Single Leg Training is it Worth it?

Single Leg Training is it Worth it?

All the way back since 1999 I have done single leg training. This was introduced to me by people like Ian King, Charles Poliquin and Charles Staley.

I did use single leg training quite often but I have to be completely honest the vast majority of my leg training was still bilateral. It wasn’t till around 2005 when I began my MMA career when I started to begin to pay attention more on training for athletic purposes.

When Mike Boyles book Functional Training for Sports came out it completely revamped the way I programmed my workouts for myself and for other athletes.

I made a point to completely split unilateral training and bilateral training by 50%. Which means if I was doing two legged quad dominant on the best day I was doing single leg hip dominate.

It was Mike that stress the importance to me on developing a balanced strength ratio between two legs and single leg training.

Mike Boyle - “ You do almost everything in sports in a split stance, or by pushing off one leg from a parallel stance, so it just makes sense to train your body that way.“

It was like listening to poetry when I read that for the first time.

Tranny one leg at a time balance is the strength in your lower body so you can sprint were efficiently and change direction while producing more force equally on both sides of your body. This also allows you to protect your ligaments in your knees much better were often most athletes suffer from injuries. The unstable nature of the single leg training develops the stabilizers and small muscle groups that you often don’t work efficiently with standard bilateral movements.

Another benefit that Mike claims is that it promotes greater muscle growth and greater muscle strength because he work more muscles. Mike said “ you engage three more muscles in a single leg squat then you do in a traditional squat. If you train one leg at a time, then try a traditional squat, you’ll likely get a new personal record.“

If you’re someone just looking to build up your legs or an athlete looking to create more explosive force and create a more stable knee. Then I suggest moving towards more single leg training you will be quite pleased with the benefits and results.

Jules Bruchez