Beginning gymnastics with unilateral imbalance!

Hello I am a beginner and interested in starting practicing calisthenics-gymnastics training in my routine!!

 

I have read most of the topics in the forum and i want to start a routine as soon as possible!But first i have to address an issue i have with my left side-arm!

 

Currently i dont train for the last 3 months since i want to solve the issue i will explain below!I am 179cm. around 70 kg in the mid 20s with to low to moderate bodyfat!(a normal-fit guy)

 

I have a good background training-foundation in my lower body since in previous years i have done soccer-track n' filed training-preparation and i have some good solid base to start with!But in my upper body i fall short because i have some kind of muscular-tendon-ligament-nerve-bone imbalance in my left side and especially is profound from the shoulder(some atrophy) and below!!

 

From the elbow and down the imbalance is quite significant!!For my weight-height ratio i have a good base of muscle despite my low weigth!I respond very good to muscle mass but my left side has kept me back to progress in whatever exercise i did in the past!!My rigth hand-side responds immediately to everything(both strength-muscle wise) but my left arm lucks on both strength-muscle not a lot but quite significant!

 

Can anybody give some advice how to approach the problem?Every opinion is appreciated,though i would also like to listen to somebody with experience in tendon-ligament-bone strengthening since it is a specific problem and from what i have read in the forum i can not find something specific about unilateral strengthening!Although,i have made in my mind a good approach it would be best to listen to more exprerienced guys also!!

 

Anyone interested i can give some more details!!

 

Thanks in advance,

Gkastone!!

Anyone???

I can't speak for everyone, but I think the general concensus here is that training for not advanced athletes (read: the vast majority), working out specific muscle groups is advised against, and that training certain movements with increasing levels of leverage and mechanical complexity is the correct way to go, with muscles coming as a side effect. 

A lot of the exercises you'll find on the site recruit both sides at the same time (push ups/rows/handstands). Most people have a dominant side but this should get ironed out as you progress.

You say a bone, muscle and ligament imbalance, has this been diagnosed by a doctor and is it a medical condition? If so your doctor would know best what to suggest.

Choose exercise intensity that suits your weak side, i.e. something that really challenges your weak side, but not so much the strong side. In time, that should decrease the difference. You will most likely always be somewhat weaker on one side than the other.

Thanks for the advice and the information!!Yes, i went to doctor(s) but each one said something different!

 

But everybody agreed on one thing!It has something to do with nerve compression (and everything fall apart)and maybe this happened when i was younger (15-18) since from that age i observred atrophy and other weird things!!

 

Tingling-spasms in the fingers!!Also atrophied fingers from the outside of the palm!!And slightly atrpohied thenar-hypothenar muscles!!That is the biggest reason i can not progress effectively!!And atrophy on the extensor(forearm) and very deep in the small muscle down the elbow from the inside!!Also thin ligament-tendons- and decreased bone density on the wrist but up to the elbow also!My right elbow is 1-2cm. longer than the left one and with less density!Big problem with leverage!In chins-pulls the biggest problem!!I go back and forth all the time with tendency to the right side!!

 

Also,many weird noises in the wrist (if i twist it) and in the elbow joint!Not like cracking!Many and simultaneously!It is like something is not tied enough in these joints and they are very loose!!

 

I have done a lot of research-observation in my everyday life-training and everything the doctors found was because i told them where to look on my body!!But they can not understand how all these things happened simultaneously!!Their advice was a little like a joke!!Go for swimming!Ok i understand the value of swimming but apart from the benefits in the spine very little progress will be made in the strength-force-motor unit recruitment of the arm!

 

My theory is:Stress=adaptation!The more the stress(in the loading limits of the connective tissue) the more benefits!The atrophied muscles are not the reason rather th result!!The problem lies deep inside!So i think if i fix the problem in the connective tissues the muscles will follow!Should i start with some lactate threshold and very high rep training?Could this help?

 

 

I came to the conclusion,that whatever i achieve i will have to do it by myself and through training!Every information-advice appreciated!

 

Thanks in advance,

Gkastone

You are the king of exclamation marks!  Punctuation is totally overrated!!!