Is unilateral training superior and what is it?
Inspiration and motivation by the Nordic Champion Ida Sefland
For me weight training has always been something I was very committed to and I am constantly looking for information to learn how to make the most of my time spent in the gym. I try to get as much knowledge as possible from leading bodybuilders and athletes that cross my way and I spent more time reading scientific material than I do on Facebook! But it is from my own experience I get the greatest knowledge. I have to feel it in my own body and see the results before I truly incorporate what I have learned. That’s how you become an expert in my book. You can refer to every detail and feeling because you have been practicing what you preach! I am still a novice in the world of bodybuilding, but I do have a little bag full of experience, tips and information that I would like to share! I want to inspire and motivate!
Is unilateral training superior –and what is it?
Unilateral training means that you work one limb at a time. You do an exercise that involves one arm or one leg, then exercising the other arm or leg. Just about every experienced training freak has routines that feature at least a few unilateral exercises. I have used this technique for years but never given much thought about the theory behind it. Since I tend to find it time consuming and exhausting to work one limb at the time, it is nice to know if it is worth the effort!
Unilateral exercises have a concentrated effect on the muscles. It is a great way to get an enormous muscle pump; you can control and focus very intense on one muscle or muscle group.
Studies have shown that unilateral training lead to a greater mind-muscle connection in the nervous system compared to bilateral training. This results in an increased strength and a more potent contraction in the muscle. The blood flow to the muscle will also increase and make a better environment for muscle growth.*
There is no doubt that the effect of training one limb at a time is potent! But there is an interesting “side-effect” to the unilateral technique. Some studies have shown a crossover effect in the untrained limb. So, training one arm or leg at a time makes the other leg or arm stronger even if it doesn’t get direct exercise! In one study the untrained arm showed an 8 percent strength increase, this is pretty good for an arm that is not being trained!
Obviously it makes sense to include a few unilateral exercises in your training routine. A way to do it is to train a muscle using mostly bilateral (two limbs at a time) exercises, then finish off that muscle group with a unilateral exercise. Give your full attention and focus (as always) to the muscle trained and go for a powerful contraction and extreme pump! Try to finish off one limb at the time, instead off switching from left to right, to get maximum effect!
This technique is not just for biceps guys! You can do unilateral assisted chin-ups and one-leg squat just to give a few examples. Try it out, this is a great way to make small changes in your routine and keep challenging yourself.
* Munn, J., et al. Training with unilateral resistance exercise increases contra lateral strength. J Appl. Physiol. In press
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Ida Sefland
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