Left arm is officially "retarded"

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Okayieman2

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I need some serious advice/insight on my left arm and doing the work-out on abs. Basically I just started to get back on track with the whole working out. I used to be serious on it but stopped 5 years ago. Now, when I lift dumbbell, sitting on the bench/chair, I can use 15LB at least, doing about 4 set at 10 reps each. However, it's whole different story on my left arm. I can barely break 3 set at 10 reps each with 10LB. This is the same when I stand doing the weight lifting with dumbbell, it's difficult to do perfect form lifting starting with second set. I need advice on what I can do to get my lift arm "unretarded" and get it back on track along with my right arm. Should I stop doing right arm for a while and focus on my left arms so that it would be strong in strength as my right arm is? Please give me some advices on this situation


Now on to the question about abs work-out. First question- is old fashion sit-up efficently or useful? it's the one with being laid on the floor with kneels up but feet on the floor, arms behind head and do sit up. If not, is it at least a little bit useful?

If so, here's my problem. Back when I was 14, (I'm 18 now), I was able to easily do 300 old fashion sit-ups (the one I described above) without too much difficult. Now I can barely break 30 sit-ups. How come? Is it because I was "slimer" back then, I have fat belly, not overweight but somewhat fat belly. Does this makes it difficult or is it just because I haven't done it forever? How should I start with the work out abs?

And last, should I eat before working out or after? I go to the gym in the morning.
 
I am assuming you are right handed. I am left handed and my right arm was in a similar situation. I just did a few more reps and a little heavier weight with my weaker (right) arm until it got up to par with my left.

As far as your abs, it is probably due to lack of exercising and your total core got a little weaker. Treat your abs like and other muscle. Work it out with 3 sets of a few different exercises and give them a day or 2 to rest before working them again. You DO NOT need to do 300 sit-ups. Do a few sets of 15-20, once that becomes easy for you, incorporate some weight. Perform some hanging leg raises, side bends, reverse crunches, bicycle crunches or other ab exercises in your ab routine as well.

As far as eating, you should be eating 5-6 meals a day. The amount of calories will depend on your goals, cutting (losing fat) or bulking (gaining muscle). If you workout in the AM, I would definately eat something before working out. Have a post workout shake consisting of a whey protein and a carb like Dextrose. About an hour later have a normal meal consisting of a lean protein and a complex carb.

I am sure you will get other suggestions, but the above seemed to work well for me. There is alot of great info on this site. Read around a bit and ask some more questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here. Good Luck!
 
Falco1 said:
I am sure you will get other suggestions, but the above seemed to work well for me. There is alot of great info on this site. Read around a bit and ask some more questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here. Good Luck!
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Couldn't have said what you said in your post any better. Read around in the FAQs and stickies as well, very valuable info in them :cool:
 
Falco1 said:
I am assuming you are right handed. I am left handed and my right arm was in a similar situation. I just did a few more reps and a little heavier weight with my weaker (right) arm until it got up to par with my left.
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I'm confused with what you have said above, which is rather vague. Are you suggesting that I do not work on my right arm until my left arm is up to par with my right? Or I should use heaiver weight and do more reps than I can do with my right arm while working on my right arm at the same time, assuming you're talking about same set?
 
You need to continue working your right arm right along with your left. If doing dumbell curls, use a little heavier weight with your left arm or do a few more reps with your left arm until it is up to the same pace with your right arm and then start training them equally.
 
You do realize that if I use heavier weight, I'll be able to do less total reps? It's fine with me as long as you believe it helps. Let me know.

Anyone else have an advice on other way(s) to get my left arm up to par with my right?
 
Yes, I realize with higher weight you will do less reps, but eventually, your left arm will get stronger and you will be able to work out both arms equally again.
 
heavier weight, lower reps, builds strength. your 10rep scheme is for building mass, so its not as effective for correcting a strength imbalance.

also, start EVERY set with your weak arm. your mind is more focused at the start of each set. really THINK about curling the weight.

also, do some one arm lat pulldowns, as these also hit the biceps. to me, it seems likely if your left arm is that much weaker, your back muscles on that side might need a little kick too. even if they don't, unilateral back work is never a bad idea.
 
Thanks guys, that was very helpful. Using heavier weight, by 5LB I assume for my left arm with like 3 set, 5 reps each while using 5LB less weight for my right arm at 3 set, 14 reps would be okay then?

My upper back isn't really too shabby, it fares much better than my arms. Even though I do lat pulldown, I have a few questions about using it with one arm, my left, to improve the strength. Which lat pulldown are you talking about, the one with it behind your head or in front of your face/body? I thought lat pulldown is to be used with two hand. So I assume you meant to use my left hand to grasp the middle of the pole for lat pulldown machine correct? Wouldn't that be uncomfortable?
 
for one arm pulldowns, you use the stirrup handle.

there's no real good reason to do pulldowns behind your head. in fact you might tear a rotator cuff doing that. to the front is plenty, but really for 2 handed pulldowns...you should just do pullups for the bulk of work.

but i'm getting off topic...

use the one handed handle (the same you'd use for cable crossovers). as for the curling, if you can do a 2.5lb increment, start there. if you're stuck with 5lbs only, use it, and just know it'll be hard at first, but the body WILL adapt to the stresses you put on it.

honestly I wouldn't use less weight for your strong arm, or even change the number of reps. maybe give the weak arm ONE extra set by itself, but otherwise as long as you train the weak arm hard and heavy, it will catch up. no reason to gimp the right arm...or worse, train with more reps, which'll increase the size, which may then cause asymmetrical appearance (skinny left arm, muscled right arm)
 
stirrup handle, I got it. Just to make sure everything is clear with what you have said, it's best to do 2.5 increment for curling with dumbell, which would be 17.5 on my left and 15 on my right correct? If so, hmm I don't think gym I go to has 17.5LB. I'll check today when i go there.

As for stirrup handle, should I use it for my lefty only or do my right as well but with more weight for the left with less reps?

How long would it take for my left arm to catch up? A month?
 
on the one arm pull downs, us the EXACT same weight on both sides. again, going very heavy on the strong arm is just gonna keep it growing, and maintaining hte imbalance.

as for the time it takes...that's up in the air. I would think however, that you could correct the imbalance in as little as 6 weeks if you stick to it.
 
Well I was told just use the max weight for your left arm, and use that for your right as well, without adding any more reps in.


That way since its easier on your right, and harder on your left, your left will eventually catch up.

My left arm was like that, and still kinda is, it justs takes a long ass time for it to catch up.

For the situps, I can barely do 30 either, and yea, I used to be able to pound out about 100 without any pain. I think it's mainly because my muscles are used to short workout periods, like 8-12 reps only takes about 30 seconds to complete, situps take longer. So my muscles aren't used to that, and become more tired, faster.

I sure as hell know that even though I have a sit load more muscle, I am worse at endurance than ever. My BF % is still really low, just a tad bit higher. But if you told me to run for 20 min, i'd piss myself.
 
Loads of Fire, I was told the same thing by a trainer at L.A Fitness today, to use the same weight on my right as I would on my left and give it time to catch up. How long have you been doing this? Surely there must be a reason why it's taking a while for you to catch up?
 
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