Help with Symmetry

hey guys i recently retired from judo, after 25 years, and started going to the gym regulary, and recently i noticed my right side of the body is bigger then left, cause it was my leading hand, and i did most pulls with it. for example my lats arent equaly big and i can see that from the front, also my right biceps is 2 cms bigger then left. anyone has an idea how i could try to make them more simetrical?

Get on a program (whatever tickles your fancy).

Deload to what you might think the weight should be.

When your left side gives out, you are done.

it will take time. Be patient.

ok, i am on a program already and im making overall good gains. my question was what i need to do to make them equal more, for example do i do 1 rep more on the left each set, or 1 set extra, etc. that kind of advice

JFG already covered that:

[quote]JFG wrote:
When your left side gives out, you are done.
[/quote]

E.g. if you’re doing chin-ups and you feel your left side can’t take its share of the load then stop there rather than letting your right side help out and get one more rep.

Doing more reps/sets on your weak side will help, but the problem I personally find with that is that it’s harder to do on the big compound movements where you’ll get the most growth, e.g. chin-ups and barbell rows. Might be worth a shot with dumbbell rows and curls though, especially the former since it’s a compound movement.

thanx, but that advice on stop isnt so good for me, cause i do most exercises except squats and pull ups with dumbells, so i do my left side first and then i do the same number of reps on my right

[quote]dodo888 wrote:
thanx, but that advice on stop isnt so good for me, cause i do most exercises except squats and pull ups with dumbells, so i do my left side first and then i do the same number of reps on my right[/quote]

Then, you are already doing it. just pay attention to what the left is saying.

It will take time. A year? Two? Three?

Only you can answer that.

ok, thanx i have patience, so yeah i’ll just go through it and i hope it pays out

Very good advice so far.

I just wanted to touch on one thing:

[quote]dodo888 wrote:
for example my lats arent equaly big and i can see that from the front, also my right biceps is 2 cms bigger then left.[/quote]
I certainly understand that sports that use a dominant hand or arm can sometimes lead to strength or size differences. However, over the last few years, you’ve talked about trying to build your “lower lats” to balance out your upper lats and increasing your “inner chest” because your “outer chest” was more developed, so I have to think there’s a good chance you’re exaggerating your discrepancy now.

Can you put up a pic so we get a better idea of what’s going on?

chris I hope this helps, I don’t know how to pose to bring lats to show better

maybe this one is better

also yes i know i gained several kgs extra on belly and lovehandle since i stoped training, im just trying to figure out my nutrition:(

If you are right handed pick a day and do your left side, rest the next day. Let your body use all its recovery for that side. Your left will never be bigger than your right.

If you are left handed, just work out, it’ll even out eventually

[quote]dodo888 wrote:
chris I hope this helps, I don’t know how to pose to bring lats to show better[/quote]
Dude, you’re fine and not drastically out of balance. And I’ll say definitely in better shape than I thought.

Just make sure you’re on a well-designed training plan, follow the input JFG suggested by catering the work to the weaker/smaller arm, and go about your day. If you really want to make it a priority for 4-6 weeks, try the twice-a-week arm plan I Iaid out here: