# Should I Worry about Uneven Strength while Weight Training

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 15, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321 "2005-10-15T03:34:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321/1 "2005-10-15T03:34:50Z")

</div>

Specifically my forearms. My left arm is weaker than my right (about 5 lbs weaker). Should I train up the left one? How?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321/2 "2005-10-15T04:58:30Z")

</div>

Its pretty common when you start lifting. In your everyday life, you favor one arm over the other.  
Use the same amount of weight for both arms, they’ll even out over time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321/3 "2005-10-15T14:09:43Z")

</div>

> [@picunurse](#):
>
> Its pretty common when you start lifting. In your everyday life, you favor one arm over the other.  
> Use the same amount of weight for both arms, they’ll even out over time.

I thought so. Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321/4 "2005-10-15T14:16:26Z")

</div>

Wouldn’t worry about it. My left side tends to weaker, left leg, left arms, etc… You might want to try to balance it out if the difference was say 20lbs or so.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321/5 "2005-10-15T15:40:46Z")

</div>

As is, don’t worry about it. If you train for a while and it doesn’t get better, you may have some form of nerve impingement and should look into active release therapy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-worry-about-uneven-strength-while-weight-training/326321/6 "2005-10-15T15:50:44Z")

</div>

Funnily, my left arm was stronger than my right for quite some time, even though I’m right-handed. Seems to have balanced out now, though.