How to correct a tricep asymmetry ?

[Zigurd]

Basically, my right tricep is inferior to my left. I'd say my left has at least 40-60% more mass than my right. No idea how this happened, it's a huge difference and very noticeable.

I've fixed all my other body asymmetry by doing isolation exercises at the beginning of a workout for the weaker part and ENDING with an iso too. I've fixed so far:

My chest asymmetry
My bicep asymmetry
My quad asymmetry
My delt asymmetry

But my tricep... oh dear fucking tricep. It's not growing. The left hand get's enough exercise while I bench... even with the extra iso exercises I give my right hand it just wont catch up.

What can I do ? =(

Also... most of the asymmetry is on the exterior head of the right tricep compared to the left. The internal heads are almost identical. What the fuck ? What can I do to TRY and isolate a tricep head ? (I know this is impossible, but there MUST be some kind of exercise that puts at least 1% more tension on the exterior head).

 

[WillTheThrill]

have someone watch your form and make sure you're not favoring one arm more than another during your lifts, sorry I can't be more help. or try beatin it with the other hand!

 

[SiCK]

Basically, my right tricep is inferior to my left. I'd say my left has at least 40-60% more mass than my right.

That aint good. So what are your left and right arm measurements?

 

[Hypocrisy86]

i have a similar problem, but by around 20-30%.
try doing weak point strengthening, do the weak part only, (weak, smaller part)
skip the other arm etc on a certain day

 

[Arcane1129]

40-60% more mass? That sounds like a very large difference- more so than normal.

1) Have you ever injured it (pull, tear, anything)?

2) Video tape yourself (or ask someone to watch you) during all exercises that the tricep is used greatly in. On bench for example, make sure your arms are in the same exact position and moving up at the same speeds. It may be something you've never noticed in your form from your position. Of course I have no idea how your form is or if you've done this, but it may be something to consider.

 

[Zigurd]

That aint good. So what are your left and right arm measurements?

I haven't measured them... but about a year ago (when the difference was still there) they were the same 0_0

I seriously can't explain it. I'll take pics for you guys tomorrow. My ONLY explanation is that maybe another part of the tricep is growin to compensate. WHAT part... no idea.

i have a similar problem, but by around 20-30%.
try doing weak point strengthening, do the weak part only, (weak, smaller part)
skip the other arm etc on a certain day

You know... I might do this. FUCK IT, I will only train the weak one till it matches the other one. Thanks Hypo.

40-60% more mass? That sounds like a very large difference- more so than normal.

1) Have you ever injured it (pull, tear, anything)?

I have scar tissue in the inside of my bicep. Which was a reason my right bicep was also smaller than my left. What I did was train the shit out of my right bicep. The peak grew and matched the left one, also in strength... but the INNER part of the bicep is still dead. It's as if muscle was pulled from there =(

Now that I have low bodyfat, it's a little more noticeable. It's like I have parts in which muscle SHOULD be, but there is not. I'll take pics too.

...Maybe I also have muscle mass missing from the outer head of the tricep ? But I can't see any scar tissue like in my bicep.

2) Video tape yourself (or ask someone to watch you) during all exercises that the tricep is used greatly in. On bench for example, make sure your arms are in the same exact position and moving up at the same speeds. It may be something you've never noticed in your form from your position. Of course I have no idea how your form is or if you've done this, but it may be something to consider.

Done and done. I asked many people I know in the gym to watch me. My form is perfect. Even with my lagging right tricep =/

But I still feel more "power" coming from my left while benching. I try to focus on mind-muscle connection to make my right bicep do more work... it doesn't help.

Thanks guys.

 

[Ironslave]

This sounds very odd... try a few things.

1) Do your routine as normal, but at the end, do something like FST-7 (or 5, or 20, or any arbitrary number) to prioritize only your weaker arm... also, do it using vascular occlusion. I have discussed this before, search for that term and posts by me. You literally want to tie your arm off with a band and do it.

2) Really focus on exercises that emphasize stretch, seated French Presses are a great one for this.

3) Try to get some super deep tissue massages, and/or ART (active release).

I also disagree with the "don't train the stronger arm" point. I've never believed in this, and I think it's much much better to prioritize one part, but never neglect another. I think Trey Brewer's recent example of stopping training legs shows how this isn't the best way to go about things at all....

 

[Zigurd]

This sounds very odd... try a few things.

1) Do your routine as normal, but at the end, do something like FST-7 (or 5, or 20, or any arbitrary number) to prioritize only your weaker arm... also, do it using vascular occlusion. I have discussed this before, search for that term and posts by me. You literally want to tie your arm off with a band and do it.

With vascular occlusion ? SHIT man... I don't know if I even want to try that =/

I already have very bad blood circulation. My mother gave me that wonderful genetic gift.

2) Really focus on exercises that emphasize stretch, seated French Presses are a great one for this.

Is this what you talk about:


If it is... I have already tried that. My left arm does all the fucking work and it GROWS while the other lags behind.

3) Try to get some super deep tissue massages, and/or ART (active release).

I also disagree with the "don't train the stronger arm" point. I've never believed in this, and I think it's much much better to prioritize one part, but never neglect another. I think Trey Brewer's recent example of stopping training legs shows how this isn't the best way to go about things at all....

Can't get the deep tissue massage... for many reasons. Regarding Trey... he stopped working BOTH legs. I'll just stop working one arm. Just till the other catches back. And it's not like I wont be training my left tricep... with my split I train chest/back twice a week... so it will get enough stimulus I believe.

I just... don't know what to do =(
Every other bodypart reacted properly to my balance training. But my tricep... can it be that it's genetic ? Like the homeostasis level for my right tricep is FUCKING PAIN IN THE ASS and doesn't let it metabolize muscle and grow ?

Or that it has more "slow-twich" muscle fibers ? Or perhaps I have scar tissue there also.
This will get me VERY FLAMED... but injecting synthol in it... can it help somehow ? I think I read somewhere that synthol after being cleaned from the system leaves the tissue more expanded. Perhaps that will help ?

I'm looking for anything that will help. Since I'm getting leaner and leaner the difference will show more and more.

 

[Zigurd]

OMFG...

My right arms tricep "long head" IS HUGE... compared to my left. What the fuck is wrong with my body. That's why the two arms have the same measurement... because each has a bigger head.

How can I punish my body for being so fucking retarded ? I'm thinking about ripping my tricep off.
Just kidding... but it's a shock to discover something about ones body like this =/
Guess I'm just like this. Gotta laugh about it though... weirdest asymmetry ever.

Anyway, any exercises that "focus" on the lateral head ?

 

[Ironslave]

With vascular occlusion ? SHIT man... I don't know if I even want to try that =/

I already have very bad blood circulation. My mother gave me that wonderful genetic gift.

It will be fine...


Yes, but do it only with the weaker arm.

Regarding Trey... he stopped working BOTH legs. I'll just stop working one arm. Just till the other catches back. And it's not like I wont be training my left tricep... with my split I train chest/back twice a week... so it will get enough stimulus I believe.

Yes, not exactly the same, but it just does to show that bad things happen when you stop training a part. I'm a much bigger believer in prioritizing one, rather than neglecting one... but yes, they should get worked with chest, and prioritizing the one arm on top is a great idea.

I just... don't know what to do =(

This will get me VERY FLAMED... but injecting synthol in it... can it help somehow ? I think I read somewhere that synthol after being cleaned from the system leaves the tissue more expanded. Perhaps that will help ?

Dude, don't even go there with that, lol, im sure it's not THAT bad.

My right arms tricep "long head" IS HUGE... compared to my left. What the fuck is wrong with my body. That's why the two arms have the same measurement... because each has a bigger head.

How can I punish my body for being so fucking retarded ? I'm thinking about ripping my tricep off.
Just kidding... but it's a shock to discover something about ones body like this =/
Guess I'm just like this. Gotta laugh about it though... weirdest asymmetry ever.

Anyway, any exercises that "focus" on the lateral head ?

Not that uncommon... a lot of people can actually have one arm with great peaks, and the other which is kinda flat, and the flat one can be bigger, although it doesn't look like it.

Pictures would be good, but really, I think you're worrying WAY too much. There's little that will effectively target one head of the tricep. Think about how many people have trained for years and their arms may go from like 16 inches to 17 inches.... pretty difficult to say selectively get an inch of growth on the lateral (or any other) head.

 

[Bone Yard]

same problem, one arm is striated to the bone, the other is just pure mass. when i hit a double bis, rear or front. you sorta can tell...the other bellies alot better.

 

[Duality]

advice i would give you that fixed a little asymmetry of my own is to have someone watch you closely on your presses, both dumbell and barbell (keep an extra close eye on dumbell) and have them see if both your arms are in the same position while pressing. i used to press with my right arm in more, and my left splayed out a little more. the result was a slightly bigger right front deltoid and a slightly bigger left tricep. i fixed my form, and the problem over time remedied itself (on top of some extra sets here and there for them).

 

[bambam55]

post a picture so we can see it

 

[Hypocrisy86]

Like Bambam said, pic.
see how this is..

 

[Zigurd]

Camera DIED.

1. Camera - 300$
2. New batteries - 1.99%
3. Batteries explode and ruin my camera like a god damn chestbuster - priceless

I think you may be right Duality. I will have to ask somebody about my arm placement on the bench.

 

[Napol3onator]

Camera DIED.

1. Camera - 300$
2. New batteries - 1.99%
3. Batteries explode and ruin my camera like a god damn chestbuster - priceless

I think you may be right Duality. I will have to ask somebody about my arm placement on the bench.

lmao..hey..are your arms exatcly the same length..maybe they are a hair off and its causing your bench form to be weird enough to cause the difference..

 

[SirTeddy]

I also have a noticeable tricep asymmetry. The problem is that the medial head is somehow ''overactive'' on my right arm and it feels like it's the only head working while I do tricep exercises. (sounds odd I know ) The long head of the left arm is much bigger than right arms and it really bugs me. I think OP might have a similar problem.
EDIT. I forgot to mention that the best exercises for lateral head are IMO curl-grip bench press (a real killer!) and narrow-grip bench press with elbows flared. Of course you can't isolate a certain head yadda yadda... but you know, with these exercises I feel the tension exspecially in the lateral head.

 

[tim290280]

I also have a noticeable tricep asymmetry. The problem is that the medial head is somehow ''overactive'' on my right arm and it feels like it's the only head working while I do tricep exercises. (sounds odd I know ) The long head of the left arm is much bigger than right arms and it really bugs me. I think OP might have a similar problem.
EDIT. I forgot to mention that the best exercises for lateral head are IMO curl-grip bench press (a real killer!) and narrow-grip bench press with elbows flared. Of course you can't isolate a certain head yadda yadda... but you know, with these exercises I feel the tension exspecially in the lateral head.

This link tells you what heads are most active in what exercises.


Put bluntly mass is more the issue than any one head. Differences between arms is form and activation issues. Individual heads are not readily targeted nor is it often a good idea (e.g. shear at the elbow to target different heads of the bicep with grip widths).