Unilateral Exercises: What Are They and Why You Should Be Doing Them

March 22, 2023 / General
Unilateral Exercises: What Are They and Why You Should Be Doing Them

Unilateral exercises are strength training movements that require one limb or one side of the body to work independently from the other. These exercises are important for balanced muscle development because they help to identify and address muscle imbalances that can occur between the left and right sides of the body.

Unilateral exercises activate more muscle fibers than bilateral exercises because each side of the body is working independently. This increased activation leads to better muscle growth and strength gains. For example, a basketball player may have stronger legs on one side due to their dominant shooting hand. By focusing on unilateral exercises, they can work to correct these imbalances and reduce the risk of injury.

Understanding Muscular Imbalances

Muscular imbalances refer to differences in strength and size between the muscles on the left and right sides of the body. This issue can affect any muscle group, including the legs or biceps.

Understanding Muscular Imbalances

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and noticed that your right bicep is larger than your left, you may be wondering why this is happening. (Why Is My Right Bicep Bigger Than My Left? Equalize Your Size!)

You may be putting more weight on your right arm during the workout, which can cause it to grow larger than your left arm. To correct this, you can focus on using the same weight and performing the same number of repetitions with both arms during your workouts. By working each arm independently, you can identify and correct any strength differences, which can improve your overall bicep symmetry.

Unilateral exercises can be beneficial for several reasons:

First, they can help to identify and correct muscle imbalances, which occur when one side of the body is stronger or more developed than the other. Second, they can help to improve balance and stability, as the body must engage more core muscles to maintain balance during unilateral movements. Third, they can help to improve coordination and motor control, as each limb or side of the body is forced to work independently.

Overall, incorporating unilateral exercises into your workout routine can help to improve your overall strength, stability, and coordination, while also reducing the risk of injury.

Some common examples of unilateral exercises include:

Unilateral Arm Exercises

Unilateral exercises help to correct muscle imbalances by targeting each arm individually. This can lead to better overall strength and muscle development in both arms.





CONCENTRATION CURL

Concentration Curl




DUMBBELL PREACHER CURL

Dumbbell Preacher Curl




ONE ARM CABLE CURL

One Arm Cable Curl




DUMBBELL SCOTT HAMMER CURL

Dumbbell Scott Hammer Curl




ONE ARM BICEPS CURL

One Arm Biceps Curl




DUMBBELL KICKBACK

Dumbbell Kickback




ONE ARM TRICEPS PUSHDOWN

one arm triceps pushdown




SIDE ONE ARM REVERSE PUSHDOWN

Side One Arm Reverse Pushdown




CABLE REAR DRIVE

Cable Rear Drive




ONE-ARM DUMBBELL TRICEPS EXTENSION

Seated One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension

Unilateral Chest Exercises

When it comes to unilateral exercises for the chest, it’s important to target both the pectoral major and minor muscles. Here are 10 unilateral exercises that you can incorporate into your chest workout routine:





ONE-ARM CABLE CHEST PRESS

One Arm Cable Chest Press




SINGLE-ARM CABLE CROSSOVER

Single-Arm Cable Crossover




ALTERNATE DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS

Alternate Dumbbell Bench Press




DUMBBELL DECLINE ONE-ARM HAMMER PRESS

Dumbbell Decline One-Arm Hammer Press




ONE-ARM KETTLEBELL CHEST PRESS

One-Arm Kettlebell Chest Press on the Bench




SINGLE ARM MEDICINE BALL PUSH-UP

Push Up Medicine Ball




LEVER ONE ARM CHEST PRESS

Lever One Arm Chest Press




DUMBBELL ONE ARM REVERSE GRIP PRESS

Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Grip Press




ONE ARM DECLINE CABLE FLY

One Arm Decline Cable Fly




SINGLE ARM PUSH-UP

Single Arm Push-up

Unilateral exercises for the Shoulder

Unilateral exercises for the shoulder can be a great way to improve strength and stability in the shoulder joint, while also preventing muscle imbalances. Remember to start with lighter weights and focus on proper form to avoid injury and maximize the benefits of these exercises. Here are 10 unilateral exercises that you can incorporate into your shoulder workout routine:





BAND SINGLE ARM SHOULDER PRESS

Band Single Arm Shoulder Press




KETTLEBELL ONE-ARM MILITARY PRESS

Kettlebell One-Arm Military Press




CABLE LATERAL RAISE

Cable Lateral Raise




CABLE FRONT RAISE

Cable Front Raise




KNEELING CABLE EXTERNAL ROTATION

Half Kneeling Cable External Rotation




ONE-ARM BENT OVER CABLE LATERAL RAISE

One-Arm Bent Over Cable Lateral Raise




CABLE INTERNAL SHOULDER ROTATION

Cable Internal Shoulder Rotation




ONE-ARM REAR LATERAL RAISE

Dumbbell Lying One-Arm Rear Lateral Raise muscle worked




DUMBBELL ONE ARM SHOULDER PRESS

Dumbbell One Arm Shoulder Press




SINGLE ARM ARNOLD PRESS

Single Arm Arnold Press

Unilateral exercises for the Leg and hips

Unilateral exercises for the leg and hips can be a great way to improve strength, stability, and balance, while also preventing muscle imbalances. Here are 10 unilateral exercises that you can incorporate into your leg workout routine:





HAWAIIAN SQUAT

Hawaiian Squat




GLUTE KICKBACK MACHINE

Glute Kickback Machine




DUMBBELL BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat




SINGLE LEG PRESS

Single Leg Press




SINGLE LEG HIP THRUST JUMP

Single Leg Hip Thrust Jump




SINGLE LEG EXTENSION

Single Leg Extension




LEVER SINGLE LEG CURL

Lever Single Leg Curl




SINGLE LEG CALF RAISE

Single Leg Calf Raises




SINGLE LEG BOX JUMP

Single Leg Box Jump



HACK MACHINE ONE-LEG CALF RAISE

Hack Machine One Leg Calf Raise

Unilateral back exercises

Unilateral back exercises help to target each side of your back individually, which can help to correct any muscle imbalances that may exist. Unilateral back exercises require greater core activation compared to bilateral exercises. This means better performance in activities like sports or weightlifting.




DUMBBELL ROW

Dumbbell Row




ONE ARM CABLE ROW

One arm Cable Row




HALF KNEELING LAT PULLDOWN

Half Kneeling Lat Pulldown




CABLE ONE ARM LAT PULLDOWN

Cable One Arm Lat Pulldown




ONE-ARM BARBELL ROW

One-Arm Barbell Row




KNEELING SINGLE ARM HIGH PULLEY ROW

Kneeling Single Arm High Pulley Row




WEIGHTED ONE ARM PULL-UP

Weighted One Arm Pull-up




ONE ARM LANDMINE ROW

One Arm Landmine Row




CABLE ONE-ARM PULLDOWN

Cable One-Arm Pulldown



SINGLE ARM TWISTING SEATED CABLE ROW

Single Arm Twisting Seated Cable Row

How to Incorporate Unilateral Exercises into Your Workout Routine

It’s important to balance your unilateral exercises with bilateral exercises for overall muscle development. Try to incorporate both types of exercises into your routine. For example, instead of doing bilateral squats, do single-leg squat or Bulgarian split squats.

Proper form is essential for unilateral exercises to be effective and safe. Be sure to maintain proper alignment, engage your core, and keep your weight evenly distributed.

Incorporating unilateral exercises into your workout routine can improve your overall strength, stability, and balance. Remember to start with proper form, gradually increase difficulty, and balance your routine with bilateral exercises for optimal results.

Unilateral Exercises for unilateral workout
Posted by
Alexandra Botez
As a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Alexandra's professional mission is to provide effective training and empower individuals to lead healthier, happier lives. She believes that everyone has the potential to lead a healthier, happier life, and she strives to unlock that potential in each person she works with.