Muscle imbalances can occur for a variety of reasons. It is not always the result of overuse but can also be caused by genetics, hormones, and aging. Several muscle groups are typically involved in the everyday movement of the upper body. The main ones include the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. To adequately address muscle imbalance in the upper body, it is essential to work on all areas to ensure they are strengthened evenly. There are several ways to accomplish this goal:
One way to address muscle imbalances in the upper body is to perform exercises that focus on specific muscles. For example, you can do pull-ups or push-ups to target your chest muscles or row your arms or legs to target your back muscles.
Another way to address muscle imbalances in the upper body is through targeted stretching and mobility. Stretching helps maintain range of motion and keeps muscles flexible, while mobility helps keep joints functioning at their optimal level. Both factors contribute to overall health and wellness, so it is imperative to incorporate them into your daily routine.
Muscle Imbalances
Muscle imbalances in your triceps and pectorals could be because your triceps are longer and more potent than your pectorals. This imbalance would make it difficult for you to extend your arms overhead fully. Likewise, a muscle imbalance in the lats could be caused by too much upper-back (lats) activity, which would cause the lats to overwork when performing upper-body exercises such as pull-ups.
To address these imbalances, you need to identify the specific muscles contributing to the issue and work on them by doing exercises that focus on those muscles. In addition, it is essential to work on strengthening the opposing forces of the same body part. For example, if you have an imbalance in your biceps and triceps, you will want to do exercises targeting both muscle groups. You can also use resistance bands to help balance and stability while doing exercises targeting weak muscle groups.
Remember that addressing muscle imbalances is a long-term process, so don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t happen overnight. It can take months or even years before you see actual results.
When it comes to training the upper body, most people have a tendency to focus on one side more than the other. Most commonly that side is the right one. We tend to neglect training our left side, which in turn can create muscular imbalances and lead to injury down the road. To help you combat this muscle imbalance in the upper body issue, a few days ago, I interviewed Kevin Yates. Well, he interviewed me.
This is what I (Rick Kaselj) went through:
- Biggest muscle imbalance issue in the upper body
- How our digital lifestyle is affecting our bodies
- The cascading effect of injuries in the body
- How to assess muscle imbalances in the upper body
- What people can do about muscle imbalances in their upper body
- A huge trend that is happening with clients in the gym
- Importance of addressing breathing in an exercise program
- How poor breathing can affect muscle stress and pain
- A great example of integrating breathing with an exercise
- Where the idea of Muscle Imbalances Revealed came from
- What was covered in the lower body edition
- What is in the upper body edition
- Who I am
I hope you enjoyed the interview. Let me know what you think, or email me and let me know if there is someone I should interview.
Rick Kaselj, MS
One more thing.
Few Kind Words about Muscle Imbalances in the Upper Body (MIRU):
Thoroughness of Info
What I liked about MIRU is the thoroughness of the info.
MIRU has given me some more insight into what I was already doing, and a bit of peace of mind that I was on the right track.
Breathing info made me aware I need to spend more time emphasizing this.
Scott Rawcliffe Personal Trainer Gold Coast Australia
One last thing.
This is a little video on how to download the interview to your computer:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download