Left tricep bigger than right

[idmd]

I'm right handed and my left tricep is significantly larger and stronger than my right. I've tried favoring my right tricep to get it to grow. I've added extra reps to my right arm. I've worked more exercises in where I can work each arm separately but no matter what I do my left still grows faster than my right.

What's the best way to balance triceps? FWIW my biceps are much more equal in size. How the hell does my non-dominate arm become stronger than my dominate? Lol

 

[raysugar1234]

Dumbells.. On heavy sets your strong side is picking up the slack for the weak side. If imbalances occur switch to dumbells..

 

[raysugar1234]

The imbalance in the triceps is probably from barbell bench press, do you work construction or some form of labor that would tax one arm? If so, then when you bench the taxed arm would be doing less of the work because the fresh could take over the extra load... I would bet it's not from arm isolation work, and it's strictly from your heavy pressing exercises. Alot of people favor one side over the other while pressing and don't even realize it. Have someone watch your form or post a video and we can watch it. Or, ONLY do dumbell presses, no barbell presses and see if it works itself out. And this site is running like crap tonight, is it just my network or what?

 

[fit2beking]

The imbalance in the triceps is probably from barbell bench press, do you work construction or some form of labor that would tax one arm? If so, then when you bench the taxed arm would be doing less of the work because the fresh could take over the extra load... I would bet it's not from arm isolation work, and it's strictly from your heavy pressing exercises. Alot of people favor one side over the other while pressing and don't even realize it. Have someone watch your form or post a video and we can watch it. Or, ONLY do dumbell presses, no barbell presses and see if it works itself out. And this site is running like crap tonight, is it just my network or what?

Im not having issues. Probably your end.

 

[calvare2]

One suggestion would be to only use unilateral movements for triceps. For example DB Bench, Hammer Strength Machine, one are tricep pushdown, etc. Another suggestion would be go heavy on the extra sets for lagging tricep.

 

[calvare2]

I had a lagging bicep, because I would only do barbell curls and the stronger arm would take most of the load. I've since switched to DB Curls and it has worked great because the biceps work independently of each other.

 

[Bucky]

IDMD, is your left pec significantly smaller than the right? If so, possibly when you are doing chest presses, your left tri is picking up the slack for the chest imbalance.

 

[idmd]

IDMD, is your left pec significantly smaller than the right? If so, possibly when you are doing chest presses, your left tri is picking up the slack for the chest imbalance.

Pecs are pretty even. What's funny is I just moved to dumbbell presses as my main lift for chest about a month ago because they are easier on my shoulder. Since moving to DB presses I've seen significant gains in both my chest and triceps but I still do skull crushers with an EZ-curl bar and tricep pushdowns and I'm guessing I favor the left arm here. I'll try more single arm movements for triceps.

Does anyone do crush grip benches with DB? That maybe of some help to evening things out for me.

FWIW and slightly off topic but I started doing drag curls about a month ago and my biceps have really responded....I don't see too many talk about them.

Thank you to everyone for the replies!

 

[raysugar1234]

Pecs are pretty even. What's funny is I just moved to dumbbell presses as my main lift for chest about a month ago because they are easier on my shoulder. Since moving to DB presses I've seen significant gains in both my chest and triceps but I still do skull crushers with an EZ-curl bar and tricep pushdowns and I'm guessing I favor the left arm here. I'll try more single arm movements for triceps.

Does anyone do crush grip benches with DB? That maybe of some help to evening things out for me.

FWIW and slightly off topic but I started doing drag curls about a month ago and my biceps have really responded....I don't see too many talk about them.

Thank you to everyone for the replies!

I always do skull crushers with dumbells. I like them this way much more than with the ez bar.

 

[Oregongearhead]

Another thing you can do with dumbells especially on the last few reps is push up the weak arm first , followed by the strong arm . Its easier then trying to push both up at the same time . OGH

 

[Grizzly2]

See I have the same problem as you but it's weird... my left tricep is way thicker than my right, but it doesn't make sense. I've had two surgeries on the ulnar nerve in my elbow and I have a subluxing medial tricep. So it realistically should be way smaller and weaker. I feel like just because I think it's going to be weaker I put more effort into that arm and it started growing faster haha.

 

[idmd]

So I've been working triceps independently (unilateral lifts) and focusing on my right with extra reps and it's made a difference. I was shocked when I moved to unilateral tricep exercises how much stronger my left was than my right - at any given weight I could easily complete 10 reps with my left but really struggled on reps 8, 9 and 10 with my right. I believe I favored my left in the past since it was my non dominate arm and didn't want to favor my dominate arm too much and over time it just got stronger.

The other thing I've noticed is now that they are the same size and same strength my left still just looks better....they are asymmetrical and my left is naturally just more round and bulkier looking even though it is the same size - it's a shape thing and not a size thing.

 

[dnoyez]

Honestly you cant change that imbalance(I know others stated they brought up the lagging bicep via dumbells vs barbell yes but as far as the shape and overall volume of that muscle I just don't think so and I do think your talking about shape balance moreso than size balance,your body is wired to stay the way it is.Go with the flow and enjoy what you have.I can count tons of classic and new school pro bbs that have huge imbalances with bodyparts but it usually gets masked with there outstanding bodyparts at the same time.Iwouldn't recommend cg dumbbell presses as you might smash the old noggin.Thats just my two cents.... as far as using mgf that may be another story for bringing up those imbalances but I havnt messed about with that to verify if it works.

 

[DieYoungStrong]

The imbalance in the triceps is probably from barbell bench press, do you work construction or some form of labor that would tax one arm? If so, then when you bench the taxed arm would be doing less of the work because the fresh could take over the extra load... I would bet it's not from arm isolation work, and it's strictly from your heavy pressing exercises. Alot of people favor one side over the other while pressing and don't even realize it. Have someone watch your form or post a video and we can watch it. Or, ONLY do dumbell presses, no barbell presses and see if it works itself out. And this site is running like crap tonight, is it just my network or what?

I work construction. While not in the field so much anymore, years and years of connecting Iron (tightening bolts) and running a screw gun on metal deck made my right shoulder and bicep bigger and stronger then my left. I'd try to work lefty as much as possible, but when you're a hundred feet in the air on a 6" wide piece of steel, your main concern is staying on the beam.

It took a long time to make sure the bar was rising evenly on bench and military's years ago. DB work is great, but I still have the imbalance. it's not as major as it was, but it's there. Also, everyone has them. I don't think anyone is perfectly symmetrical.

 

[smiles]

I'm right handed and my left tricep is significantly larger and stronger than my right. I've tried favoring my right tricep to get it to grow. I've added extra reps to my right arm. I've worked more exercises in where I can work each arm separately but no matter what I do my left still grows faster than my right.

What's the best way to balance triceps? FWIW my biceps are much more equal in size. How the hell does my non-dominate arm become stronger than my dominate? Lol

that happened to me once before and it was way noticeable... best thing to do is to always switch your tri-workouts up week by week...
when your doing one arm isolation workouts its best to keep the weights and the reps the same, also what ever arm you start on with the iso workout, you want to start with the other arm the next week preferably cause it gets a little complicated when trying to do it in the same day and raising weights... you could do it the same day but be prepared to only be able to do one or two more workouts with your triceps if even that depending on your endurance level... it will take time but just be patient and you will be happy with the results...