Uneven chest. Uneven back????

[gymjunkie]

Hey Guys,


I currently have problems with my chest workouts. I have read in many places that you should use dumbells to correct uneven chest workouts and concentrate on one side. I have performed these and have had no luck what so ever. I think I may know what the problem is though. Just need some clarification.

I believe it is caused by having an uneven back. When you are lying on the bench, doing bench press's, your back acts like a pad which helps you concentrate the workout on your chest. Now if your back is uneven on one side(ie, more padding on one side) that means you will get uneven chest workouts. In my case when I bench I feel my left pec stretch heaps when I bring the barbell down to my chest, where as I dont fell it in my right pec.When I push the barbell up I feel my left pec working out and I get all the work out on my right shoulder rather then my right pec. Have you heard of this problem before???? If so, how can it be fixed???


Thanks Guys

[maverick]

How long have you been attempting work with DBs to try and correct your imbalances?

[ihaveadog]

hmm yes dumbells do a better job then straightbar does, cause you get a better stretch out of it, but benching usually builds your back along with yourchest, ive never really worked my back out and i have a nice back. Its from benching.

[Dojomaster]

i don't feel anything in my back when i do benchpress?

and wouldn't it work the back if dumbbells were used as well?

[gymjunkie]

I have been doing dumbells, on and off, for a year. I fell that using the barbell is a lot better then dumbells since it isolates the pecs more then dumbells.But trying to control which sides get a workout has been unsuccessful. The heavier I go with chest work outs the more I feel it on the one side(left side). So I have limited myself in chest development till it I sort things out. At the moment I believe its due to a uneven back. I get this theory from the 'Smith Machine'. If I bench using this machine I can feel the left side of my back on the bench and not so much on the right. I have tried positioning myself on the bench a little more to the left to feel my right but to no success. Even if I try to do a one arm dumbell work out I get the same thing. This is weird. I have tried everything. At the moment I 'am focusing alot on building up the right hand side of my back.

[gcs118]

Originally Posted by Dojomaster

i don't feel anything in my back when i do benchpress?

and wouldn't it work the back if dumbbells were used as well?

If you lay flat on the bench, you may not feel the back used as much. Dumbbells are more for isolation purposes and do not work the back nearly as much.

[gcs118]

gymjunkie...are you sure one arm isn't slightly shorter than the other? This seems more realistic than a lop-sided back. The difference would probably be minimal on the differing lat sizes unless you have huge lat muscles. Sometimes muscles are just not symmetrical also. These are some things to consider.

[gymjunkie]

My arms are the same length thank god, but I do really believe it may be caused from a lop-sided back. If i was to do a chest workout, using only one arm at a time, for example, using a dumbell on a bench press where my left hand grips the barbell so I can control the weight and then I use the dumbell to work my right pec, I get the same deal. I have tried everything. Single arm workouts, dumbells, bench press, incline bench and even flys. I always get the work out on the one side. This also includes strict reps. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[JAKewagner]

have you tried ball pushups?

[gymjunkie]

Sorry I have never heard of ball pushups. Could you explain what it is and how I can do it? Thanks

[JAKewagner]

Originally Posted by gymjunkie

Sorry I have never heard of ball pushups. Could you explain what it is and how I can do it? Thanks

it where you place your feet and shins on one of those big exercise ball. your hands on the gound in push up potion, then you go to town on your push ups.and if any one can explain it better please do....

[LiftGirl]

Originally Posted by JAKewagner

it where you place your feet and shins on one of those big exercise ball. your hands on the gound in push up potion, then you go to town on your push ups.and if any one can explain it better please do....

Elevating the feet is just a way to make push-ups harder. If you don't have a ball, you could prop your feet on a bench, chair, etc. If you're really ambitious, try hand stand push-ups.

[JAKewagner]

well the ball also makes you have to balance much more then if you do them on a chair or something.It works your chore a lot better

[gymjunkie]

Yesterday I did a back workout then I tried to do one set of bench press. This time, instead of bringing the barbell down to my chest with my elbows out and away from my body I thought I would try benching with my elbows closer to my body i.e elbows in. I tell you what, I think this may solve the problem. I felt it so much in my right pec I thought I was dreaming. I may need to do more testing though. Today I will be doing my chest workout and I will try this new method out and see if it will work for incline benching as well. Hopefully it does.

[gymjunkie]

Originally Posted by gymjunkie

Yesterday I did a back workout then I tried to do one set of bench press. This time, instead of bringing the barbell down to my chest with my elbows out and away from my body I thought I would try benching with my elbows closer to my body i.e elbows in. I tell you what, I think this may solve the problem. I felt it so much in my right pec I thought I was dreaming. I may need to do more testing though. Today I will be doing my chest workout and I will try this new method out and see if it will work for incline benching as well. Hopefully it does.

Well this didn't work. Back to the drawing board