If you are looking to over come a plateau or reduce your risk of injury. Unilateral exercises might be just what you need.
Unilateral exercises, which involve using one limb at a time, are important for injury prevention and sports performance for several reasons.
First, they can help to improve balance and stability. When you perform exercises with one limb, you have to engage your core and other stabilizing muscles in order to maintain balance and control your movements. This can help to prevent injuries that may occur as a result of poor balance or instability, such as strains or sprains.
Second, unilateral exercises can help to correct imbalances between the left and right sides of the body. Many people have slight imbalances in strength or mobility between their left and right sides, and these imbalances can lead to injuries if they get too out of hand or are not addressed. By performing exercises with one limb at a time, you can help to identify and correct these imbalances, which can improve your overall performance and reduce your risk of injury.
Finally, unilateral exercises can help to increase muscle strength and power. Because you are using one limb at a time, you can focus on applying maximum force and power to the working limb, which can lead to increased muscle strength and power overall. This can be particularly beneficial for athletes who need to generate high levels of force and power in their sport.
If you're interested in incorporating unilateral exercises into your fitness routine, our BUILD.POWER.GRIND class uses unilateral exercises on POWER days. If group fitness is something you are not interested in consider working with one of our on-staff personal trainers. A personal trainer can design a workout plan that includes these exercises and can teach you proper form to ensure you get the most benefit out of your workouts.
Incorporating unilateral exercises into your fitness routine can help you improve your balance, correct imbalances, and increase muscle strength and power. These benefits can help you perform better in your sport and reduce your risk of injury. So don't neglect these important exercises – make sure to include them in your fitness plan.