Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

I am right handed and my left arm is much weaker. I find it a lot harder to do arm curls with my left hand, especially on my 3rd (final) set. Also, when I flex, my left arm is much smaller. I use the same weight for both arms. Should I put more weight on my left arm curls to try and strengthen it up?

My second question is how will I know when I am ready to up weights for my curls and hammer curls? Hammer curls seem to be much easier for me, maybe they are just easier in general... ? The final set is still hard for me but I have been using the same weight for almost a year now and I'm not sure what to do. I had to go down some weight because I found out I had been cheating on almost all my reps because I wasn't doing them correctly.

Thank you for your time.

I'd continue to use the same weight on each arm. If the final few curls with the left are so much harder, why kill yourself? It will catch up. Besides, I don't know how old you are, but young peoples' bodies are still a work in progress and don't always do what you think they should. Just keep on doing what you're doing and the left arm will equal out.

Hey what's your set/rep count right now? My measurement for when I need to up the weight is by the amount I can do.

If I'm doing strength training, I usually do a 3x12 routine. If I'm trying to work on mass, I usually do 4 sets of 5 to 8 reps per muscle group. My rule has always been if I can correctly complete, say, 3 full sets of 12 reps on a given muscle group, then it's time to up the weight. Same for the 4x8 routine--If I can get through 4 sets of 8 correct reps, then I'm goin' up.

If you're worried about lopsided muscle development, try doing some negatives on your weak arm after you complete your normal sets to help increase the strength there. Also consider doing pull ups or chin ups in lieu of curls for a month or two. Pull ups are actually more beneficial than curls, as they work way more muscles per rep. They also force both arms to work together as opposed to isolating one arm at a time. You get a more balanced attack on biceps, and you'll also be hitting shoulders, back, and even your lats. Much better use of your time. About the only other thing I could imagine would be to only do the amount of reps on your strong side that you can do on your weak side until they even out.

I wouldn't really worry about it though. Most people deal with this in some fashion or another on arms, legs, etc. We're not symmetrical and never will be. Unless you start to look like Popeye on the right and Olive Oyle on the left, I wouldn't sweat it.

Later

What about using a straight or curl bar instead of dumbbells?

I'd vote with the pushups. I try to do at least 100 in however many sets it takes a few days a week. That's going to be the most helpful for the fitness test anyway. You probably need to try something new if you have been on the same weight for a year. Are you doing them every day? You may find you can increase the weight if you do any exercise less often and give your body some time to rest and build new muscle.

On your first question, I would keep using the same weight. Your arm will catch up. Have you had any shoulder or arm injuries in the past. I know I popped a joint in my shoulder playing Sunday Morning Football (no pads, refs, etc.) at full contact. It isn't painful, but that arm does have a slight loss in strength (as the doctor told me it would many years ago).

Concerning the second question, I'll echo what was said. Once I can correctly do 4 sets of 8 reps, it is time to move on to the next weight. I lift for mass though, so what you want may be different.

And on a side note, hammer curls primarily work your forearms. Curls primarily work the bicep.

For hammer curls and regular curls I do 3 sets. First one is 24 repetitions (12 per arm), second is 18 reps (9 per arm), and third is 12 reps (6 per arm). I'm 17 years old.

I do have a straight bar to use, I just thought that it was better to use the dumbbells because then you also have to balance the weight and such...?

Pull ups would be nice. I have never been good at them, but maybe since I've been working out for a while now I could get some done. I just don't have a pull up bar anymore.

I do pushups in my routine too, 3-4 sets of 20 inbetween running. I'll explain this: First I do the set of 20 pushups, then I run on the treadmill (or outside when there is nicer weather) for 5 minutes on about 6.0 speed, stop, and do 20 more pushups. I am kind of basing this on what I heard about my state's Highway Patrol Academy PT. Unfortunately, I can't seem to do much more than 20 at a time. I started out barely being able to do 5 and worked my way up. My state's requirement was only 20, so I am in the habit of being tired by the 20th one.

I usually do the every other day thing, but to be honest it usually ends of being every 3 days or so.

I have never had any arm injuries that I can remember.

So if I'm trying to gain muscle, not just maintain, I would need to up the weight sometime soon or at least change something right? Maybe more weight and less reps? But wouldn't it be the same as doing many reps with less weight

Thanks everyone, it is appreciated.

I'm no Ahhhnold, but I can say I've never flunked a fitness test either. If you are going with every three days it should be fine to increase the weight. Unless its a warm up, if you can do 24 with the same weight you need to increase it. Some people go with only 6 reps. I wouldn't try that right away though, you'll probably get injured. Personally, if I can do 10 at a weight, I know its time to increase the weight. Fewer reps with more weight is not the same as more reps with less weight. I think you'll see a difference relatively soon.

With the pushups, try doing some sets with your hands close together, and some with them far apart in addition to the normal ones. That, along with bench presses, helped me go from around 12 to 35 within a year when I started out, and I did it every 3 days as well. Changing the order you do exercises helps sometimes too.

BTW, you are eating well, right? If you aren't getting the right nutrition (too little protein, too few carbohydrates, too much junk food), nothing will change in that case either.

I'm no Ahhhnold, but I can say I've never flunked a fitness test either. If you are going with every three days it should be fine to increase the weight. Unless its a warm up, if you can do 24 with the same weight you need to increase it. Some people go with only 6 reps. I wouldn't try that right away though, you'll probably get injured. Personally, if I can do 10 at a weight, I know its time to increase the weight. Fewer reps with more weight is not the same as more reps with less weight. I think you'll see a difference relatively soon.

With the pushups, try doing some sets with your hands close together, and some with them far apart in addition to the normal ones. That, along with bench presses, helped me go from around 12 to 35 within a year when I started out, and I did it every 3 days as well. Changing the order you do exercises helps sometimes too.

BTW, you are eating well, right? If you aren't getting the right nutrition (too little protein, too few carbohydrates, too much junk food), nothing will change in that case either.

+1
The more reps you do the more you work on toning. If you want to increase mass you need to do higher weight.
If you are doing 12 reps per arm you wont be gaining muscle as quickly, try increasing the weight you are lifting so you can't do more than ten. And that tenth rep should be very difficult to lift all the way.

With the push-ups, a technique that I learned was to put my feet up higher than the rest of my body, this changes my center of gravity and shifts my weight so I am lifting more. You can also put something under each hand so as to let your body go past your normal stop point.

There is a term called bilateral deficit, and basically it means that the sum of the parts is less than the whole. You may bench 300lbs, but you probably cant DB bench 150's for the same reps. That's a condition for everyone. Additionally, you'll find that not only is the strength of the non-dominant arm and leg a bit less than the other, but you have better flexibility in it compared to the other side, too. Again, this is normal, so long as the strength diff is not grossly out of proportion, which it doesn't sound like it is.

Hammer curls are easier because you get to use an additional muscle to curl the weight - the brachioradialis. This muscle is not activated to and significant degree in regular curls.

Vary your set and rep scheme over time. Also, try doing more pulling motions one arm at a time, like DB rows for back, or seated cable rows with the triceps rope. Add pulldowns either one arm at a time, or use a machine that has two independent cables so you can use both arms simultaneously, but independent.

I wouldn't worry about it, though. If your only complaint is that the left fatigues a few reps before the right, that's nothing. If you had to curly less weight per arm for every set, or you could only do half the reps as the right on every set, then you got an issue.