Muscle Imbalance Workout: 6-Week Plan to Fix Asymmetry

A muscle imbalance workout is just a training plan that helps you spot—and shrink—meaningful left–right (or front–back) differences in strength, control, and muscle development.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why does my right leg do all the work in squats?” or “Why does one shoulder always feel cranky?” you’re probably dealing with an asymmetry worth addressing.

The simple playbook is:

assess → prioritize the weaker side → re-test

Quick safety note: This is for education, not medical advice. If anything causes sharp pain (not normal training effort), stop and consider getting checked out by a qualified clinician.

Table of contents

• What counts as a muscle imbalance?
• Why imbalances matter (and what the research really says)
• Step 1: 5-minute self-assessment (no fancy equipment)
• Step 2: The rules of an effective muscle imbalance workout
• Your 6-week muscle imbalance workout plan (3 days/week)
• Daily 5-minute desk + runner reset
• How to progress (without feeding the stronger side)
• How to track results: strength, movement, and BodySpec DEXA left–right data
• FAQ

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What counts as a muscle imbalance?

A muscle imbalance is when one muscle, limb, or movement pattern is consistently stronger, tighter, or more dominant than its counterpart.

Most people run into one (or more) of these:

• Left vs. right (inter-limb asymmetry): one leg drives your squat, one arm wins every press.
• Front vs. back (agonist vs. antagonist): quad-dominant legs with undertrained hamstrings/glutes; strong chest with an undertrained upper back.
• Stability vs. mobility mismatch: you have range of motion you can’t control under load.

Common causes include repetitive movement patterns and prolonged sitting (which can keep hip flexors “short” and reduce glute contribution), plus training that stays in the same plane of motion for months on end (ACE Fitness).

If you want a bigger-picture framework (release → lengthen → activate → integrate), BodySpec’s guide on how to fix muscle imbalance lays it out.

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Pairing DEXA with Muscle Imbalance

Learn how BodySpec DEXA scans can help if you're training to reduce muscle imbalances.

Book a BodySpec DEXA scan today and see exactly how your body composition changes over time.

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Why imbalances matter (and what the research really says)

1) They can turn your workouts into “compensation practice”

With bilateral lifts (squats, presses, deadlifts), your body is really good at sneaking load to the stronger side just enough to finish reps. That can reinforce wonky patterns over time—which is why many coaches lean on unilateral accessory work when asymmetry shows up (Muscle & Fitness).

2) Unilateral training can reduce asymmetry—especially when you bias work to the weaker side

A 10-week program in basketball players used unilateral compound lifts (split squats, Bulgarian split squats, step-ups, single-leg calf raises) and gave the non-dominant leg more total work; the authors reported reduced lower-limb strength/explosiveness asymmetry and improved performance measures (Zhang et al., 2024).

3) Injury-risk data is mixed (so think “risk management,” not fortune telling)

A systematic review on lower-limb asymmetry and injury risk found mixed results across studies—some showing links, others not—highlighting that evidence quality is moderate-to-low and methods vary (Physical Therapy in Sport, 2021).

Translation: improving a big asymmetry is still a smart move for cleaner movement and better training quality—but it’s not a magic shield.

4) Training one side can help the other (cross-education)

Unilateral strength training can produce strength gains in the opposite, untrained limb—an effect called cross education. A controlled trial found contralateral strength increases after 6 weeks of unilateral training, suggesting nervous-system adaptations are a big part of early progress (Green et al., 2018).

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Step 1: 5-minute self-assessment (no fancy equipment)

Film these from the front and side if you can. You’re not hunting perfection—you’re hunting patterns.

If a movement produces pain, stop. A screen is not a diagnosis.

Test A: Single-leg squat to a chair (3 reps/side)

Red flags: knee caves in, hip drops, you wobble wildly on one side.

Test B: Single-leg glute bridge (8 reps/side)

Red flags: hamstrings cramp, hips rotate, reps feel dramatically harder on one side.

Test C: Single-arm dumbbell bench press or overhead press rep cap (pick one, 6–10 reps/side)

Pick a load where you might hit 10 reps. If one side stalls at 6–7 while the other cruises to 10, congrats—you just found a very trainable imbalance.

Want a more formal screen? The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a standardized way to flag asymmetries and mobility/stability limits.

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Step 2: The rules of an effective muscle imbalance workout

These are the “boring” rules that make everything work.

1. Start with the weaker side first. Every time.
2. Match reps on the stronger side. No “bonus reps” just because it feels good.
3. Make unilateral lifts the main event (for 6 weeks). Bilateral lifts can stay, but they can’t be the whole story.
4. Bias volume slightly to the weaker side—on purpose. Research-based programs sometimes assign more work to the weaker limb (Zhang et al., 2024). In this plan, we’ll keep it simple: one extra set on the weaker side for 1–2 key moves.
5. Own the eccentric (lowering). A controlled 2–3 second lower builds control where you’re currently “leaking” it.
6. Keep effort honest (RPE ~6–8). Most sets should finish with ~2–4 reps in reserve.

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Your 6-week muscle imbalance workout plan (3 days/week)

Schedule: 3 strength sessions/week (A, B, C) + optional easy cardio/run days.

Equipment: works best with dumbbells + a bench + a cable or resistance band (substitutions included).

How the 6 weeks progress

• Weeks 1–2 (Foundation): control, range of motion, smooth reps.
• Weeks 3–4 (Build): heavier unilateral strength + slightly more total sets.
• Weeks 5–6 (Integrate): keep unilateral strength, add optional power/control finishers, and bring bilateral lifts back up.

Runner note: try to keep your hardest run workouts on days you’re not doing the lower-body-heavy session (or keep Session C lighter).

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Session A — Lower-body strength + trunk stability (45–60 min)

Warm-up (8 minutes)

• World’s Greatest Stretch — 3 reps/side (mobility flow)
• Ankle rockers — 8 reps/side
• Bodyweight split squat — 8 reps/side

Strength block (main)

1. Bulgarian split squat — 3 sets × 6–10 reps/side (Weeks 1–2) → 4 sets × 6–8 reps/side (Weeks 3–6)

   • Weaker side: add +1 extra set in Weeks 3–6
   • Sub: regular split squat (back foot on floor) if balance is difficult

2. Single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL) — 3 sets × 6–10 reps/side

   • Sub: kickstand RDL (back toes on floor) if balance is limiting

Accessory block (choose 2)

• Step-up — 2–3 sets × 8–12 reps/side
• Single-leg calf raise — 2–3 sets × 10–15 reps/side
• Side plank — 2–3 sets × 20–40 sec/side

Cool-down (3 minutes)

• Easy hip flexor stretch — 30 sec/side
• Deep breathing (90/90 or on your back) — 60 sec

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Session B — Upper-body balance + carries (40–55 min)

Warm-up (6 minutes)

• Band pull-aparts — 2 × 15
• Scapular wall slides — 2 × 8
• Push-up position shoulder taps — 2 × 10/side (slow)

Strength block (main)

1. Single-arm dumbbell bench press (or cable press) — 3–4 sets × 6–10 reps/side

   • Weaker side: add +1 extra set in Weeks 3–6

2. Single-arm row (dumbbell or cable) — 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps/side

Accessory block (choose 2)

• Half-kneeling single-arm overhead press — 2–3 sets × 6–10 reps/side
• Chest-supported rear delt raise — 2–3 sets × 10–15
• Pallof press — 2–3 sets × 10–12/side

Carry finisher

• Suitcase carry — 3 × 20–40 m/side (heavy enough to challenge posture)

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Session C — Full-body symmetry builder (30–50 min)

This is the “life happened” session.

A meta-analysis comparing unilateral vs. bilateral training in athletes found unilateral training tends to be especially helpful for unilateral tasks like single-leg jumping and unilateral strength measures (Frontiers in Physiology, 2023).

Warm-up (5 minutes)

• 90/90 hip switches — 10 total reps
• Glute bridge — 10 reps
• Dead bug — 6 reps/side

Circuit (3–5 rounds depending on time)

1. Reverse lunge — 8 reps/side
2. Single-arm landmine press (or 1-arm incline press) — 8 reps/side
3. Step-down (from a low step) — 8 reps/side
4. One-arm farmer carry — 20–30 m/side

Rest 60–90 seconds between rounds.

Optional Weeks 5–6 control/power add-on (only if pain-free)

• Skater hop with stick landing — 3 × 4 reps/side (quiet landings, 1–2 sec hold)

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Ready to Scan? Book your BodySpec DEXA Here!

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Daily 5-minute desk + runner reset

Think of this as your daily “undo button.” Do it once a day (or use it as a pre-run primer).

1. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch — 30 sec/side
2. Thoracic rotation (open book or chair opener) — 5 reps/side (mobility exercises)
3. Glute bridge iso hold — 2 × 20–30 sec
4. Single-leg balance — 30 sec/side

If your main issue is leg asymmetry (super common for runners), BodySpec’s leg muscle imbalance guide has extra tests and correctives.

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How to progress (without feeding the stronger side)

Use this simple progression rule for Weeks 1–6:

• Pick a rep range (example: 6–10).
• When the weaker side hits the top of the range for all sets with clean form, increase load next session by the smallest amount available.
• Keep the stronger side capped at the weaker side’s reps.

The “cap” rule that keeps you honest

If your stronger side can do more reps, that’s useful info—not a green light.

• If weak side = 8 reps, strong side = 8 reps.
• If weak side can’t handle the load with clean form, drop the load so both sides can move well.

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How to track results: strength, movement, and BodySpec DEXA left–right data

What to track weekly (copy/paste table)

Why a training log isn’t always enough

A log tells you what you lifted. It doesn’t always tell you whether the weaker side is actually catching up in lean mass (or whether you just got better at compensating).

How BodySpec DEXA helps you “see” muscle imbalances

A BodySpec DEXA scan measures your fat mass, lean mass, and bone metrics and breaks them down by region—including left arm vs right arm and left leg vs right leg (DEXA report breakdown).

A few helpful reminders:

• DEXA measures lean mass, not “pure muscle” (lean mass includes things like body water and other non-fat tissue) (what DEXA measures).
• That’s still useful, because when your training is consistent, trends in limb lean mass are one of the clearest ways to tell if one side is building at the same rate as the other.

How to use your DEXA results to adjust this workout plan

After your baseline scan, open your report and look at the left vs right limb lean mass numbers.

Here’s the practical way to turn that into training decisions:

• If one leg has lower lean mass: make that your “weaker side” for this block, start every lower-body move on that side, and keep the extra set on that side for Bulgarian split squats (and optionally step-ups).
• If one arm has lower lean mass: same idea for upper body—start presses and rows on that side, keep the strong side capped, and use the extra set for the main press.
• If DEXA looks balanced but your tests feel lopsided: treat it like a coordination/control issue. Stick to tempo reps, pauses, and easier variations (kickstand RDL, split squat with back foot down) until both sides move the same.

Suggested scan checkpoints (so you can confirm it’s working)

Body composition changes take time. For most people, a simple cadence works well:

• Week 0: baseline scan
• Week 6–8: follow-up scan (enough time for measurable lean-mass change)

If you’re scanning, consistency matters. Try to follow the same prep routine each time—similar meals, hydration, and no all-out workouts right before you scan. Use BodySpec’s checklist: Prepare for your BodySpec scan.

Ready when you are: Book a BodySpec DEXA scan.

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FAQ

How often should I do a muscle imbalance workout?

Most people do well with 2–3 strength sessions per week. It’s frequent enough to practice the weaker-side pattern, but not so much that you can’t recover.

How long does it take to fix a muscle imbalance?

Depends what you mean by “fix.”

• Cleaner coordination and smoother reps: often improves in a few weeks (your nervous system learning the pattern), and unilateral work can also create contralateral strength gains via cross-education (Green et al., 2018).
• Measurable muscle size / lean-mass changes: usually takes longer—think 6–12+ weeks of consistent training and nutrition.

Should I stop squatting, benching, or deadlifting?

Usually, no. You just want to stop letting bilateral lifts hide the issue.

For 6 weeks:

• Keep bilateral lifts lighter or more technique-focused.
• Put unilateral work first in the session.
• Use your log + (optional) DEXA to confirm the gap is closing.

What if I’m a runner with one-sided hip/knee pain?

Pain changes the plan. Consider getting assessed.

In general (when pain-free), runners often benefit from:

• more single-leg strength (split squats, step-downs)
• hip stability work
• a short mobility warm-up

Runner-oriented testing and exercise ideas are also covered in Runner’s World’s guide to muscle imbalance tests.

What’s the simplest “minimum effective dose” version of this plan?

Do Session A + Session B each week, plus the 5-minute daily reset.

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Next steps

• Want the bigger-picture framework? Read: How to Fix Muscle Imbalance: 4-Step Guide to Symmetry.
• If your imbalance is mostly legs: How to Fix Muscle Imbalance in Legs.
• Want objective left–right lean-mass tracking? Start here: The DEXA Scan: Body Fat, Muscle, and Bone Density Testing and book a scan.