Working Out - A Question

[Noomi]

As most of you know, I learn karate. I train five days a week, up to six classes per week. On the two days I am not training, I practice and work out at home.

On an ordinary day, I would usually:

- walk for at least a kilometre at a fast pace
- do 20 sit ups
- pull weights, forty reps at fifteen kilos
- try my hand at push ups - not very good, but I can manage three, compared to zero this time last week
- jog on the spot for ten minutes if I am unable to walk outside
- get down in sumo stance for one minute
- do the plank for at least one minute

My problem is that although I am building muscles in my arms, my right arm seems to be developing muscles at a much faster rate than my left. Does this have anything to do with the fact I am right handed? Do I need to work more on my left arm to even things up, or will it balance itself out naturally?

Also, I am currently pulling fifteen kilo weights, when last week I was pulling ten. How long should I wait before I add on another five kilograms? Do I wait until I can comfortably pull the fifteen, or do I just add on another five each week regardless of whether I can pull them or not?

 

[Noomi]

Anyone???

 

[The Professor]

Anyone???

I eat and write left-handed but throw a ball right-handed. My left arm is stronger than my right and to me it seems more muscular. However when I ask others if they see a difference they say they don't. Even my wife says she can't tell. I don't know the answer to your question, but I'll do a little research for you.

I go to the gym two days a week and work out at home three days a week (different muscle groups). At the gym I work with weights between 100 and 200 pounds. At home I use 20 and 30 pound dumbbells but I do over a thousand reps. I often get asked if I lift weights and that makes me feel so good.

There's one thing I did notice. When I did the same exercise three times a week I couldn't do as many reps as I could when I cut back to twice a week.

 

[Politico]

Anyone???

Anyone what? Work out your left arm more.

 

[Noomi]

Anyone???

Anyone what? Work out your left arm more.

I will, but I don't understand why it isn't developing as quickly as the right, considering I use both of them equally.

 

[Politico]

No one uses both equally.

 

[Noomi]

No one uses both equally.

I guess that is true. What I meant was, when I work out, I use both equally, but not in regular day to day things.

 

[Zoom-boing]

No one uses both equally.

I guess that is true. What I meant was, when I work out, I use both equally, but not in regular day to day things.

Right, so your dominant arm will be stronger because you use it more in day to day life.

Work out your left arm more. True with anything else as well. Your balance will be better on one side vs the other so you would have to pay the weaker side more attention, say if you are doing yoga.

As far as when to increase the weight ... when you can do the last rep with relative ease and you no longer feel it as a challenge, time to up the poundage.