chest problem!

musclemonkey · 03-22-2008, 05:17 AM

hy i am from germany. i am doing dc for 1 year now, and i love it. these are the only photos i have at the moment. i will take new ones in sommer.
i am lifetime naturl and train for 10 years now.
my problem is my right chest. its smaller than the left one. what do you think i can do to make is as big as the left one while doing dc? i am on the 2 way split.

**homonunculus** · 03-22-2008, 02:29 PM

Looks like your right delt is larger than the left, too, eh?...

Any shoulder problems?... (Now or in the past?...)

-R

musclemonkey · 03-22-2008, 02:45 PM

no, never had shoulder problem. only if i make flat bench press with barbell, which i dont do, since 6 years.

**homonunculus** · 03-22-2008, 05:24 PM

Looks like your right delt is larger than the left, too, eh?...

Differences in triceps strength / size?...

-R

musclemonkey · 03-23-2008, 05:23 AM

the complete left side is stronger than the right. when i was a child i had to go on crutch fpr 2 years, because of a op on the right knee.

VainGlory · 03-23-2008, 02:32 PM

Have you had a doctor look into any nerve impingements/issues?

While I don't have a good angle in the pictures the right tricep looks bigger and denser than the left. Homon may be onto something here. What are your thoughts?

**homonunculus** · 03-23-2008, 02:50 PM

(Musclemonkey, I still don't know whether your there is any size discrepancy between your left and right delts...)

So, I'd suggest using dumbbells for your chest exercises. (RP in the 15-20 range or higher.) You can use powerhooks (www.powerhooks.com) if needed.

I'd also suggest focusing on lower pec exercises believe it or not. Your right upper pec is actually just as developed as the left one, but the lower pec (see Sergio pose) is where the muscle mass discrepancy is most apparent.

I'd also suggest using dips and maybe a close-grip decline pressing movement for triceps.

Have someone check your form - my guess is that you have different scapular placement on the rt / vs left and are relying upon your right delt (and upper pec) to compensate (and perpetuate the imbalance).

I'd suggest doing scapular protraction exercises at the end of your training: these can be done on a chest press machine, smith machine, with a barbell or in the push-up position. You start as you would for a regular pressing movement, but in stead of lowering the weight as you would in a press, you keep your arms straight (elbows nearly locked) and pull your shoulder blades back as far as possible (retraction) and the push them forward (protraction) so that there is rounding of your shoulders. Pick a weight you can handle easily (it'll be 2/3 - 3/4 of what you do your presses with, maybe even less) and do a single "widowmaker" style set of 20-30 reps, making sure to really maximize range of motion. If possible do these with someone watching shoulder placement or do it on a machine where you can watch yourself in the mirror.

Having a strong serratus anterior (the main muscle targetted by the above) will help you maintain shoulder girdle position during your presses (in a retracted position) so you're putting the stress on your pecs when pressing.

FWIW, I think you may have some skeletal (bone length) assymetry in your upper body. Looking at your arms overhead Sergio pose, it looks like you have raised your right shoulder more than your left, but your right wrist is still lower than your left. This could underlie some of what's going on, too.

-Randy

musclemonkey · 03-23-2008, 06:28 PM

randy, thanks very much for your help!!!
and no, shoulders have the same size.

one last question:
the widowmaker, should be done with both sides or only with the right, weaker one? with both i suggest.

the widowmaker should i perform without rests, not like by the legs, right? at the bottom a hold of 2 seconds at he stretch?

one more time thanks a lot. hope my english isn`t too bad

**homonunculus** · 03-23-2008, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musclemonkey

randy, thanks very much for your help!!!
and no, shoulders have the same size.

one last question:
the widowmaker, should be done with both sides or only with the right, weaker one? with both i suggest.

the widowmaker should i perform without rests, not like by the legs, right? at the bottom a hold of 2 seconds at he stretch?

one more time thanks a lot. hope my english isn`t too bad

Es macht mir nichts aus mit der Sprache. Ich verstehe völlig, MM.

Do the high reps set (let's not call it a widowmaker) with sides at the same time. You can use a machine with a mirror at first (e.g., upright chest press) to see and correct any imbalances. Thereafter, use a barbell (or unilateral machine) - both arms at the same time - so you can see if there are differences in relative fatigue across the shoulder girdle. (A bilateral machine lets you press moreso with the stronger side...)

You can pause a bit during the set. The idea here is to:
1.) Engage the serratus anterior
2.) Train (strengthen and condition) the serratus anterior muscle.
3.) Train the nervous system (proprioceptively) to maintain symmetrical shoulder girdle movement so that you can balance out the pecs and in particular make sure you're stressing the smaller pec during pressing exercises (and not shifting the stress away from your pec to your delt, etc.)

Just do the high rep set with as many perfect reps as you can, with the intention of connecting with the musculature of your shoulder girdle.

If you could get a video of some heavy pressing, it might help. (If you didn't pay close attention, it sounds like you'd be leading with the strong side on most exercises. E.g., one side coming up before the other on BB presses, the bar no perpendicular with your body, etc... Wahr, gel?...)

-R

musclemonkey · 03-24-2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homonunculus

If you could get a video of some heavy pressing, it might help. (If you didn't pay close attention, it sounds like you'd be leading with the strong side on most exercises. E.g., one side coming up before the other on BB presses, the bar no perpendicular with your body, etc... Wahr, gel?...)

-R

hy randy, you are right

today i did the excercise you wrote about. it works very well. i had to pay attention, that shoulders were balanced while the set. good feeling!

my chest excercises for the next time in dc:
flat dumbell press
decline dumbell press
incline dumbell press--> ok, or should i do dips here? have no bilateral machines.

wenn du mich verstehst: vielen dank kumpel, hast mir sehr geholfen. schön auf kompetente leute zu treffen

rotnacogeid · 03-26-2008, 08:51 AM

I didn't know the power hooks existed. It seems to be a very "handy" option. Does anybody know if they can be shipped to Australia or if there is any local provider?

03-22-2008, 02:29 PM	#2
homonunculus Super Moderator/Roundtable Expert Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 9,399	Looks like your right delt is larger than the left, too, eh?... Any shoulder problems?... (Now or in the past?...) -R __________________ NOW AVAILABLE: DAVE HENRY - XTREME MEASURES VIDEO!!! <<<WATCH THE TRAILER>>> -------- FOR THE ABSOLUTELY HIGHEST QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS...AT THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST PRICE... www.trueprotein.com

03-22-2008, 05:24 PM	#4
homonunculus Super Moderator/Roundtable Expert Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 9,399	Looks like your right delt is larger than the left, too, eh?... Differences in triceps strength / size?... -R __________________ NOW AVAILABLE: DAVE HENRY - XTREME MEASURES VIDEO!!! <<<WATCH THE TRAILER>>> -------- FOR THE ABSOLUTELY HIGHEST QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS...AT THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST PRICE... www.trueprotein.com Last edited by homonunculus : 03-22-2008 at 05:28 PM.

03-23-2008, 02:32 PM	#6
VainGlory Intense Set of the Month January 2008 Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 391	Have you had a doctor look into any nerve impingements/issues? While I don't have a good angle in the pictures the right tricep looks bigger and denser than the left. Homon may be onto something here. What are your thoughts? __________________ "The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you're a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds" - Henry Rollins

03-23-2008, 02:50 PM	#7
homonunculus Super Moderator/Roundtable Expert Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 9,399	(Musclemonkey, I still don't know whether your there is any size discrepancy between your left and right delts...) So, I'd suggest using dumbbells for your chest exercises. (RP in the 15-20 range or higher.) You can use powerhooks (www.powerhooks.com) if needed. I'd also suggest focusing on lower pec exercises believe it or not. Your right upper pec is actually just as developed as the left one, but the lower pec (see Sergio pose) is where the muscle mass discrepancy is most apparent. I'd also suggest using dips and maybe a close-grip decline pressing movement for triceps. Have someone check your form - my guess is that you have different scapular placement on the rt / vs left and are relying upon your right delt (and upper pec) to compensate (and perpetuate the imbalance). I'd suggest doing scapular protraction exercises at the end of your training: these can be done on a chest press machine, smith machine, with a barbell or in the push-up position. You start as you would for a regular pressing movement, but in stead of lowering the weight as you would in a press, you keep your arms straight (elbows nearly locked) and pull your shoulder blades back as far as possible (retraction) and the push them forward (protraction) so that there is rounding of your shoulders. Pick a weight you can handle easily (it'll be 2/3 - 3/4 of what you do your presses with, maybe even less) and do a single "widowmaker" style set of 20-30 reps, making sure to really maximize range of motion. If possible do these with someone watching shoulder placement or do it on a machine where you can watch yourself in the mirror. Having a strong serratus anterior (the main muscle targetted by the above) will help you maintain shoulder girdle position during your presses (in a retracted position) so you're putting the stress on your pecs when pressing. FWIW, I think you may have some skeletal (bone length) assymetry in your upper body. Looking at your arms overhead Sergio pose, it looks like you have raised your right shoulder more than your left, but your right wrist is still lower than your left. This could underlie some of what's going on, too. -Randy __________________ NOW AVAILABLE: DAVE HENRY - XTREME MEASURES VIDEO!!! <<<WATCH THE TRAILER>>> -------- FOR THE ABSOLUTELY HIGHEST QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS...AT THE ABSOLUTE LOWEST PRICE... www.trueprotein.com

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03-22-2008, 02:45 PM	#3
musclemonkey New Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 7	no, never had shoulder problem. only if i make flat bench press with barbell, which i dont do, since 6 years.

03-23-2008, 05:23 AM	#5
musclemonkey New Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 7	the complete left side is stronger than the right. when i was a child i had to go on crutch fpr 2 years, because of a op on the right knee.

03-23-2008, 06:28 PM	#8
musclemonkey New Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 7	randy, thanks very much for your help!!! and no, shoulders have the same size. one last question: the widowmaker, should be done with both sides or only with the right, weaker one? with both i suggest. the widowmaker should i perform without rests, not like by the legs, right? at the bottom a hold of 2 seconds at he stretch? one more time thanks a lot. hope my english isn`t too bad

03-26-2008, 08:51 AM	#11
rotnacogeid New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 71	I didn't know the power hooks existed. It seems to be a very "handy" option. Does anybody know if they can be shipped to Australia or if there is any local provider?

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