Life is All About Balance

Move better by addressing compensations and asymmetries

A twisted ankle, a bum shoulder, a hip out of alignment, or a bad back… we have all experienced the frustration of injury that hampers our ability to move correctly and efficiently.

Whether you are an athlete competing in a sport or a parent trying to wrestle on the floor with the kids, we often don’t appreciate the ability to move pain-free until we experience the loss of that freedom. If I could prevent injury completely I would either be the richest man in the world or God and I won’t pretend to be either.

When we look deeper at the cause of these injuries we are presented with a blueprint in training and physical preparation that will at least allow us to reduce the likelihood of them occurring!

Our body is one big piece of myofascia (muscle connective tissue) that is all connected from our head down to our toes. Every time we move all of those connective tissues work together to achieve the movement our brain is telling it to. Understanding this concept is a foundational part of grasping injury and the training protocols to try to reduce the likelihood of it from happening.

Let’s put a pin in that for a second.

When my son wasn’t even one yet, he naturally picked up his spoon with his right hand. Conversely, we noticed when my daughter would draw that she favored her left hand. We all have a dominant side and that presents some issues. We established that our connective tissues all work together, the problem is that when one side is preferred to the other we end up overdeveloping that side causing asymmetries.

A very high percentage of injuries boil down to asymmetries and subconsciously learned compensation patterns. The dominant side outperforms the non-dominant side and because of this, we are weaker in some areas and stronger in others. When we combine this with physical activity or competitive sports it can be a recipe for disaster!

How do we fix compensations and asymmetries?

These two are more often than not the culprits to injury and solving this problem requires a targeted head-on training plan. Fortunately, these natural imbalances can be improved upon by making a few adjustments to your training regimen!

4 Ways to Improve Symmetry

As symmetry increases, compensation decreases.

1. Incorporate Unilateral Movements

Bench press, squat, power clean: these are very commonly found exercises in most sports training programs, and rightfully so, but they are all bilateral movements meaning that both sides of the body are working to achieve the lift.

These movements alone can exacerbate the compensation patterns because the weaker muscles and connective tissues of the non-dominant side simply rely on the stronger side to perform, further widening the gap between both sides. Using unilateral movements, one side at a time, allows for the weaker, non-dominant side to get the attention it needs to catch up in development! A few of our favorites are front foot elevated split squat, lateral lunge, single leg RDL as well as Copenhagen ISOs.

2. Start with the Weaker Side when Doing Single Limb Exercises

When performing single limb, unilateral exercises, fatigue becomes a factor more than in its bilateral counterpart because the reps to perform are now doubled. Instead of 10 reps, it is now 10 on each side equalling 20. Because fatigue can be an added adversary, begin each unilateral exercise with the weaker, non-dominant side so the priority of developing, strengthening, and moving closer to symmetry can be achieved!

3. Add Isometrics

Isometrics are defined as movements where the muscle fibers are neither shortening nor lengthening. It is the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. In layman’s terms, isometric exercises are holding a position for a prescribed time.

Not only are these movements incredible at maintaining strength and improving strength in connective tissues (ligaments and tendons), but also for enhancing sensory-motor feedback. Because this exercise style is essentially great for activating the relationship between your brain and your muscles they can activate otherwise dormant or weaker muscles from the non-dominant side allowing them to strengthen and move closer to symmetry. A few of our favorite isometrics are split squat iso holds, chin-up holds, and glute bridges of the bilateral and unilateral variety!

4. Include Asymmetrical Exercises

Unilateral movements and asymmetrical exercises may seem the same but they have some unique differences. In a unilateral exercise, you are training one limb at a time and there isn’t a distinction between the balance of the load. However, in an asymmetrical exercise, one side is loaded while the other is not, making the midline unbalanced.

While unilateral exercises, such as a single leg RDL, improve strength, range of motion, and stability, asymmetrical exercises, such as a suitcase deadlift (loaded only on one side), will improve stabilizers throughout the kinetic chain. Both unilateral and asymmetrical exercises are imperative to create well-balanced strength and coordination. A few of our favorites are single-arm dumbbell rows, single-arm presses of all angles, and suitcase holds!

Creating a well-balanced strength distribution through a strength and conditioning training program is incredibly important to helping decrease compensations thus reducing the likelihood of injury and staying on the go! Life is hard enough without having to battle pesky injuries and pains, incorporate some of these strategies and let us know how it goes!