What The Heck Is Unilateral Weightlifting And Why You Should Care

If you’re new to the world of strength training and muscle building, I have a question for you. Do you know the difference between unilateral and bilateral weightlifting? If not, let me explain it to you because it is a very important concept that could add profound benefits to your program.

A definition

Simply put, unilateral weightlifting trains one side at a time, while bilateral training uses both sides of your body at the same time. A classic example of bilateral training would be the use of a barbell to train the biceps; that is, both biceps are working at the same time. If you train the bicep unilaterally, you would use a dumbbell or resistance band on one arm at a time.

Okay, that wasn’t so complicated, was it? I admit the concept is simple, but the real point here is why unilateral training could be extremely beneficial to your weightlifting efforts. If you’re a beginner, you have to be very careful to start building muscle with the proper foundation. You may be eager to get started as soon as possible, but if you ignore your weaknesses you could end up with a number of injuries. These injuries, of course, can lead you sidelined for a long time (not to mention cost you a wad of money for therapy).

The bottom line

How does unilateral training help you to avoid injury? One of the important considerations in preventing weight training injuries is to correct muscle imbalances. If you have a weaker side, it would be wise to strengthen that side and restore balance to your frame. Unilateral training allows you to focus on one side at a time until you feel that you’ve reached a better balance in your body.

Unilateral training is just one component of Vincent Delmonte’s Upside Down Training. In this introductory program, he teaches you to improve your posture and correct imbalances to better prepare you for his 29 week course, No Nonsense muscle building.

By: Jon Cardozo

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