UL asymmetry in Strength

[aliciaking]

I am a PT who does strength and conditioning classes with over 55's.

In DB Pressing X's (OHP or bench) a number of clients are able to lift more with one arm that the other. Sometimes this is due a past shoulder trauma, sometimes not.

My question is, should we encourage people to lift to capacity on each side if that means an RPE of 8 for example would equate to a 5kg DB on the R side and a 6kg on the L??

In this instance we are looking to maximise muscle strength and muscle mass gained. Based on current evidence, I can't see that there would be any costs/risks in encouraging people to maximise their strength gains even if this means perhaps promoting a further asymmetry in strength??

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Hi Alicia,

It seems like you're asking whether or not we should keep the load the same on both sides during unilateral exercises even if there is a difference in performance potential. I think the answer is yes in most strength and conditioning settings. I don't know that this promotes "further" asymmetry, but rather preserves the existing asymmetry. That also assumes that asymmetry is to be avoided and we can "fix" strength differences between sides. I don't think either are reliably true, particularly small differences in the general population.

-Jordan

[aliciaking]

Yes Jordan I was asking if we should aim for performance potential even if that means asymmetry in strength as opposed to keeping the load the same on both sides. To clarify, I meant that lifting a different weight each side could potentially promote greater differences in strength between sides. I guess I wondered if there was anything 'wrong' with this as I have some clients that want to lift to their 'unilateral potential' which means a heavier DB on one side.

My default is to prefer them lifting the same on each side because symmetry looks and feels nicer! But I did question my tendency to recommend this as it also doesn't appear that there would be 'harm' in lifting different loads each side.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I don't think I'd lift heavier on one side vs another outside of an injury or post-op situation, as I can't see a benefit for hypertrophy, strength (in a context that matters), or otherwise.