Body Symmetry
A full body workout is designed to provide you with total body fitness. One of the ways we look for total body fitness is to look at our body symmetry. Muscle building resulting from a workout should be evenly distributed. In this way, our total body fitness is measured by, and reflected in, our body symmetry. Our full body workout leads to body fitness, which leads to body symmetry.
Body symmetry is something we all find attractive. We know we want it, but what type of full body workout gives our muscle the type of total body fitness that leads to body symmetry?
In bodybuilding, symmetry is probably one of the most critical elements. Take a good, long look at your body in a full length mirror. Size up both sides of your body, compare your shoulders
and size up your arms and legs. You can also use a measuring tape to check your legs and arms. But don't get too worried if your right arm or thigh is 1/4 inch bigger, because our genetics play a role and sometimes make one side just a little bigger.
But if you have one side that is so much bigger that you can see it in the mirror, then you may have a situation that you will want to work on.
Whether your right or left handed your dominant side is almost always bigger and stronger than the other. But what happens if the imbalance is too much?
The surest cure for a body that is not symmetrical is to use weights such as dumbbells, or a machined such as a Universal weight machine to be sure that each limb is doing its equal share of work.
A workout with dumbells or machines that permit each leg or arm to work independently will force you to build symmetry into your muscle. Most two handed barbell or machine movements allow for one limb to work harder than the other. Eliminate these exercises from your workout until your full body workout is generating body symmetry from your muscle building.
For example, if you have uneven arms, stop doing barbell bench press and do dumbbell presses for this muscle. Concentrate on feeling both sides work evenly.
Dumbbell presses will work your arms individually so the stronger muscle cannot compensate for the weaker muscle. Do your normal workout for that muscle group, 8-10 reps for example, rest for a few seconds holding the dumbbells in the down position, then do two or three more reps on the side with the smaller muscle.
Another technique for building body symmetry with a full body workout is to spend some time working only the muscle on your weak side, or at least concentrating on it. Treat a muscle imbalance by exercising that muscle more frequently. Exercise that muscle first in your workout. For example, if your right bicep muscle is weaker than your left, you would want to perform all the dumbbell curls for your right side muscle before switching over to the left. And after your workout you should do 1 or 2 extra sets for my right arm muscle.
But strength is only part of the symmetry solution. To even out your motor skills, when doing any exercise, always concentrate on your left side if you are right handed. By focusing on your non-dominant side you can improve the mind to muscle pathway, improve your motor skills, and improve your symmetry.
Body symmetry is something we all find attractive. We know we want it, but what type of full body workout gives our muscle the type of total body fitness that leads to body symmetry?
In bodybuilding, symmetry is probably one of the most critical elements. Take a good, long look at your body in a full length mirror. Size up both sides of your body, compare your shoulders
and size up your arms and legs. You can also use a measuring tape to check your legs and arms. But don't get too worried if your right arm or thigh is 1/4 inch bigger, because our genetics play a role and sometimes make one side just a little bigger.
But if you have one side that is so much bigger that you can see it in the mirror, then you may have a situation that you will want to work on.
Whether your right or left handed your dominant side is almost always bigger and stronger than the other. But what happens if the imbalance is too much?
The surest cure for a body that is not symmetrical is to use weights such as dumbbells, or a machined such as a Universal weight machine to be sure that each limb is doing its equal share of work.
A workout with dumbells or machines that permit each leg or arm to work independently will force you to build symmetry into your muscle. Most two handed barbell or machine movements allow for one limb to work harder than the other. Eliminate these exercises from your workout until your full body workout is generating body symmetry from your muscle building.
For example, if you have uneven arms, stop doing barbell bench press and do dumbbell presses for this muscle. Concentrate on feeling both sides work evenly.
Dumbbell presses will work your arms individually so the stronger muscle cannot compensate for the weaker muscle. Do your normal workout for that muscle group, 8-10 reps for example, rest for a few seconds holding the dumbbells in the down position, then do two or three more reps on the side with the smaller muscle.
Another technique for building body symmetry with a full body workout is to spend some time working only the muscle on your weak side, or at least concentrating on it. Treat a muscle imbalance by exercising that muscle more frequently. Exercise that muscle first in your workout. For example, if your right bicep muscle is weaker than your left, you would want to perform all the dumbbell curls for your right side muscle before switching over to the left. And after your workout you should do 1 or 2 extra sets for my right arm muscle.
But strength is only part of the symmetry solution. To even out your motor skills, when doing any exercise, always concentrate on your left side if you are right handed. By focusing on your non-dominant side you can improve the mind to muscle pathway, improve your motor skills, and improve your symmetry.
