In bodybuilding, one tight pec can ruin a lat spread under stage lights. Symmetry instructs judges’ scores and drives how athletes train and pose.
Men’s Open bodybuilder Regan Grimes explained why proportions, aesthetics, and presentation go hand-in-hand. Using shockwave therapy, fascial release, and precise muscle adjustments, he’s sculpting a stage-ready physique for the 2025 Mr. Olympia.
How to Fix Symmetry as a Men’s Open Bodybuilder
Symmetry is proportionate, balanced muscle throughout the body, which is critical to score well through the eight mandatory poses in competition. One arm being slightly bigger than the other can throw off harmony in a front or back double biceps pose.
The goal is to create deceptive equality among the muscles even when they differ in size and strength. However, tight fibers can pull other muscles out of alignment and affect how bodybuilders pose. (1)
I’ve always struggled to show my lats from the front in the front double biceps and the lat spread.
—Regan Grimes
For this reason, Grimes uses targeted bodywork to enhance his stage symmetry.
Imagine your tightened muscles are glued to each other: fascial adhesions are essentially that. This glued feeling restricts muscle stretch and contraction. It can make flaring the chest or lats more challenging, negatively impacting training and posing. When these adhesions are broken down, movement and strength can be restored. (2)
Muscle adjustments are another tactic Grimes uses to refine his hamstring separation during his prep. This practice can improve the appearance of glute-hamstring tie-ins, leading to better top-down symmetry in the side chest and side triceps poses.
Bodywork Techniques for Boosting Symmetry
Grimes’ massage therapist explained the advantages of a multifaceted approach, stating, “I love having control over all forms of therapy — acupuncture, shockwave, manual work — because I know it’s applied exactly where it’s needed.”
This precision helps break down scar tissue, improve muscle function, and restore proper movement patterns for posing routines. (3)
These are the techniques Grimes and his massage therapist use:
- Shockwave Therapy: Compressed air that can reach deep muscle tissue and break up adhesions.
- Acupuncture & Electroacupuncture: Used for muscle groups like the pec major, pec minor, deltoids, and brachialis to relieve tension and improve muscle function.
- Kabuki Bar & Manual Therapy: A tool that uses approximately 19 pounds of targeted pressure to break down scar tissue. It can help the appearance and movement larger muscle groups.
- Dynamic Cupping: An electric cupping technique that aids mobility and loosens tight muscle fibers.
Having qualified for the 2025 Mr. Olympia, set for Oct. 9–12 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Grimes is targeting a top-six finish. With optimized symmetry powering his mandatories, he’s confident he can make that goal a reality.
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References
- Kodama Y, Masuda S, Ohmori T, Kanamaru A, Tanaka M, Sakaguchi T, Nakagawa M. Response to Mechanical Properties and Physiological Challenges of Fascia: Diagnosis and Rehabilitative Therapeutic Intervention for Myofascial System Disorders. Bioengineering (Basel). 2023 Apr 14;10(4):474. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering10040474. PMID: 37106661; PMCID: PMC10135675. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37106661/
- Unalmis Y, Muniroglu S. Examination of the effect of fascial therapy on some physical fitness parameters in taekwondo athletes. Sports Med Health Sci. 2023 Sep 28;5(4):299-307. doi: 10.1016/j.smhs.2023.09.010. PMID: 38314051; PMCID: PMC10831376. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10831376/
- Kelly RC, Armstrong M, Bensky A, Foti A, Wasserman JB. Soft tissue mobilization techniques in treating chronic abdominal scar tissue: A quasi-experimental single subject design. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2019 Oct;23(4):805-814. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2019.04.010. Epub 2019 Jun 4. PMID: 31733765. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31733765/
Featured image: @regangrimes on Instagram
