I have trouble recruiting the left side of my body during squats and deadlifts. I no longer squat, but when I still was, it was always my right knee and quads that felt bad the next day. Nowadays, I do volume deadlifts, for instance yesterday, and no matter how I consciously try to recruit the left glute and hamstrings, I have DOMS only on my right side today.

This is unacceptable. What can be done?

I think getting this problem fixed will be tough. You must understand I am long aware of this problem, and consciously try to lift more with my left side. To no avail. I think a lifetime of preferentially using my right hand and right leg has conditioned my brain to use the right side more.

I'll go with the single leg DL's and see how it works out. I never stretch. Will never. Takes too much time.

I wonder if it is a good idea in the deadlift to load the left side heavier. Say 5 kg more.

Was hoping this would make my left side work as hard as my right. Just popped into my head.

I'll never squat in a smith again. Had to in the past, never will.

arekey has some of the worst ideas on this forum.

That is a very interesting link.


This post has been edited by kotmj: Nov 1 2009, 12:54 AM

So I loaded the barbell asymetrically today in the deadlift (I have only 2 lifts in my routine). 10% more poundage in the left side in all sets except the maximal weight set. I felt it immediately. We shall see tomorrow based on the distribution of DOMS whether it has helped.

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Added on November 1, 2009, 10:53 pmWell, after 36 hours I feel my right knee, glute and hamstring more than my left. The only thing sore in my left side is my forearm, which had to grip a heavier bar.

I shall try upping the weight differential to 15%.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Nov 1 2009, 10:53 PM