The one-sided work out: work a single side of your body to double your gains in the gym. This unilateral training program will stimulate your muscles and your mind

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, July, 2003 by Kat Ricker

Bored with your routine? Think you've tried everything?

Hungry for something different--we mean really different, something that will shock not only your muscles, but also your brain? If you're an intermediate or advanced lifter, this is it.

Unilateral training is nothing new. In fact, you're probably doing it to some degree already. It simply means doing an exercise using only one side of your body. Common examples are dumbbell concentration curls, one-arm lateral raises and lunges. However, the typical way to do it involves eventually hitting both sides of your body in the same workout. This program is far more radical, as it has you training one side of your body in one workout and the opposite side on a completely different day. Why? Read on for the answers.

This workout will wake up your muscles and can advance your gains (see "Benefits" on page 76). But be careful, as this is a taxing program for your muscles and your nervous system. Follow it only for the suggested six weeks, then return to a regular bilateral (both sides of the body) training program. You can alternate back and forth between this program and your usual one, as long as you wait at least six weeks before following this program again.

benefits

Why train one sided? The rewards are fabulous!

Getting Nervous. The resting side of the body also receives nervous stimulation, which can stimulate regenerative and muscle-growth pathways.

Keep It Pumping. The resting side enjoys the benefits of increased blood flow--this delivers additional oxygen, nutrients and hormones, while flushing away waste products.

Strong Stuff. Research shows that when you train one side of the body, the muscle produces more strength than the force it supplies when doing bilateral exercises.

Balancing Out. When you devote a chunk of time exclusively to unilateral work, you have a great opportunity to balance weaker muscles with their stronger counterparts. Imbalance is a major cause of injury, and it impairs biomechanics when both sides work together. Most people have at least some degree of imbalance.

More Core. The core--abs, back muscles, etc.--is challenged in a new and sustained way. You'll gain greater muscular development in the torso and a better overall strength base.

Stabilizers On. Stabilizer muscles are thoroughly trained when you lift weights with one side of the body.

Coordinated Efforts. Your coordination and balance will increase rapidly.

Shock Value. This dramatic departure from the norm definitely shocks the system, both physically and psychologically.

instructions

Go slow! Unilateral work involves balance, coordination and complete concentration.

Switch between movements that challenge your stabilizers and those that don't. For instance, on unilateral dumbbell curls, the first week, brace yourself against a wall so you can pour all of your force into fatiguing your biceps. The second week, concentrate on standing perfectly still, controlling even the smallest muscle in your body, while you curl until failure.

Perfect form is more important than ever here. Your form will be challenged because only one side of your body is performing the movements, while the other side is in a very different position, bracing your body.

Maintain constant tension on the working muscles, as always, for optimum benefit.

As fatigue sets in, use your resting side to assist the working side. This is great on the leg press--when you feel you cannot do one more rep, add the resting leg. You'll force the working leg to keep working, and blow it out.

shoulders

OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESS Standing upright with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell above your shoulder with your palm facing forward. Keep your back straight as you raise the dumbbell overhead, stopping just short of full extension.

CABLE LATERAL RAISE Stand sideways to the left and just ahead of a low pulley with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Grasp the handle with your left hand so that the cable runs behind you. Extend your arm to shoulder height while maintaining a slight bend in the elbow.

biceps

DUMBBELL PREACHER CURL Perform as a standard preacher curl using only your left arm.

CABLE CURL Perform as a standard one-arm cable curl.

triceps

OVERHEAD TRICEPS EXTENSION Sit at the end of a bench and hold a dumbbell in your left hand with your arm extended overhead. Slowly lower the dumbbell directly behind your head by bending only at the elbow. Extend your arm back to the overhead position.

CABLE KICKBACK Grab one side of a rope handle connected to a low pulley. With your right hand, grasp the handle or pole of the machine. Bend over, keeping your chest high and your back flat. Keeping your elbow high and locked against your side, extend your lower arm until your elbow is locked out.

chest

FLAT OR INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS Lie on a flat or incline bench with a dumbbell in your left hand, your upper arm out to your side and your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your feet flat on the floor and grasp the side of the bench behind your back with your right hand. Slowly press the dumbbell up as if doing a standard chest press, then lower back down to the start.