# Bodybuilding question. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551 "2009-11-06T11:47:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![heavybuhbuh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@heavybuhbuh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavybuhbuh)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/1 "2009-11-06T11:47:33Z")
Is it possible to work out only one side of your body? If so, what would you look like? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/2 "2009-11-06T13:32:19Z")
Sure it’s possible. Exercises for arms and legs–Bicep curls, triceps extensions, leg extensions, etc.–can all be done on one side. In fact many of these are done one side at a time. Some upper body exercises, like a bench press, requiring heavy weights might pose a balance issue when doing just one side with a dumbbell, but could probably be done. It’s more problematic to do core exercises on one side–can’t do half a sit-up. And free-weight exercises generally bring the core into play in incidental ways. Most people don’t develop massive muscles so it’s not like you would look like a competitive bodybuilder on one side and Olive Oyl on the other side, but the differences would probably be noticeable. I would guess that you could tell the differences between the arms of a competitive tennis player. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/3 "2009-11-06T14:15:53Z")
> [@heavybuhbuh](#): > > … what would you look like? [Reggie](http://stale-popcorn.com/2009/08/20/a-personal-note-from-ashleys-desk-to-mr-m-knight-shyamalan/)! (scroll down) CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/4 "2009-11-06T14:27:14Z")
Or this guy! An actual arm-wrestler, who’s bulked up just one single arm, leaving the rest of his body pretty skinny. > **[German arm wrestler shows off his single Popeye-esque limb](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1220536/German-armwrestler-shows-single-Popeye-esque-limb.html)** > > 22-year-old Matthias Schlitte's whopping right forearm measures nearly 18” – and is in stark contrast to his puny left arm. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/5 "2009-11-06T14:34:13Z")
Those guys look weird. It’s nowhere near the same level and it’s hard to see it in a picture but Rafael Nadal’s left arm is noticeably bigger than his right… [http://s3.amazonaws.com/coolspotters2\_development/photos/2053/03-Rafael\_Nadal.PV\_\_\_profile.jpg](http://s3.amazonaws.com/coolspotters2_development/photos/2053/03-Rafael_Nadal.PV___profile.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/6 "2009-11-06T19:22:58Z")
It’s very possible though you don’t notice in pro bodybuilders because one of the chief things they are judged on is symmetry between sides. If your right bicep isn’t a copy of your left bicept it’s points off. Of course that is just one of many things they are judged on ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/7 "2009-11-06T19:47:00Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > It’s very possible though you don’t notice in pro bodybuilders because one of the chief things they are judged on is symmetry between sides. If your right bicep isn’t a copy of your left bicept it’s points off. Of course that is just one of many things they are judged on Even that doesn’t always matter. [This guy won the Mr. Olympia](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.chrisdickerson.net/photos/BeachPose.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.chrisdickerson.net/&usg=__pmIfE_gX6AVJyCAaabqOyGeEwgQ=&h=639&w=385&sz=70&hl=en&start=1&sig2=pT7f4SO1HA_BhrhAdHcUgg&um=1&tbnid=2rgfPvEclSKguM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=83&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchris%2Bdickerson%2Bbodybuilder%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=fXz0Su3wJaPUNOmthekF) even with a left biceps that was considerably smaller than his right. Even Ahnuld’s right biceps was more peaked than his left, although I bet that was because he flexed it more - he used it in the single biceps pose. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/8 "2009-11-06T19:50:26Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > Or this guy! An actual arm-wrestler, who’s bulked up just one single arm, leaving the rest of his body pretty skinny. > > [German armwrestler shows off his single Popeye-esque limb | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1220536/German-armwrestler-shows-single-Popeye-esque-limb.html) I think there must be more going on there than just someone that is working out only one arm. In high school I knew a kid who had one built arm similar to the man in the link. He didn’t work out at all; something genetic was going on. He was above average in hairiness, but his one built arm was more hairy and the hairs were much courser that his other arm. His nickname was Man-Boy. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bodybuilding-question/516551/9 "2009-11-07T21:03:31Z")
The following post was supposedly written by the arm wrestler with the huge right arm. > [@](#): > > Hey guys, > > I am here cause you all talking about ME. I am Matthias Schlitte the German Armwrestler. And I wanna tell you the truth before you arte going on talking stupid stuff or disrespect me in this stupid way. > I never ever took doping, drugs, synthol or something like this!!! > > I have a genius defect, my right bone in my arm and hand is 1/3 bigger than the left one. Thats why the difference come, the rest is normal training. This photo is from 2004, I was 16 years old and started training. Now I am a Pro-Armwrestler and by the way Pro-Armwrestlers allways use there whole body, thats why it is a real sport and no game in bars or pubs. > > I hope you are stopping create fairy tails about my arm and flouting me! > > Best regards, > > Matthias Schlitte > > [matthias-schlitte.de](http://matthias-schlitte.de) [http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=120023521>](http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=120023521>);