Left side

[shawnhunts]

My left side is weaker than my right. I really have to grind on all lifts. 63,5'2 140# dl 120 ohp 42 bench 64 squat 68. Any suggestions? The imbalance makes my form tank.

[misterponytail]

My left side is weaker than my right. I really have to grind on all lifts. 63,5'2 140# dl 120 ohp 42 bench 64 squat 68. Any suggestions? The imbalance makes my form tank.

I'm not a coach, but my way of dealing with imbalances has been to do a lot of dumbbell work, always starting with the weak side and never doing more reps with the strong side than I got with the weak one. For stubborn things, I might do a couple extra sets on the weak side too...

[57bergstrm]

My left side is weaker than my right. I really have to grind on all lifts. 63,5'2 140# dl 120 ohp 42 bench 64 squat 68. Any suggestions? The imbalance makes my form tank.

Its a problem that I think Rip always say, lower the weight and continue the Linear progression with barbell training, dont go unilateral, the weak side will catch up.

[JonTurner]

I am right handed, but I have the same problem with my left side, due to a stroke I had in 2010. My left side is just overall much weaker and less coordinated than the dominant right side. This impacts my form in the Squat and press the most I think.

I have recently taken the approach of lowering the weights considerably and only incrementing very gradually in small increments. In the past I have increased weight too aggressively for my left side to keep up with anything that feels like decent form. It may be the end of the summer before I know if this approach benefits me, but that is the path I am on. I hope this gives the left an opportunity to close the gap a bit.

[MarinePMI]

My left side (strangely) is weaker than my dominate right side. That being said, I just kept adding on the weight until (basically) I injured myself. Problem solved. Now my left side is weaker, and the right side is having to compensate.

One way or the other, it all evens out.

[Steve Crosby]

Judging from the responses to your post Shawn, I'd say this is common. It is certainly true in my case. I am much stronger on the right side. Even if it is frowned on here, I squat in front of a mirror so I can see if I am coming up crooked and try to correct it.

[Cheesepuff]

I started with a severe strength imbalance, my right leg was pretty useless.
Do what you can do right, and do as much as you can.

It is what I was told to do.
It is what I did.
It worked.

You will be working the "weak link the hardest". Just manage that, work on the recover stuff... eating and sleeping basically.

Good luck!

[Fred Turner]

My left side is weaker than my right. I really have to grind on all lifts. 63,5'2 140# dl 120 ohp 42 bench 64 squat 68. Any suggestions? The imbalance makes my form tank.

When I started SS (Feb 2017) I had considerable imbalances: noticeably weaker left side, some pelvis tilt to my posture, among other stuff. Just doing the program without doing anything extra for the weaker side has pretty much balanced things out.
A few things that I found helpful :
Cue myself “LEFT” when that side seemed to be failing during a lift.

Visualize the bar remaining perfectly horizontal throughout.

Do not use collars (except for deadlifts) and check the plates after re-racking to see if they stayed in position.

[misterponytail]

Do not use collars (except for deadlifts) and check the plates after re-racking to see if they stayed in position.

Wait. What?