Don't Make the Mistake of Focusing Only on Bilateral Movements
By Kyle Leon
Bilateral moves are an integral part of any strength training program. But if you focus only on bilateral movements, you're missing out on serious development.
There are a lot of really effective bilateral movements that we can use to build and develop the various muscle groups, but too often I see guys who focus solely on bilateral exercises in their split routines. Maybe it's because they feel like it's the most efficient use of time or maybe it's just that they don't know what unilateral moves can do for them over and above the results they're seeing with their split routines. They're missing out on the really fine-tuned development that you can get from using unilateral exercises as well.
Most guys are pretty good at mixing up bilateral and unilateral movements in certain splits, such as when they're doing their arms. Most guys will do standard bilateral movements such as standing barbell curls, but also mix in plenty of unilateral movements such as concentration curls or a one-arm pushdown. These guys know that they're going to get faster and better results if they combine both unilateral and bilateral movements and the arms are an almost natural muscle group for doing that. Unfortunately, a lot of guys leave the unilateral movements there and never incorporate them into legs or chest or anywhere else.
The Benefit of Unilateral Movements
When you use a bilateral movement such as a standing barbell curl, your central nervous system is dividing its attention and your body's muscle building resources between two different muscles; in this case your left and your right biceps.
When you use a unilateral movement such as a concentration curl however, your central nervous system is completely focused on that one bicep and all of your resources go there.
It's like a sculptor switching chisel sizes from a pretty broad chisel, which he would use to start creating a shape or figure, and a finer-tipped one, which he would use to really etch in that fine detail.
It's also a lot easier to focus on and build your weaker side with unilateral movements. Most of us know that our left tricep is stronger than our right or that we tend to hold back with our left quad because our right is less developed. What that does is reduce the challenge to the stronger side. Because that side isn't being challenged as much as it should be, its development will slow. In unilateral exercises, you can ask more of the stronger side and keep the challenge level high for that muscle because you're not worried about the other side.
Be Sure to Strike a Balance
There's no hard and fast ratio between unilateral and bilateral movements that should be etched in stone. It will depend on your goals, your current fitness level and your individual body's design. You'll need to do some trial and error to see what works best for you, but if you incorporate some unilateral moves into your split routines, you will definitely be taking a step in the right direction to maximizing your lean muscle building results.
Talk soon,
P.S
If you enjoyed today's article, you'll want to check out the below video
I've put together for you all about training tips to maximize your results.
Comments
Post a Comment