Anyone else ever get this?

After about a year layoff, I decided to get back into the gym and hit it, Heavy Duty style.
 
When I hopped onto the leg extensions machine and began cranking out reps, I began to notice that, although as far as I could tell, I was exerting the same amount of effort with each leg, my right leg seemed to be "burning" more than my left, and getting exhausted more than the left.
 
When I hopped over to the leg press for the second leg of the superset, I got the same thing. It felt as though I was exerting more effort with the right leg, as it was burning more and fatiguing more quickly than the left.
 
Now, two days after the workout my legs are sore, of course, but the right is more so.
 
 
What is more likely?  Did my right leg somehow become weaker than the left during the layoff and therefore working harder to keep up? Or am I unconsciously exerting more effort with the right for some reason without knowing it?
 
 
Anyone else experience this? Any insight is appreciated. Thanks guys.

Devout Mentzer disciple.

This happens to me mostly on on my bicep oriented exercises like curls,chin ups and such. Usually my stronger arm gives out faster because it does most of the work vs the weaker one... Basically everyone has a stronger pec,stronger shoulder,strong LEG... you just need to kind of focus to push the most with your weaker one.  it'll catch up

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my left arm is slightly weaker than my right arm when it comes to bicep curls.

nothing major, but i find that it gives out much quicker during the reps and i need a spot with the left and the right arm just keeps pumping out reps with no problems

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

When you get to the size, weight class or whatever you want to get to..i suggest doing 1 or 2 isolation workouts to even out your lagging body part. So when your weak body part gives out stop that set all together. Dont push anymore weight with your dominant side or it'll always be stonger. Try that for awhile until your body becomes symmetrical.

Try some lunges, this should help.

Also for leg workouts stick to free weight, compound exercises.

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ORIGINAL: DZL

When you get to the size, weight class or whatever you want to get to..i suggest doing 1 or 2 isolation workouts to even out your lagging body part. So when your weak body part gives out stop that set all together. Dont push anymore weight with your dominant side or it'll always be stonger. Try that for awhile until your body becomes symmetrical.

wait wait..   what?

he never said one leg was bigger than the other.  he just felt like one was having to work harder due to not feeling as strong.

so if you work one side more than the other for a certain period of time, wouldn't this cause the symmetry of the legs to become unproportional?

i just work both sides equally.  one may be weaker.. but i won't trade size  in order to gain equal strength.  it will all even out eventually.

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

Just make sure you let the weaker leg dictate the weight you use.

ORIGINAL: Stillseeingreen

Just make sure you let the weaker leg dictate the weight you use.

Why would you let the weaker part determine the weight your using? Just do as much as you can, who cares if your stronger on one side? If you can curl 50's with your right arm but only 40's with your left don't let your right arm suffer and only do 40's with it to. Personally, when I'm benching usually on the last two or three reps my left arm will only make it half way up and my right just shoots all the way. Of course, I still do it by myself and push my left side up it just takes longer. But doing as much weight as your strongest side allows is the best way to get your weaker side stronger.

About your question Oklahoma, which leg is your dominant one?

ORIGINAL: Leg_Beast

ORIGINAL: Stillseeingreen

Just make sure you let the weaker leg dictate the weight you use.

Why would you let the weaker part determine the weight your using? Just do as much as you can, who cares if your stronger on one side? If you can curl 50's with your right arm but only 40's with your left don't let your right arm suffer and only do 40's with it to. Personally, when I'm benching usually on the last two or three reps my left arm will only make it half way up and my right just shoots all the way. Of course, I still do it by myself and push my left side up it just takes longer. But doing as much weight as your strongest side allows is the best way to get your weaker side stronger.

About your question Oklahoma, which leg is your dominant one?

so on those last reps on benchpress...  if i'm picturing this in my mind correctly, is the barbell sideways?  (right arm straight up, and left arm still half way down/up?)

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

ORIGINAL: TheSilverFox

ORIGINAL: Leg_Beast

ORIGINAL: Stillseeingreen

Just make sure you let the weaker leg dictate the weight you use.

Why would you let the weaker part determine the weight your using? Just do as much as you can, who cares if your stronger on one side? If you can curl 50's with your right arm but only 40's with your left don't let your right arm suffer and only do 40's with it to. Personally, when I'm benching usually on the last two or three reps my left arm will only make it half way up and my right just shoots all the way. Of course, I still do it by myself and push my left side up it just takes longer. But doing as much weight as your strongest side allows is the best way to get your weaker side stronger.

About your question Oklahoma, which leg is your dominant one?

so on those last reps on benchpress...  if i'm picturing this in my mind correctly, is the barbell sideways?  (right arm straight up, and left arm still half way down/up?)

Kind of. Look at this picture it's the best I can explain it. What I mean is my left side is about 4 inches from lockout when my right is all the way up. It takes me a couple seconds longer to get it up than my right.















[image]local://21240/C6FFD22A3C6E43B3A4B5F5FFF324B21C.JPG[/image]

Attached Image(s)

Use dumbbells, it will help fix the problem.

You dont want one side being dominate like that.

ORIGINAL:














[image]local://21240/C6FFD22A3C6E43B3A4B5F5FFF324B21C.JPG[/image]

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ORIGINAL: Nm0ney34

Use dumbbells, it will help fix the problem.

You dont want one side being dominate like that.

ORIGINAL:














[image]local://21240/C6FFD22A3C6E43B3A4B5F5FFF324B21C.JPG[/image]

+1. agree.  you need to get that other arm up to par in terms of strength.  no need to be getting into the habit of improper form.  improper form goes downhill quickly and leads to problem after problem

My name is FOX.... and I approve this message.

ORIGINAL: TheSilverFox

ORIGINAL: DZL

When you get to the size, weight class or whatever you want to get to..i suggest doing 1 or 2 isolation workouts to even out your lagging body part. So when your weak body part gives out stop that set all together. Dont push anymore weight with your dominant side or it'll always be stonger. Try that for awhile until your body becomes symmetrical.

wait wait..   what?

he never said one leg was bigger than the other.  he just felt like one was having to work harder due to not feeling as strong.

so if you work one side more than the other for a certain period of time, wouldn't this cause the symmetry of the legs to become unproportional?

i just work both sides equally.  one may be weaker.. but i won't trade size  in order to gain equal strength.  it will all even out eventually.

 
Im saying to pay close attention to the weight and rep range one side is doing so that if one side is weaker it can catch up strenght and size wise. With size comes strenght and vise versa. thats all

ORIGINAL: TheSilverFox

ORIGINAL: Nm0ney34

Use dumbbells, it will help fix the problem.

You dont want one side being dominate like that.

ORIGINAL:














[image]local://21240/C6FFD22A3C6E43B3A4B5F5FFF324B21C.JPG[/image]

+1. agree.  you need to get that other arm up to par in terms of strength.  no need to be getting into the habit of improper form.  improper form goes downhill quickly and leads to problem after problem

+2

You don't let strength imbalances fester and become more imbalanced, you let the weaker side catch up, when it is only a little weaker, don't just make the problem worse by encouraging it!

ORIGINAL: Leg_Beast

ORIGINAL: Stillseeingreen

Just make sure you let the weaker leg dictate the weight you use.

Why would you let the weaker part determine the weight your using? Just do as much as you can, who cares if your stronger on one side? If you can curl 50's with your right arm but only 40's with your left don't let your right arm suffer and only do 40's with it to. Personally, when I'm benching usually on the last two or three reps my left arm will only make it half way up and my right just shoots all the way. Of course, I still do it by myself and push my left side up it just takes longer. But doing as much weight as your strongest side allows is the best way to get your weaker side stronger.

About your question Oklahoma, which leg is your dominant one?

If one side is truly stronger, the "weaker side" should not be able to match it in strength without cheating. It may just be me over applying a rule but there is no circumstance where cheating is okay. It is more logical to allow the weaker side to catch up by maintaining strength in the stronger side while progressing the weaker side. Once they are even it will no longer be a problem and you can lift without any special circumstances or exceptions. It just seems irrational to leave something uneven when there really isnt a good reason to.

ORIGINAL: Nm0ney34

Use dumbbells, it will help fix the problem.

You dont want one side being dominate like that.

ORIGINAL:














[image]local://21240/C6FFD22A3C6E43B3A4B5F5FFF324B21C.JPG[/image]

It is only like that for the first couple workouts after I move up in weight. I don't move on until it is balanced out.

Well your more than welcome to do what you want. Switching to dumbbells for awhile would not only fix your problem, but probably befit your overall strength as well.

ORIGINAL: Leg_Beast

ORIGINAL: Nm0ney34

Use dumbbells, it will help fix the problem.

You dont want one side being dominate like that.

ORIGINAL:














[image]local://21240/C6FFD22A3C6E43B3A4B5F5FFF324B21C.JPG[/image]

It is only like that for the first couple workouts after I move up in weight. I don't move on until it is balanced out.

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New updated flash site, still in progress but up and running! Check out my online design portfolio!

ORIGINAL: Leg_Beast

ORIGINAL: Stillseeingreen

Just make sure you let the weaker leg dictate the weight you use.

Why would you let the weaker part determine the weight your using? Just do as much as you can, who cares if your stronger on one side? If you can curl 50's with your right arm but only 40's with your left don't let your right arm suffer and only do 40's with it to. Personally, when I'm benching usually on the last two or three reps my left arm will only make it half way up and my right just shoots all the way. Of course, I still do it by myself and push my left side up it just takes longer. But doing as much weight as your strongest side allows is the best way to get your weaker side stronger.

About your question Oklahoma, which leg is your dominant one?

You're an idiot.

Look down and me and you'll see a fool.  Look up at me and you'll see your Lord.  Look straight at me and you'll see yourself.

It is only like that for the first couple workouts after I move up in weight. I don't move on until it is balanced out.

Yes, what Nomey said, you do what ever you want.

But you never balance out that way, if you get your weaker side as strong as the stronger side, you wil be able to move up in weight more quickly, and safely. By, alowing the imbalance to fester, you are leaving yourself wide open for injury. One day the strong side won't be able to compensate, and bad things will happen, to you and your body.

I understand what ya'll are saying, but I like my way. The imbalance only occurs once I move on to a higher weight. Then I do that weight for a while after I can easily do it with both sides, which means that both sides go up evenly. I might not have been clear on how I explained my imbalance either. When benching my right will go up, but my left lags about 3 or 4 inches behind. There's not a problem getting the left up it's just slightly slower. It's not like the right is all the way up and the left is still at the bottom. It also only happens the one two workouts after I increase the weight, so it does not occur every workout. Maybe I'll make a video to show ya'll what I mean.