Unilateral Training:What it is and the Benefits for Strength,Balance,and Performance

When it comes to strength training, most people stick to traditional bilateral exercises like squats, bench presses, or deadlifts. While these moves are effective, there’s a powerful training method that often gets overlooked—unilateral training.

In this guide, we’ll break down:

• ✅ What unilateral training is

• ✅ Examples of unilateral exercises

• ✅ The top benefits for strength, balance, and injury prevention

• ✅ How to add them to your workouts

What Is Unilateral Training?

Unilateral training involves exercises that target one side of the body at a time. Instead of lifting with both arms or legs together, you train each limb independently.

Examples of unilateral exercises:

• Lower body: lunges, Bulgarian split squats, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, step-ups

• Upper body: one-arm rows, single-arm chest press, dumbbell shoulder press

• Core stability: suitcase carries, single-arm planks, Pallof press

Unlike bilateral training, unilateral exercises help reveal weaknesses, improve balance, and build strength in a functional way.

The Benefits of Unilateral Training

1. Corrects Muscle Imbalances

Everyone has a dominant side. Unilateral exercises force each limb to work independently, ensuring balanced strength development and preventing one side from overcompensating for the other.

2. Improves Balance and Stability

Single-leg and single-arm movements activate stabilizer muscles, leading to better balance, coordination, and joint stability.

3. Reduces Risk of Injury

By strengthening weak muscles and improving stability, unilateral training can reduce common injuries caused by overuse or poor movement patterns.

4. Enhances Athletic Performance

Most sports movements—running, jumping, kicking, throwing—are unilateral by nature. Training this way translates directly into improved speed, agility, and power.

5. Builds Core Strength

Unilateral lifts challenge your core to resist rotation and maintain posture, making them an excellent way to develop functional ab strength.

6. Adds Functional Strength for Everyday Life

Carrying groceries in one hand? Walking upstairs? Picking something up off the ground? These are all unilateral movements. Training them makes everyday activities easier and safer.

How to Add Unilateral Training to Your Workouts

• Beginners: Start with bodyweight moves like lunges, step-ups, or single-leg glute bridges.

• Intermediate/Advanced: Progress to dumbbell or kettlebell variations such as single-arm presses or single-leg Romanian deadlifts.

• Programming tip: Include 2–3 unilateral exercises per workout alongside your main bilateral lifts (like squats or bench presses).

Frequently Asked Questions About Unilateral Training

1. What is unilateral training?

Unilateral training is strength training that focuses on one side of the body at a time, such as lunges, step-ups, or single-arm presses.

2. What are the benefits of unilateral training?

It helps correct muscle imbalances, improves balance, reduces injury risk, strengthens the core, and boosts athletic performance.

3. Is unilateral training better than bilateral training?

Neither is “better”—both are important. Bilateral exercises build maximum strength, while unilateral exercises improve balance, stability, and even strength distribution.

4. Who should do unilateral training?

Unilateral exercises are great for athletes, beginners, and anyone who wants to prevent injuries or improve balance and coordination.

5. How often should I do unilateral training?

Aim to add 2–3 unilateral movements per workout to keep your training balanced.

Final Thoughts

Unilateral training isn’t just for athletes—it’s for anyone who wants to move better, prevent injuries, and build functional strength. By training one side of the body at a time, you’ll correct imbalances, improve balance, and take your workouts to the next level.

Ready to build strength, balance, and stability? Start adding unilateral exercises like lunges, step-ups, or single-arm presses to your routine today and experience the difference for yourself!

Discover what unilateral training is and learn its top benefits for strength, balance, injury prevention, and athletic performance. Add single-leg and single-arm exercises to your workouts today!