The Importance of Unilateral Strength Training
By: Antonella Martone, PT, DPT, ATC
Most of us know about the importance of strength training to reduce our risk of injury, but there are endless amounts of exercises and tools to consider. Should we be pushing barbells, throwing kettle bells, or swinging dumbbells? One thing is certain: everyone should be performing unilateral strength exercises.
Unilateral strength exercises are those that are performed on one side of the body at a time. Picture someone doing a lunge rather than doing a squat.
Let’s look at the benefits of unilateral strength training and the reasons why it should be an essential part of your exercise routine.
1. Unilateral Strength Training Addresses Asymmetries
Asymmetries in the body can lead to compensatory movements and injury. By isolating one side of the body at a time with unilateral strength training, you can reveal and correct these side-to-side imbalances.
2. Unilateral Strength Training Boosts Core and Postural Muscle Engagement
Since only one leg or arm is working at a time during unilateral strength exercises, we must stabilize and maintain the position of the rest of our body. This challenges our balance and coordination which increases activation of our core and postural muscles.
3. Unilateral Strength Training Has a “Cross-Education” Effect
It is strange to consider, but training one side can improve strength on the opposite (untrained) side. According to one study, unilateral training led to ~11.9% strength gain in the limb on the other side.
4. Unilateral Strength Training Enhances Functional & Sport-Specific Movement
Many movements that happen in sports and our daily routines happen one limb at a time (running, jumping off one foot, cutting, lunging, walking). Unilateral training mimics and strengthens these patterns which can lead to improvements in functional strength and performance.
5. Unilateral Strength Training Supports Rehabilitation & Injury Prevention
Since unilateral work lets you control and isolate each limb, it’s particularly useful when recovering from an injury. Strength training and balance training are the two key strategies for reducing your risk of injury, and unilateral strength exercises are a great way of challenging both at once!
In Summary
Incorporating unilateral strength training into your routine is a smart move, not just for performance and sport, but also to enhance daily living.
Are you having trouble choosing the right strength exercises to perform at the gym or at home? Our physical therapists at POST PT can help you choose the strength exercises that are best for you!
Reference List:
Zhang W, Chen X, Xu K, Xie H, Li D, Ding S, Sun J. Effect of unilateral training and bilateral training on physical performance: A meta-analysis. Front Physiol. 2023 Apr 13;14:1128250. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1128250. PMID: 37123275; PMCID: PMC10133687.
Kuruganti U, Murphy T, Pardy T. Bilateral deficit phenomenon and the role of antagonist muscle activity during maximal isometric knee extensions in young, athletic men. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011 Jul;111(7):1533-9. doi: 10.1007/s00421-010-1752-8. Epub 2010 Dec 3. PMID: 21127894.
Mike Dewar - BarBend.com. (2021, May 13). How Often Should Weightlifters Do Unilateral Work. USA Weightlifting. https://www.usaweightlifting.org/news/barbend/2021/may/13/how-often-should-weightlifters-do-unilateral-work?
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.
Zhang W, Chen X, Xu K, Xie H, Li D, Ding S, Sun J. Effect of unilateral training and bilateral training on physical performance: A meta-analysis. Front Physiol. 2023 Apr 13;14:1128250. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1128250. PMID: 37123275; PMCID: PMC10133687.
Petre, I.M.; Boșcoianu, M.; Mocanu, P. Unilateral Resistance Training Strategies for Boosting Rehabilitation: An Expert Survey. J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10, 425. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10040425
