How to fix weak contraction in your non-dominant bicep

Not getting a solid contraction in your non dominant bicep? Don’t worry you are not alone. A lot of people face this problem and have no idea how to overcome it. If you are one of those read on.

Most people generally have a strong dominant side. When they do a particular exercise, the dominant side takes over and does most of the work. Thus the non-dominant side lags behind and remains under developed as compared to the dominant side. I have faced this problem myself while training my left bicep. I wasn’t getting the same contraction, the same pump as compared to my right bicep when performing the curls. It became quite apparent as the days progressed. Visually my right bicep was well defined with all the nerves sticking out but my left side just wasn’t the same.

If you continue to train the same way, eventually the dominant side will keep getting bigger and stronger as compared to your non dominant side. After a lot of effort I now feel that my left bicep has covered up the deficit. Here are a few tips which I incorporated in my workouts which might be helpful:

1. Ditch the Barbell curl

Yes, you heard that right. Ditch the barbell curls!! Don’t get me wrong traditionally the barbell curl is the most iconic exercise to train biceps for size and strength and I love the exercise but there is one inherit limitation in using the barbell. While curling the barbell both your biceps work together in a synchronized manner. The problem with this is when you load up the weights, your non dominant side eventually gives in. This slack is then compensated by your dominant side without you even realizing it, which over a period of time would create a rift between your right and the left bicep.

Try to isolate each bicep. I would advise you to use dumbbells so that each bicep is allowed to do its own work. Dumbbell concentration curls and dumbbell preacher curls should be in your arsenal.

2. Start with the left bicep (Non dominant)

It is a well-known fact that the intensity of the workout diminishes towards the end. Thus the exercises performed towards the end don’t usually bring in the same results as compared to the muscles you train first. A classic example is the calf. Usually it is trained at the end of the leg work out and people just go through the motions and just want to get the legs day over with. This the main reason you see so many people with under developed calves.

The same logic applies here, while training biceps always start with the non-dominant side.

3. Hold at peak contraction

While performing the curls press and hold at least for two seconds at the peak contraction. The peak contraction would be at the top of your curl motion. This would help in establishing the mind-muscle connection which is weak in case of your non dominant side.

4. Focus on eccentric motion

Most people do only half reps. For eg while doing bicep curls they only concentrate on the upward motion and let gravity take over on the way down. If you want to get the most out of your biceps, controlled eccentric motion is absolutely essential. While focusing and slowly getting the weights down you can build much greater strength and size in your biceps.

5. Train your non dominant bicep beyond failure

Biceps are the easiest and safest muscles to train beyond failure. Failure is reached when you cannot perform an additional rep with proper form. When it comes to training your non dominant bicep you have to take it beyond failure. Usually if you want to take your reps beyond failure in any other exercise you’d probably need a spot or a training partner. Imagine you doing squats and taking the reps beyond failure it become quite dangerous and you are then completely at the mercy of your spotter. This way training your bicep beyond failure is as safe as it can get. Once failure is reached on your non dominant left side, you can take the help of your right hand and perform forced reps while concentrating on eccentrics.

Final Word

You need to give your weak side reason to grow and develop. Change the way you train. If you strive for aesthetics then you know very well the importance of developing both sides to its full potential. Just incorporate these tips the next time you train your biceps. If you found this article helpful let me know in the comments section.

Cheers. Have a fit weekend everyone.

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