Uneven Back Muscles - Capoeira

[Carlos Chinchilla]

Hello people,

this is my first post. A little background on myself: 31yo, 1,72m (~5'8''), 71 Kg (156,2 lb). Been training capoeira for approx. 3 years. I try to go to the gym at least once a week. I have a sitting job.

I have the following problem: my back muscles (mainly my erector spinae) are noticeably uneven (my right side is bigger than the left). This is also noticeable on my lats, to a lesser extent.

Now, i noticed this for the first time when i was about 15 years old, so i'm not "blaming" capoeira for the problem. However, it bothers me when training capoeira that my left side is weaker and less agile than the right one, which is a huge drawback in my game.

What kind of exercises can i do to try to correct this? (If there are fellow capoeiristas around: is there any capoeira-related exercises that would help, for example holding a "queda de rins" on my "bad" side?)

(Other relevant information: i have very mild valgus knees, slightly more on the right side. At the moment i have no injuries, but in the past i've had a patellar problem in my right knee.)

I would greatly appreciate some advice.

Cheers,

AlunoCapoeirista

[Alexander Moreen]

The obvious answer is to do all skills both ways and to do your weak side first and not exceed that intensity or time on your strong side. For example if your human flag was perfect for 10 seconds with your right arm down, but only a straddle for 10 seconds with your left arm down, then you would start with a straddle left arm down for 10 seconds and then do a straddle with right arm down for 10 seconds even though you could do more. Over time that would balance out.

[Timy7]

are you right handed or left handed?

I have noticed on alot of grapplers and kick boxers I train with that depending on strong side, whatever sometimes opposite sides are more developed, stronger etc.

Basically it comes down to, are you a body builder competing in a show? probably not so symmetry isnt really important. We are all different and grow at different rates, balance points, blah blah.

However, im kinda of a dork when it comes to symmetry so I can understand the want to be even. If its a huge difference, look at what exercises you do the most of in capoeira that are causing the imbalance, and do them from the opposite side/direction/balance point for a while and see if this evens you up.

Granted you may have gotten the imbalance from YEARS of capoeira.

Pictures would help as well, as it may not be as big of a difference as you think.

[sean.albo]

Video tape your ginga, and check to see if you swing unevenly. It's easy in capoeira to have a distorted impression of what your technique looks like, so "symmetrical technique" is often not so. It is also a really good way to correct any other deficiencies that aren't otherwise obvious. I had no idea how ugly my ginga was until I saw a video. Since it's uncommon (possibly undesirable) to identify perfect form in capoeira, it's easy to perform the same movement differently in two different directions. Some might argue that even that is not a problem, and that it's more expressive and sincere that way.

Axe camara,

perna longa

[John Sapinoso]

There is no complex science to it, work your "bad" side until it catches up with your "good" side. From there, be diligent in keeping your volume and intensity the same on both sides. Same is true for uneveness in OAC's, SLS's, Side Levers etc...

[Carlos Chinchilla]

Thank you all for your answers!

are you right handed or left handed?

I have noticed on alot of grapplers and kick boxers I train with that depending on strong side, whatever sometimes opposite sides are more developed, stronger etc.

Basically it comes down to, are you a body builder competing in a show? probably not so symmetry isnt really important. We are all different and grow at different rates, balance points, blah blah.

However, im kinda of a dork when it comes to symmetry so I can understand the want to be even. If its a huge difference, look at what exercises you do the most of in capoeira that are causing the imbalance, and do them from the opposite side/direction/balance point for a while and see if this evens you up.

Granted you may have gotten the imbalance from YEARS of capoeira.

Pictures would help as well, as it may not be as big of a difference as you think.

Iam right-handed, and my stronger leg is also my right one. I don't think the imbalance comes from capoeira, because i noticed it when i was about 15 years old, way before i started training.

The reason i want to correct this imbalance is not really aesthetics, it's that i have less control of my body when doing movements to my left side.

I read somewhere that, since most of us have a "preferred" side to perform tasks in general, the muscles on that side tend to be more "activated", hence the uneven growth. According to this, simple tasks like writing, grabbing things, etc. would make a difference.

Video tape your ginga, and check to see if you swing unevenly. It's easy in capoeira to have a distorted impression of what your technique looks like, so "symmetrical technique" is often not so. It is also a really good way to correct any other deficiencies that aren't otherwise obvious. I had no idea how ugly my ginga was until I saw a video. Since it's uncommon (possibly undesirable) to identify perfect form in capoeira, it's easy to perform the same movement differently in two different directions. Some might argue that even that is not a problem, and that it's more expressive and sincere that way.

My problem is not exactly performing the same move differently in two directions, is that i feel i have less control and strength in general over my left side. There are even some moves that i do on my right that i cannot perform at all to the left side. This is a big drawback for me when playing capoeira, because when the moment comes to perform certain moves to the left side, sometimes i hesitate and either perform them awkwardly or i awkwardly switch to some other movement, which screws up the flow of my game.

I'll try to check the symmetry of my ginga more closely. I've been meaning to get a camcorder and a tripod to analyze things like this.