All sides should, and must, be created equal.
If you ask any competent bodybuilding competitor or fan, they’ll tell you that muscular symmetry ultimately rules the day in a competition. It isn’t enough to just have copious amounts of muscle mass and be completely shredded if your body does not have muscular symmetry. Judges look out for such flaws. If one side of your body appears considerably more muscular or more developed than the other, you better believe that judges are going to take notice, and as a bodybuilder this can hurt your chances.
The idea of muscular symmetry has been an ideological concept for centuries now. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man was a visual realization of what it means to have a symmetrical human body. Obtaining the ultimate “X” body in bodybuilding refers to a few things.
The top half of the X forms a V which inherently translates to the V Taper in bodybuilding. The shoulders and arms should match in definition and muscularity tapering down to a slim waist. The bottom half of the X shape represents the lower half of the body, the quads, calves, and upper leg muscles. In order to achieve this symmetry one must be diligent and adhere to a specific training regimen.
We’ll get into the top 5 ways to make sure you are as symmetrical as possible so you only see the best gains unfold. With the right approach to your routine, having a well-rounded and symmetrical physique is just around the corner.
5 Must Know Tips For Maintaining Muscular Symmetry
Let’s dive right into this so you no longer suffer from a lopsided physique. These 5 tips are must know and for any bodybuilder seeking to compete, and ultimately take home that top prize, you must be keen on following these tips for only the best gains possible.
Isolate One Side at a Time
Most people have one dominant arm and leg on the body, the arm that gives a bit more effort than the other while bench pressing, or the leg you rely on to pick up the slack when your muscles are burning during a leg press. If one side of the body is doing a higher percentage of work than the other, then it defeats the purpose where symmetry is concerned (1).
A great way to ensure that an even amount of work is being done on both sides of the body is to use isolation exercises, meaning you are only working one side at a time. Instead of performing ten barbell curls, you can trade for ten dumbbell curls on the left side and ten on the right. Be smart about your work out plan and it’ll only pay dividends.
Dumbbells are great ways to tackle any muscular imbalance and allow you to isolate muscle for all groups. Bicep curls are easy examples, but these work well for lower body exercises like Romanian deadlifts as well.
Maintaining Form
There are mirrors at the gym for a reason. To avoid uneven form you should take the opportunity to get a good look in the mirror while doing your routine. Whether it is barbell curls or curls with a dumbbell, it’s always great to get a good look at how you’re performing your exercises. This will pay dividends especially if you do this when you first get started on the road to building your body and avoiding unwanted pain and injury (2).
The idea is to fix the problem of a muscular imbalance before it ever arises rather than wait until your muscle definition is uneven. Check your technique, tighten it up, and you’ll avoid the lopsided look. Having a great and honest training partner will also be a big help for it gives you an extra set of eyes on your physique.
Taking Measurements
The human eye isn’t the most accurate tool of measurement. When trying to achieve proper muscular symmetry, it doesn’t hurt to take some concise measurements in order to get a clear understanding on how much you need to gain or maintain. Using a tape measure and logging your muscle size will save you some time and effort in the gym. Plus, you will have the most accurate set of measurements to compare as you change your physique and fix anything that may be off.
Posing Practice
Make no mistake. Posing isn’t just for the competition stage, it can also pay dividends in studying your body’s symmetry. Doing a most muscular in the mirror or taking a picture of the pose can help you see which of your front muscles need to be attended to and which are sound and balanced. Taking a picture of the back double bicep will let you check out your back and shoulder muscles as well as your glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
By studying posing photos it’ll give you a clear indication on what should be improved upon in order to maintain muscular symmetry. Practicing your poses will make showing off your muscular symmetry during competition a simple task and give you practice for proper posing for that added benefit.
Having a Consistent Workout Intensity
There’s no getting around it. When it’s time to work your arm and shoulders you better keep your training intensity at an even keel. Skipping back and leg day when you’re too sore or not putting your time and effort into each lift could prove to be detrimental to your dreams of building a symmetrical body. Don’t rush through your routines or slack off when working multiple muscle groups in one day (3).
Sometimes switching the order of how you perform your routines every few cycles will help you bring the same level of intensity to all your muscle groups. Muscle confusion is critical and is a real game changer for all of those symmetry wants and needs.
Muscular Symmetry Wrap Up
These 5 tips for muscular symmetry are important in order for you to see a physique you want most. With the right approach to training, and your willingness to be open and try new things, these tips are most certainly worthy of you getting only the best physique possible. Muscle imbalances and a lopsided physique doesn’t properly show off those gains so make sure you put these tips to practice so you only see the best gains.
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*Images courtesy of Envato
References
- Kim, T.; et al. (2015). “Effects of specific muscle imbalance improvement training on the balance ability in elite fencers”. (source)
- Martimo, K.; et al. (2008). “Effect of training and lifting equipment for preventing back pain in lifting and handling: systematic review”. (source)
- Arlinghaus, K. et al. (2019). “The Importance of Creating Habits and Routine”. (source)
