing mainly BB press and the odd occasion doing DB press, after doing a lot of research and a lot of trial and error I found that DB press works wonders for me and my chest has come on so much in the last 12 months.

My advice (and 2p's worth) is try different exercises for 6 weeks at a time and see what works for you, every one is different and every ones body responds and develops differently to each exercise


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## ant-c (Nov 1, 2010)

i get this but in my arms, girlfreind says to me one day , your left arms bigger than ur right arm, am like how can i have my left bigger than my right when im right handed, i cant tell but she says its noticable , got me paranoid now :/


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## IronMaiden (Mar 31, 2010)

My left side is larger than my right.

Everyone will have something thats different shape or size, chest or arms etc...

To be honest it dosnt matter at all if its not cuasing you pain or problems when training or injuries.

Aslong as you can train well keep doing it and dont worry about it.


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## tuktuk (Sep 30, 2009)

ive got twisted muscle tissue in my left pec... they look fine when relaxed but tensed it looks really odd!


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## methos (Dec 23, 2008)

similar here. Left arm just isnt as good as the right and I'm left handed. Biceps vary very slightly but the triceps I find very noticeable. Friends and mrs say its not noticeable but it drives me mad!


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