I have this problem and I can see it only becoming a bigger deal when I decide to compete later on as symmetry is very important. This problem seems to be quite common. Mainly because many people don’t know what the eff they’re doing – yep, I’m one of those people!
I have disproportionate muscle growth. I am not getting the same results on both sides of my body when it comes to muscle growth. My left side is growing differently than the right. I, first, noticed it in my legs (quads) and now I’m seeing it in my arms. The measuring tape reflects they’re the same size, however. It seems my left side is leaner, or smaller, than the right side. I see more muscle growth on the left, I think. It’s really weird for me. I have never had an injury to either side of my body. I do however, have poor posture. I find myself leaning to the right (my dominant side) quite a bit. I don’t know if any friends or family would notice the symmetrical error but if I plan to compete one day, the judges will definitely notice. Better to learn to correct it now. I'm trying to learn the different mucles in the leg so I can target the problem area and focus on correcting it.
I was advised to do unilateral exercises from someone who is considered an expert in the field, Bodybuilding.com sponsored Sean Sarantos. He told me exercises like lunges were great. Unilateral exercises permit the body to focus on one specific muscle contracting at a time rather than bilateral (both arms/legs) movements.
So when I workout now, I try to focus on the movement and form. I love squats, which are a bilateral exercise, but I make sure to do unilateral squats as well.
3 recommendations from Hugo Rivera’s website, www.hugorivera.net:
1. Practice perfect form: By ensuring proper form not only you ensure that the targeted muscles are the ones doing the work but also that both sides are putting an equal amount of force as the movement is performed, thus preventing imbalances.
2. Concentrate on activating the muscles of the weak side: When performing the movement, really concentrate on using and squeezing the muscles of your weak side to move the weight. This extra concentration will ensure that your dominant side is not the one doing the work.
3. Perform extra sets of unilateral movements to only target the underdeveloped area: Doing a few extra sets that solely focus on your weak side will teach the body to better activate the muscle fibers of that side.
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