hello there. i am a 23 year old male. 6'2" 160 lbs. ive noticed that when i work out my back and biceps the right side tends to be more sore the next day than the other. i know this is from a muscle imbalance. my question is this. is the sore side stronger or weaker than the less sore i.e. the side that is more sore was used more during the exercise, meaning to correct the imbalance i have to focus a little more on the other, or is the side that is more sore weaker than the other and needs to be worked out more?

Okay ! I get so many questions about muscle soreness...you are not alone in the confusion !!

A muscle gets sore from you tearing the muscle fibers little by little every time you do a muscle exercise....then you stretch out the muscle to repair itself...and you need to drink plenty of water for the muscle to rebuild properly and produce more muscle....

Now, sometimes if you've had an injury...you may find one side is more developed than the other...for example...I injured my left ankle years ago....and reinjured it, and reinjured it...and reinjured it ( you get the point) anyway , because I baby that ankle....my calf is much more developed on my left than my right...in order to support my fragile ankle....

so, it really is all about form and technique.....You simply must be nursing an injury or you are challenging one side over the other....You can try and do 1-3 more reps on the other side....not an entire set...just a few more reps..that's it...It may make a huge difference...

I am not a fan of holding a 20lb dumbbell on one side...and a 30lb on the other side....that can only result in more problems with your back, neck, posture etc...

It is also important to vary your workout and do a different bicep/back exercises every week....so you should have at least 4 different exercises to take you through an entire month.

Look in the mirror and try and see which side looks under developed...both sides are strong.....you just need to master getting a balance with challenging your muscles so that they respond the way you'd like them to.

Also vary the order in which you perform bicep curls, arnold curls, hammer curls, flyes, etc etc....don't always start on the right.....start on the left every other time...

Okay! I hope I helped you out!!
CheryL : )

__________________
Cheryl Greenfield

Former National Fitness Competitor & Finalist
AFAA Certified Personal Trainer & Aerobics Instructor
Fitness Choreographer and Consultant

http://www.exerciseforums.com

thank you for your timely reply! it most useful. i think it has to do with doing lawn maintenance as a job for a period of time. i have to hold my right arm up in a rowing position to hold the edger/weed-whacker so the muscles on my right side have developed more than the left .i shall take your advice and test it out. thanks again =)