left arm weakness

[coyote2017]

Maybe I am over thinking things, but the fact that my left arm is slightly weaker than my right bothers me at times, therefore I mostly stay away from exercises that use single arm, such as single barbell curls. For instance, when I do concentration curls, I can do my 12 reps, but usually can only get 10 or 11 with my left arm. Is this a concern? Should I not worry about it or maybe do some forced reps with left to get it the same?

The Coyote

[MToption2]

Most people are right handed...

[Chicagotarsier]

Lessen weights, more reps.

A lot more reps.
60% max
Bench 10x10
Military Press 10x10
Curl 10x10
Skull Crushers 10x10
etcetc

When you see the weak arm catch up at that weight raise 2,5 lbs and do again until weak arm catches up.

Takes 3-6 months to cure it completely

[jackfrost88]

If anything you should be doing more single arm exercises to correct muscular imbalances. Not exactly sure which part of your arm is the weakness but lets say its your triceps for example. In that case doing more tricep work will eventually "correct it" or help to do that. Focusing on your lagging body part is necessary in my opinion because your body will naturally overcompensate with your strong arm when doing exercises that require both arms.

Overall, just continue to work the arms and the balances will be reduced

[Mma67]

I had the same problem with my left arm being weaker but mine was due to an injury. Have you had pinched nerves or tingling ever in that arm? Usually those sort of problems stem from compression of nerves in the neck or possibly even impingement.

To correct my weakness I only did exercises that clearly did not exacerbate the injury (no pain, no tingling, no discomfort workouts). and I did dumbells/exercises that isolated that particular muscle/arm. In my case it was the triceps, so I did a lot of cable exercises and a lot of dumbell presses. Do no work only that arm, but do drop the weight on both arms when doing exercises like dumbell presses, so that its comfortable for your weak arm and your weak arm is at or very close to failure at the end of your set (you might feel the urge to keep pumping your other arm to failure but dont do this or you may never level things out which means never doing compound exercises correctly). It took about a month for my left arm to catch up but this is what worked for me.

[Nogbad the bad]

It's simple enough.Pull your sausage with your left hand for a couple of months....you'll have seen what happened to Quagmire.

[DocToxin8]

If it's a slight imbalance it will sort itself out by just doing this;
(Which is a good trick to do anyways)

When training arms, let's say lying French press (triceps),
Look at your "weak" (usually non dominant) arm and focus lifting with that.
It's not that you actually lift more with it, but you focus your nervous system on your weakest link in the equation.

Over time there won't be much of an imbalance left.

Just remember that when doing 1 handed excersizes,
Don't let the weak arm get away with less. Just help it with the other hand and it will overcompensate.

When doing 2 handed excersizes it's the weakest arm that will determine the work, so no need to worry.

For bigger imbalances then I'd look into actually doing something,
but I think these tiny differences will even itself out.
Did for me.
(Yeah there's still a slight imbalance;
Probably stronger on left triceps, and stronger in right biceps,
but not by much)

[Ashop]

Maybe I am over thinking things, but the fact that my left arm is slightly weaker than my right bothers me at times, therefore I mostly stay away from exercises that use single arm, such as single barbell curls. For instance, when I do concentration curls, I can do my 12 reps, but usually can only get 10 or 11 with my left arm. Is this a concern? Should I not worry about it or maybe do some forced reps with left to get it the same?

The Coyote

Everyone has a dominate side. Dumbbell workouts can actually help even the imbalance out.

[Strongblood]

I am right handed. When I returned to lifting seriously 5 years ago, my left arm was obviously weaker than my right. I just concentrated on the left arm(much like Doctoxin explained)while doing all exercises using arms and eventually it caught up. Good luck bro!

[fit_dynamite]

I always advise my clients that when one arm is more dominant than the other arm to incorporate more unilateral movements and to always start with your less dominant side first. Try and incorporate your unilateral movements in the beginning of your session and do you bilateral movements after. See how this works for you.

[Ashop]

I always advise my clients that when one arm is more dominant than the other arm to incorporate more unilateral movements and to always start with your less dominant side first. Try and incorporate your unilateral movements in the beginning of your session and do you bilateral movements after. See how this works for you.

That's excellent advice!

[toughspencer]

I think it's important to get both arms up to the same strength. You'll get there if you're patient.