Step Up Your Game: Why Single-Leg Training is a MUST for Every Athlete (and everyone else!)

The focus during strength training often lands on how much weight we can lift with both feet firmly planted. And while bilateral (two-legged) exercises are undoubtedly crucial for building foundational strength, there's a vital piece of the athlete’s training and performance puzzle many are neglecting: unilateral (single-leg) training.

Think about it. When do you ever move in real life with both feet perfectly symmetrical and equally weighted? Walking, running, climbing stairs, kicking a ball, even just getting out of a chair – it’s all a series of single-leg movements. Relying solely on double-leg exercises means you're missing out on a host of benefits that can dramatically improve athlete performance, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall functional fitness and training results.

Here’s why every athlete should be incorporating more single-leg training into their performance routine:

1. Enhanced Balance and Stability:

This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of single-leg training. When you stand on one leg, your body has to work overtime to stabilize itself. This engages smaller, often neglected, stabilizing muscles in your ankles, knees, and hips. Improved balance translates directly to better agility, reduced risk of falls, and greater control during dynamic movements. For any athlete, this means quicker changes of direction, fewer stumbles, and a more robust foundation for explosive performance in sport and training.

2. Correcting Muscular Imbalances:

We all have a dominant side. Over time, this can lead to muscular imbalances where one leg is stronger than the other. If you only train bilaterally, your dominant leg can often compensate for the weaker one, masking these discrepancies. Single-leg training forces each leg to work independently, highlighting and allowing you to address these imbalances. Strengthening your weaker leg will lead to more symmetrical power output and reduce strain on your joints—key for peak performance and longevity in training as an athlete.

3. Injury Prevention is Key:

Muscular imbalances and poor stability are major contributors to injuries, especially in the lower body. By strengthening your stabilizing muscles and improving your balance through unilateral training, you create a more resilient system. This is especially important for any athlete looking to maintain consistent training without setbacks. It can significantly reduce your risk of common issues like ankle sprains, knee pain (including patellofemoral pain syndrome), and even hip problems. Think of it as building a stronger, more balanced shock absorber for long-term performance.

4. Increased Core Strength:

Maintaining balance during single-leg movements requires significant engagement from your core muscles. Your obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae all fire to keep you upright and stable. For an athlete, a strong core is essential—not just for aesthetics, but for efficient power transfer, injury prevention, and optimized training and sport performance.

5. Improved Sports Performance:

A stronger, more stable base from unilateral work can translate to better performance in bilateral lifts and on the field by addressing weaknesses that might be holding you back. Single-leg training sharpens body awareness, improves control, and enhances overall athletic performance. Whether you're lifting, sprinting, cutting, or jumping, the benefits carry over across your entire training program.

How to Incorporate Single-Leg Training:

Don’t abandon your squats and deadlifts entirely! Instead, think of single-leg exercises as a vital complement to your full-body training. Start with bodyweight and gradually add resistance. Some excellent single-leg training movements to include are:

• Lunges (forward, reverse, lateral)

• Bulgarian Split Squats

• Single-Leg Deadlifts (Romanian Deadlifts)

• Step-Ups

• Pistol Squats (advanced)

• Single-Leg Calf Raises

  
  

Each of these can help you build a more athletic, balanced body while directly supporting your performance goals and daily training routine.

The Takeaway:

While double-leg exercises build raw strength, single-leg training builds functional strength – the kind you use in everyday life and sports. By dedicating time to unilateral training, you'll not only become a stronger, more powerful athlete, but also a more balanced, injury-resistant, and functionally fit individual.

If your goal is to elevate your training, boost your performance, and stay in the game longer, single-leg training is non-negotiable. Every athlete deserves to move well, feel strong, and train smart—so step up your game, one leg at a time. one leg at a time!