Question For The Experts (lowerback/abs)

Z

zfly9

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I've been going to the gym for a couple years now, on average 4 times a week. I have noticed that virtually my whole right side of my body is stronger than my left side. Arms, shoulders, and so on...

What I have been noticing lately is that when I do abs, I feel as though my right side of my abs is getting a better workout and building more muscle. I'm not talking about my obliques, but more so the right side of my abs. Is there anyway to fix this, or target one side of my abs?

Also my lower back is significantly stronger on my right side which causes some back pains and makes it hard on abs and other workouts.

Does anyone have any suggestions to work my lower back's left side or my abs left side? As for the rest of my body I assume I just do an extra set on the left side to fix it.

Thanks for any help.
 
try using dumbells instead of a barbell.
 
To develop the left-side of your back, do what's called a Bent-Press with a dumbell in your left hand.

The Bent-Press used to be a regular weight-lifting event, but it faded away somewhere along the line... to the casual observer a Bent-Press looks like an arm exercise, but in reality it's almost all leg & back-work.

1) With your left hand, clean a dumbell to shoulder-height

2) Simultaneously bend towards your right-side (bending at the waist) while rotating & lifting your weighted hand/arm skyward -- as you bend you're looking up at the weight (from the corner of your eye) & placing your right elbow on your right knee for support

3) Now, with your left arm locked, or nearly locked-out, straighten up, keeping the weight high overhead (this straightening-up will strengthen the left side of your back quite nicely) -- be sure to look at the weight & raise it high... this is the classic strong-man lift from yesteryear & with sufficient practice it will most-likely correct your problem

4) For multiple reps, you can lower weight to shoulder height & repeat steps 2 & 3 (so you don't have to clean the weight again)

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I believe you've tried to correct your ab-strength problem by weighting your left side during crunches (& I believe that's part of the problem as doing so puts more emphasis on the right-side of your abs). Have you tried weighting your right-side while doing regular crunches? Doing it this way (while also focusing your attention towards your left while keeping perfectly strict on your form) will strengthen both the left-side of your back & the left side of your abs because the left-side has to counter the torque caused by having the weight on the right when in a reclined position (it's different than when you're standing up)

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Hope this helps you... I've done these things & know they will strengthen your left side if you practice them well.

Take Care
 
SKMMAN said:
Show us your workout routine and tell us in what order you are doing them.
Click to expand...

I go every day with Wednesdays off and switch off between these two plans every other day.

Day One - Triceps, Biceps, Chest
-Use dumbbells for all three
-Use cable for triceps/biceps also
-Use assisted bench press and iso machines for chest also

Day Two - Abs, Upper Back, Shoulders
-Obliques: Dumbbell side bend, and a twist lever machine
-Abs: Lever seated leg raise crunch Lever Seated Leg Raise Crunch
(This is where I feel my right side is getting worked more)
-Back/Shoulders: Iso machines
-Traps: Dumbbell lifts

I work in some elliptical every so often
 
zfly9 - What do you do for a living. You do not have to be specific.

1) Many people who sit at desks lean to one side all day long. This will cause imbalances. My clients with the largest imbalances are people who set their computer to one side and are turned that way all day long.

2) I have many friends who are construction type workers. Almost all of them have imbalances from doing work and using their dominant side all day long. Though they do not have as severe of imbalances as the desk people have.

Many people do not realize that these little habits have a large effect on muscular imbalances.
 
goergen1 said:
zfly9 - What do you do for a living. You do not have to be specific.

1) Many people who sit at desks lean to one side all day long. This will cause imbalances. My clients with the largest imbalances are people who set their computer to one side and are turned that way all day long.

2) I have many friends who are construction type workers. Almost all of them have imbalances from doing work and using their dominant side all day long. Though they do not have as severe of imbalances as the desk people have.

Many people do not realize that these little habits have a large effect on muscular imbalances.
Click to expand...

yeah, the importaint thing to take out of that is, start doing things equally in real life, as you would in the gym! You got one hour in the gym on a training day, theres still 23 hours left to screw things up.
 
goergen1 said:
zfly9 - What do you do for a living. You do not have to be specific.

1) Many people who sit at desks lean to one side all day long. This will cause imbalances. My clients with the largest imbalances are people who set their computer to one side and are turned that way all day long.

2) I have many friends who are construction type workers. Almost all of them have imbalances from doing work and using their dominant side all day long. Though they do not have as severe of imbalances as the desk people have.

Many people do not realize that these little habits have a large effect on muscular imbalances.
Click to expand...

I work customer service. I stand all day, but I am also a full time college student so I do sit a lot. I will try to figure out if I am doing a lot of leaning or uneven sitting. Thanks
 
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