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Bench Press stronger on my "weak" side

  • 28-08-2012 05:40PM
    #1
    ScissorPaperRock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,708 ✭✭✭


    I've been noticing over the past few months that my right hand side seems to struggle more with the bench press than my left side.

    My left side often sails up smoothly while the right side struggles. Yet I'm right-handed, and generally stronger on my right, so I don't know why this is happening.

    Has anyone experienced anything like this before? Does anyone have any advice on how to address it?


Comments

  • #2
    Ant11
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,433 ✭✭✭Ant11


    ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »
    I've been noticing over the past few months that my right hand side seems to struggle more with the bench press than my left side.

    My left side often sails up smoothly while the right side struggles. Yet I'm right-handed, and generally stronger on my right, so I don't know why this is happening.

    Has anyone experienced anything like this before? Does anyone have any advice on how to address it?

    My mate has the exact same problem but his weak side is the side that struggles. I got him to focus on his form with lighter weights that he could easily control. This practice did help but when the weights got heavy the weak side would struggle again. So I changed some of the exercises to single-handed so the strong side wouldn't be compensating for the weak. Dumbbell bench press was good for this. Held both weights up and alternate the movements. After a few weeks the weak side did catch up. It's not perfect, still needs improvement but getting there.


  • #3
    The Guvnor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭The Guvnor


    Seen it many times.

    Only thing I can say is that with weights sometimes certain things defy all logic and fail to make any sense.

    Kind of like lifting great when feeling rubbish etc.

    Just keep lifting hard and pay attention to your technique.:)


  • #4
    Orla K
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,462 ✭✭✭Orla K


    Are you using a barbell? You're probably lifting your left hand slightly higher than your right so most of the weight is actually on your right hand.
    If you are using a barbell try it out using dumbbells and see how they feel.


  • #5
    the groutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,096 ✭✭✭✭the groutch


    ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »
    I've been noticing over the past few months that my right hand side seems to struggle more with the bench press than my left side.

    My left side often sails up smoothly while the right side struggles. Yet I'm right-handed, and generally stronger on my right, so I don't know why this is happening.

    Has anyone experienced anything like this before? Does anyone have any advice on how to address it?

    could be if you've carried a schoolbag/sportsbag on your left shoulder all the time, you might have built up strength in that shoulder but not the rest of the arm.


  • #6
    Mexihalo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17 ✭Mexihalo


    Orla K wrote: »
    Are you using a barbell? You're probably lifting your left hand slightly higher than your right so most of the weight is actually on your right hand.
    If you are using a barbell try it out using dumbbells and see how they feel.
    agree, I've notied that when I get to successive heavier weights that I tend to push first with the weaker side while the stronger side supports the increase load because of the tilt effect and then the struggle is to push out the strong side to complete the lift. Solution is to drop to lower weight for a time when you concentrate on technique of pushing out both sides at the same even, level pace


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  • #7
    nice_guy80
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    alternating dumbbell press
    and one arm dumbbell press

    that'll sort ya out


  • #8
    ScissorPaperRock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,708 ✭✭✭ScissorPaperRock


    Thanks guys. It's an odd one alright.

    It seems I'll just have to bring the weight down a bit again and focus on form. It's annoying though, because I've been lifting fairly regularly for the past four years, and it always seems that when I get to benching just over body weight something happens to disrupt my training, whether within or outside the gym.


  • #9
    ScissorPaperRock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,708 ✭✭✭ScissorPaperRock


    Orla K wrote: »
    Are you using a barbell? You're probably lifting your left hand slightly higher than your right so most of the weight is actually on your right hand.
    If you are using a barbell try it out using dumbbells and see how they feel.
    Mexihalo wrote: »
    agree, I've notied that when I get to successive heavier weights that I tend to push first with the weaker side while the stronger side supports the increase load because of the tilt effect and then the struggle is to push out the strong side to complete the lift. Solution is to drop to lower weight for a time when you concentrate on technique of pushing out both sides at the same even, level pace

    Yeah I see what you're saying but I'm not sure that's the case. I feel like I'm focusing on my right because it's moving slower, but the left hand side just sails on up without struggle.

    And yes, I'm using a barbell.


  • #10
    Funk It
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 663 ✭✭✭Funk It


    Its just the mechanics of the barbell movement when you have one side naturally stronger than the other. I shadow the others in saying to go on the dumbell press, I prefer it for its (what I think anyways) better range of motion.

    I experienced the exact same thing when I first got into weights, but when you have gyms which have up to 50kg (ok, I know a lot of gyms have bigger dumbells, but thats well enough for myself), they should do the trick.

    On the other hand, if it is just a barbell that you have access to, just focus on form and build up the weight from there.

    All the best with it.


  • #11
    RobAMerc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,863 ✭✭✭RobAMerc


    I get this sometimes too. I put it down to me being right handed and the fact I would have been using my right hand all day in my normal working life and it is just tired !

    Probably nonsense


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  • #12
    Funk It
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 663 ✭✭✭Funk It


    RobAMerc wrote: »
    I get this sometimes too. I put it down to me being right handed and the fact I would have been using my right hand all day in my normal working life and it is just tired !

    Probably nonsense

    Not too sure if I get you right, but if your right handed and your right hand is lower when you are benching, its not because your right arm is tired, it is the mechanics of taking more weight on your right arm.

    If you are ever doing manual lifting with someone (lets take moving a couch for example), and you are lifting it higher than the person you are lifting it with, then they will be taking on more weight (if you ever work in manual labour, you will get wide to this pretty quick) . Its basically the same in this case of benching, but with either arm.


  • #13
    ScissorPaperRock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,708 ✭✭✭ScissorPaperRock


    Funk It wrote: »
    Not too sure if I get you right, but if your right handed and your right hand is lower when you are benching, its not because your right arm is tired, it is the mechanics of taking more weight on your right arm.

    If you are ever doing manual lifting with someone (lets take moving a couch for example), and you are lifting it higher than the person you are lifting it with, then they will be taking on more weight (if you ever work in manual labour, you will get wide to this pretty quick) . Its basically the same in this case of benching, but with either arm.


    The question then is why is my left able to lift is up faster than my right, assuming they both start moving at the same time and with the same effort.


  • #14
    Hanley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »
    The question then is why is my left able to lift is up faster than my right, assuming they both start moving at the same time and with the same effort.

    Big assumptions to make, all things considered :)


  • #15
    Funk It
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 663 ✭✭✭Funk It


    ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »
    The question then is why is my left able to lift is up faster than my right, assuming they both start moving at the same time and with the same effort.


    Start moving at the same time: Yes

    With the same effort: No


    Same effort would be a consistent horizontal bar up and down motion. Your right side is simply overcompensating for your left. My advice would be to still try the dumbells and you should see a much more consistent movement (as no arm is compensating for the other) with an added range of motion.


  • #16
    The Guvnor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭The Guvnor


    Personally I think it is easy to over analyse things - I am never a fan of doing things like one arm work to bring up a 'lagging' body part - unless the imbalance is genuine and very obvious.

    This could be simple technique - positoning on the bench a bit off - many, many things - if you want can the bench for a while and work with dbells but do both hands at the one time and see how you go! :)


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