The value of unilateral training for powerlifters
Single-side work. It’s often the most dreaded of accessories by strength athletes. We love lifting heavy with barbells, and unilateral movements provide a different challenge. You’ll hear a wide variety of opinions on the topic- on one end, some individuals will downright tell you that squats and deadlifts are “dangerous” and to only perform single-leg work. Others will state that unilateral exercises have zero role in strength development whatsoever & are non-specific to Powerlifting. Surprise, surprise: a middle ground exists. While it’s ignorant and naive to assume that single-side movements will solely build your SBD numbers, they benefit you as an athlete, as outlined below.
How much of a role do unilateral exercises play in strength performance?
If unilateral work doesn’t entirely boost your 1RM strength, and that’s the goal of Powerlifting, what purpose do they truly serve?
A) Improving proprioception
One of my top reasons behind choosing unilateral movements to program is the proprioceptive benefit. What does this mean?
“Proprioception” is, essentially, body awareness: being aware of your position and movement in space. It’s an integral aspect of your performance: the squat, bench, and deadlift require a lot of focus, coordinating multiple cues simultaneously, creating the most efficient position possible. This proficiency sets apart beginner vs. advanced athletes: the ability to be aware of not only what you’re doing; but how to improve it, and it’s a skill that comes with time.
What does this have to do with unilateral work? Because of the additional body awareness challenge it provides, you have to focus harder. When you’re relying on one arm at a time or have to balance on one of your legs- greater proprioception is demanded. Over time, as you master these movement patterns, you gain better awareness of your body.
Maybe on week one, performing a Bulgarian split squat makes you feel like an uncoordinated, imbalanced giraffe, but- after a few weeks of practice, you can better “feel” your contact with the floor, hitting depth and finding stability through your feet.
This benefit, in turn, helps you become more aware of your body in similar movement patterns, such as your squat, bench press, and deadlift.
I’ll give you a specific example I’ve seen with athletes:
-I like programming single-arm upper back work between bench press sets because many lifters struggle to cue lat tension (“breaking the bar apart”/”turning your pinkies in,” on the descent). This position is an important part of the bench press technique, so understanding it is a high-priority goal. Including a single-arm pulldown or row can help athletes gain awareness of where their lat is- and what motion they need to create to target it- which, in turn, helps them do the same when benching. Then, all of a sudden, they’re using their lats and having an “aha” moment when you say “break the bar:” now they know what it means & how to do it. You can cue all day long, but if someone doesn’t know how to interpret or apply those words, it’s an exercise in futility. Unilateral work can help lifters inherently understand technique through similar movements, therefore implementing changes in their main lifts.
This fact alone can help benefit your performance from including unilateral training.
B) Addressing imbalances
Probably the most commonly stated reason for using unilateral work is to improve asymmetries. Many lifters experience strength deficits, where one side is weaker than the other: which can potentially impact performance.
However, it must be stated that human bodies are asymmetrical. We will never be “perfectly equal” on both sides, and this fact is not inherently injury-promoting or "dangerous." We lack evidence to suggest that claim, and all bodies have some degree of “imbalance.” Not all imbalances will negatively affect your strength or need to be “fixed.” Maybe one arm will be more tucked than the other on your bench press, or one hip will be slightly stronger-this is OK and to be expected. Don’t waste your time trying to make your body perfectly symmetrical- that’s impossible, and you could be focusing on far more applicable & productive goals.
But, if you find that these imbalances ARE hindering performance- maybe your strength deficits on one side are so significant that you can't break past a certain number, unilateral work can benefit you. One example of this is when benching: if one arm constantly locks out before the other because of an asymmetrical weakness- you may get red-lighted in a meet for this fault, and decreasing the discrepancy would benefit you.
Doing unilateral work can help ensure that one side doesn’t become drastically stronger than the other, to the point of mitigating your success.
C) Hypertrophy + lower fatigue cost
Unilateral work is also a solid programming option when the goal is hypertrophy. Lunges, single-arm presses, single-leg RDLs, step-ups, and single-arm rows- these accessories can all help you get jacked.
While bilateral movements can also help with hypertrophy, unilateral ones serve their unique benefits. For one, the fatigue cost. After you’ve already squatted heavy weight, doing more high(ish)-intensity squats (front squats, high bars), etc., may impair your recovery for days to come, impacting future workouts. But a Bulgarian split squat or reverse lunge? Far less likely to fatigue you for your next lifting session. Unilateral programming allows you to train with effort and intensity: which is essential for hypertrophy- without wrecking you and impeding performance. Additionally, there’s a high degree of loading potential on unilateral movements. Think about it: if you’re doing Bulgarians or Lunges with 70,80,100 lbs for sets and reps- that’s 140,160,200 lbs on both legs. You’re getting a highly effective training stimulus from performing those.
You also get to train hypertrophy in different ways with the single-limb aspect. For example, with a step up, a lot of stability is required from your glute to keep your hips in position, putting this muscle under further tension. You also may notice a greater mind-muscle connection: maybe you can better feel your back during a single-arm row, allowing you to isolate that region. Getting jacked can help improve overall strength, as a larger muscle has the potential to produce more force. When your goal is hypertrophy: don’t skip out on your unilateral work. And by proxy, when the goal is strength, don't skip out on hypertrophy work in general. The two complement one another.
D) Improved mobility & stability
Another benefit of single-limb exercises is improving your mobility and stability. With the additional balance challenge- you’re required to create more stability within your body to maintain your positions. For example, performing a single-leg RDL demands a lot of coordination and single-leg support, helping to improve ankle and hip stability. Additionally, more mobility may be required, especially for one side vs. the other. An example of this would be a Bulgarian Split squat, which can almost be a “weighted stretch,” you’re putting yourself in an end-range position requiring flexibility from the ankle and hip joint. In this way, unilateral exercises serve multiple purposes simultaneously, helping you move better while supporting overall strength goals.
E) Core strength
Similar to the above reason, with the instability, greater tension is placed on your core. Your trunk has to work harder to stabilize you when the load is only on one side- to prevent you from rotating/extending/falling over, thus adding to the benefits of single-side work.
F) Cross-education in the presence of injury
Another noteworthy benefit of unilateral work is what’s referred to as “Cross-education.” What does this mean?
Essentially, when one limb is injured, training the opposite (non-injured) one will help strengthen the one you can’t. While many believe that if they've broken an arm or leg, training these extremities should be avoided altogether- research paints a different perspective *. Instead, the carryover between the non-injured and injured side is significant, and continuing to strengthen one limb will leave you better off when the injury heals. So, if you’ve got a broken appendage, perform unilateral exercises on the opposite side to preserve those gains!
There are countless benefits to be gained from single-side movements, yet a disclaimer of specificity is necessary:
Don’t expect unilateral movements to solely develop your strength.
Unilateral movements will not single-handedly boost your 1-rep-max lifts. While incorporating them is definitely in your best interest, they still obviously lack specificity for Powerlifting movements. The squat, bench press and deadlift are bilateral, heavy lifts requiring your entire body to work together. It's impossible to directly replicate this ability with a single-arm bench press or reverse lunge. While some will tell you that only performing Bulgarian Split Squats is enough to build your squat strength (in trained individuals), this violates the basic strength training principle of specificity. You must practice the movements you have goals in to get better at them. The point here is not to convince you that only doing single-side stuff is enough to build your lifts- but that they help supplement your long-term performance. While the adaptations from unilateral training aren't highly specific to your training, building up general qualities that apply to your goals will support them. These qualities include aspects such as hypertrophy, mobility, proprioception, etc., as listed above- all integral to your overall success as an athlete. Maximizing your potential means developing your strength in multiple ways, all of which assist one another in your journey to improvement. So while the direct adaptations of a Single-leg RDL may not specifically increase your deadlift, the indirect adaptations you receive from the exercise can help you improve in the long run- which will make a difference down the road. A stronger butt & improved coordination can help your deadlift strength, just not directly.
2. Programming Tips
Now that the case has been made to include single-limb work in the first place, how can you go about incorporating it into your programming? Here are a couple of tips:
A) Include 1-2x/week, train with intensity and effort
I generally like to include unilateral movements about 1-2x/a week. While this isn’t a set-in-stone rule, it helps make them a priority in programming- and balances them with bilateral accessories, too, providing variety. Ensure that you train these movements with intensity and effort. Just because an exercise only requires one side of your body doesn’t mean it’s “easy” or “light.” The goal is to stimulate growth, not simply check a box. Push yourself, stay focused, create that mind-muscle connection, and increase weight over time, just like you would during any other movement.
B) Include them as a superset or accessory.
As mentioned earlier, I like including unilateral work as a superset sometimes. It all depends on the purpose of the exercise. If it’s improved body awareness on a main lift, it makes sense to superset those movements with your Big Three variation. If you’re doing a single-side exercise for better mobility/stability, programming them in between your main lifts can help improve performance during it. This method also allows you to save time (doing two exercises in the same time as one) without fatiguing you in your primary lift. Otherwise, it makes sense to use single-side work as accessory movements, just like you would with any other hypertrophy exercise- after your main work.
C) Include a variety of movements over time.
With unilateral exercises, there are SO many options out there. Utilize them! Each can serve its distinct benefit. Move in different ways, targeting different muscle groups based on your goals at the time. Embrace variety in your programming, allowing you to receive the stimulus from multiple movements, helping you become more well-rounded.
3. Exercise Examples
Speaking of programming, what are some examples of unilateral movements you can incorporate? I’ve included four categories below: each focused on different muscle groups, with plenty of options. There are a variety of loading options too: including barbell, cable, front rack, overhead, Goblet, dumbbell, single-arm, etc., depending on what you’re going after.
For upper body lifts, even simply using dumbbells (dumbbell bench, dumbbell rows, overhead press) etc., can provide some of that unilateral aspect, because each arm has to work independently.
-Lower (knee dominant): Reverse Lunges, Split Squats, Walking Lunges, Step-ups, Bulgarian Split squats, Cossack squats, Forward Lunges, ATG Lunges, Deficit Split Squats, etc.
-Push (chest, triceps, shoulders): Single-arm Dumbbell Bench press, Single-arm Overhead Press, Single-arm Tricep Pushdown, Landmine Press, Bottoms Up Press, Single-arm Skullcrusher, etc.
-Pull (back, biceps): Single-arm Dumbbell Row, Single-Arm Cable Row, Single-arm Lat Pulldown, Landmine Row, etc.
-Posterior Chain (hip dominant): B-Stance RDL, Single-leg RDL, Single-Leg Back Extension, Single-leg Hip Thrust, Single-leg Hamstring Curl, etc.
-Core/Other: Suitcase Carries, Single Arm Overhead Carries, Paloff Presses, Turkish Get-ups, Copenhagen planks, etc.
With so many options at your disposal, each exercise can have a place in your programming, depending on what weaknesses you’re looking to build.
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Unilateral work. It’s the “vegetables” of training: few people enjoy doing it, but it’s certainly beneficial to you as an athlete. The debate about its importance is prevalent, yet the truth lies in the middle ground. Single-limb exercises won’t entirely build your lifts themselves- but support your success in the long run. There are countless benefits to incorporating unilateral training in your programming- and many ways to go about it. Include a variety of exercises over time to get the best bang for your buck. While it may suck during the moment, reaping the benefits in the future will be worth it.
References
Manca A, Dragone D, Dvir Z, Deriu F. Cross-education of muscular strength following unilateral resistance training: a meta-analysis. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2017 Nov;117(11):2335-2354. doi: 10.1007/s00421-017-3720-z. Epub 2017 Sep 21. PMID: 28936703.
