[Steve R]

Anyone else experienced this?  Find my left arm gets noticeably more pumped than my right on endurance routes and also (I think!) takes longer to recover from a similar level of pump than my right would.  No significant differences or noticeable imbalances in strength (max hangs/bouldering) or PE stuff between my arms, just longer endurance stuff.  I guess there are a lot of potential causes for it...
Intuitively, I suspect the problem might be referred from an old shoulder injury/weakness - worse posture or shoulder position on left side reducing blood flow somehow?  Can dodgy shoulders cause you to get more pumped? 

Anyway, all this leads me on to asking for a recommendation on a professional someone to see (Sheffield/peak area) who might be able to help.  A diagnosis and potential solutions to this specific problem would be great but I'm probably overdue a general assessment of shoulders, posture, imbalances, etc. anyway.  So someone who's good at that stuff....

Cheers         

[Nibile]

If you've got issues with your left shoulder, you could end up overgripping to compensate. Maybe ever so slightly that you only see the problem on long endurance.
If you're lefthanded, you could have slightly bigger forearm muscles that compress the blood vessels a bit more than the right one.

[bendavison]

When I'm unfit, my stronger arm gets more pumped than my weaker one. I don't notice the difference when fit though.

If you're shoulder isn't causing you any trouble, and you're aware that you have bad posture etc, then why go see someone?

[HPclinic]

Hi, just left a message on our Q and A page. The above comments are correct, get your shoulder looked at as you are probably compensating further down your arm with excessive gripping.
Regards Matt
Hallamshirephysiotherapy

[Steve R]

Thanks a lot for the replies.

When I'm unfit, my stronger arm gets more pumped than my weaker one. I don't notice the difference when fit though.

It's the opposite for me, the difference is much more apparent when I'm fit.  And I'm right handed so right arm feels a bit stronger (or potentially just better coordinated) on 1-armers and locks, finger strength more or less even on both arms.

If you're shoulder isn't causing you any trouble, and you're aware that you have bad posture etc, then why go see someone?

Not so much for the shoulder/posture stuff as for the pump thing (though possibly related) - hopeful that they'd be able to spot the cause and give me stretches and/or exercises to sort it out.  Don't feel like I'm going to get a solution on my own any time soon.   

[Muenchener]

When I was a traddie I had better forearm endurance in my non-dominant arm because of the natural tendency to fiddle with gear with the dominant hand if possible, thus spending more time hanging on with the other hand.

[ghisino]

I also notice such imbalances, and track them down to too much right-handed  during puberty.

[Muenchener]

I also notice such imbalances, and track them down to too much right-handed  during puberty.

fiddle with gear with the dominant hand

[Reprobate_Rob]

When I was a traddie I had better forearm endurance in my non-dominant arm because of the natural tendency to fiddle with gear with the dominant hand if possible, thus spending more time hanging on with the other hand.

I can easily believe this. I've got a mate who's a climbing tree surgeon and despite being right handed his lock-off strength on his left arm is unreal from spending so much time locked off on the left and cutting/rigging with the right. And the only time i've seen anyone do more consecutive one-armers is that video of Rich Simpson. The guy's a beast. Or would be if he could use his feet.