Can you develop uneven muscles using machines?

[mark mcgwire]

What does everyone think about this. We have some hammer strength machines in particular leg machines where the cable runs on the right side of the machine. I've noticed that my right leg has more definition and is stronger than the left. I've also noticed that my left hamstring is noticeably weaker.

I'm having a problem with my left hamstring where it's still sore and weak from well over a year ago when I pulled it. I've coped over the last year and by doing that my right leg has been picking up the slack. I decided to try to do some unilateral training on my legs each week to bring the strength back up in my left leg but last week leg curls with my left leg were embarassing.

What do you think are machines where the cables don't run in the middle bad news????

[In-Human]

Mark, I do not see it as the machine or any exercise problem here, we are all one sided so to speak. Ever notice that if you are right handed you do everything with your right side of your body, now you can teach your self to be left sided but the damage is done to that one side being larger.

I have noticed that even though I am right sided some of my left sided things are stronger but still smaller...

[Syn]

Are you still on this subject MM?


:p

[mark mcgwire]

Are you still on this subject MM?


:p

yes.....and it's killing me!!!

[In-Human]

Mark, I know you know anatomy very well, but if you had a deep strain or tear it may take quite a while for that scar tissue to be gone if ever and that spot be able to handle the weight again.

Trust me I know where you are at on this, 19 years ago I was involved in a motorcyle accident and my right leg took the whole impact of the car that turned left in front of me, I did not break my leg but had 2 pints of blood taken from the bruise from my groin to my ankle a week after the crash, I was doing therapy for 6 weeks on my right leg and nothing on my left leg, yes real smart, and now my right thigh is almost 1" bigger than my left but my left is stronger, and the strangest thing is that the lower portion the Vastus Lat. does not go all the way down as the left leg does, so it can be very frustrating when you want to compete...

[Syn]

Mark, I know you know anatomy very well, but if you had a deep strain or tear it may take quite a while for that scar tissue to be gone if ever and that spot be able to handle the weight again......

On a side note; I'm getting massage therapy for old scar tissue. I noticed since my weights have increased, my range of motion has decreased!

Hmmmm, but that's the right side. So maybe the left side will catch up to the right?

[In-Human]

On a side note; I'm getting massage therapy for old scar tissue. I noticed since my weights have increased, my range of motion has decreased!

Hmmmm, but that's the right side. So maybe the left side will catch up to the right?

Yes that is the best way to get the blood flow back in and to work out that scar tissue, the massage will also help with recouperation and getting the lactic acid out of the way...

[TheLil'Missus]

Another thought to this is that when there has been an injury we make conscious and subconscious adjustments to compensate and even when the physical injury has been healed the mind is still compensating for the injury that was there. The hitch in a step, the slight change in stance to 'help' the injured side, the elbow a touch out because the right bicep is weaker (ok, that one's mine :p ), that over time have become part of how we move and end up leading to imbalances.

An example:
While we can't figure out the start point to this (there is no injury involved), The Munster had apparently worked his way into some seriously crooked shoulders over the past couple years. We only found it by working out in a friends garage and he took his shirt off for pulldowns (he normally works out with a huge t-shirt on, but it's hotter than hades in the guys garage). We've since been watching for the differences in his workouts and he's been making adjustments to the way he moves during anything involving the shoulder, but the muscles are definitely effected by what he'd been doing for a while.

Like you, MM, he HATES the imbalance there and I can't imagine how long it will take to develop the less developed areas of his shoulders and upper back. Of course, we're probably the only ones who see it.

Anyway, just a thought.

TLM

[mark mcgwire]

Thanks IH and TLM for the responses...(you too KRL )... IH I believe you're right about the deep strain/slight tear, it's been so long I'm just very frustrated ya know! I think TLM is correct that I have compensated with my right leg when doing leg curls. My legs aren't out of balance yet (other than more cuts in the right leg) but I'm going to have to keep on them indivually to make sure they don't get out of balance....

[QuietlyDoesIt]

I broke my right ankle 8 months after splitting my right knee cap - after this my right leg has always been smaller than my left
Doing unilateral exercises has really helped bring it up - now its only noticable if you look hard - and I can hide it will be foot positioning and twisting myleg slightly - hides it really well.

[nemo]

i do all my leg curl movements one leg at a time now due to insufficiently heavy weight stacks and at first i found my left leg was a fair bit stronger than my right but now that i work them separately they are about even. its odd because im right handed and every other muscle is slightly stronger on the right then the left

[Jerry]

You will always favor one side of your body over the other depending on the excersise. Doing unilaterals is a real help in overcoming the difference in strength and size. Also, using free weights whenever possible instead of machines is better because more different muscles are brought to play to help stabalize you. Machines do that for you so fewer muscle development per exercise.