The Best Unilateral Exercises for Every Body Part

Chest

The one-arm dumbbell bench press can be performed by either alternating sides or holding one dumbbell up while you pump out all the reps for the opposite side. Either way forces you to focus more on stabilizing the weight. If you do machine yes or pec deck yes with a single side at a time, you can bring your hand past your sternum to better target your inner pecs.

Back

This is an easy body part to work unilaterally because there are so many excellent rowing exercises. Here are three: one-arm dumbbell row, one-arm low-cable row, and, especially with a unilateral machine, one-arm machine row. You can also do one- arm pulldowns, with either a unilateral machine or with a D-handle at an overhead cable station.

Core

Deads probably don’t spring to mind when you ponder one-sided exercises. However, you can do a one-arm dumbbell deadlift by centering the weight between your legs and pulling it slightly to the working side. An alternative, unlimited by the size of your gym’s dumbbells, is the suitcase deadlift. Position a barbell on the floor at your side and grab it in the middle. Then stand as if lifting a suitcase. Because you must balance the bar, this is a uniquely challenging core stressor. 

Deltoids

Most deltoid exercises can easily be done single-sided by holding a dumbbell or cable. Here’s a whole workout’s worth: one-arm shoulder press, one-arm lateral, one-arm front raise, and one-arm rear raise.

Trapezius

Traps can be hit unilaterally with alternating dumbbell shrugs or one-arm shrugs while holding either a dumbbell or, while standing parallel, a Smith machine bar. Likewise, the one-arm upright row can be done with a dumbbell or Smith machine.

Biceps

Any dumbbell, cable, or machine curl can be cranked out single-sided. Here are three: one-arm dumbbell preacher curl, one-arm high-cable curl, and one-arm machine 21-curl.

Triceps

As with biceps curls, most triceps extensions or pushdowns can be unilateral. Good examples include: one-arm lying dumbbell extension, one-arm cable triceps extension, and one-arm reverse pushdown. 

Forearms

You could argue that the one-arm dumbbell wrist curl is superior to its bilateral barbell brother, because it allows you to achieve a slightly freer and fuller range of motion.

Quadriceps

You don’t even need to go to the dumbbell rack to work quads unilaterally. One-leg squats, one-leg presses, and one-leg extensions can all be pumped out with the same equipment as their bi-leg counterparts, though you will need a bench or box behind you to balance your nonworking foot during squats.

Hamstrings

Not only are standing leg curls always performed single-sided, but lying leg curls and seated leg curls can also be done unilaterally. 

Calves

Any machine calf exercise, whether seated or standing, can be cranked out with an individual limb. And for a rare free-weight lift there’s the one-leg dumbbell calf raise. Hold a dumbbell in the corresponding hand as you stand with one foot on a riser and balance yourself by gripping a support with your other hand. Raise up and down as far as possible.

Abdominals

Because the cubes of the rectus abdominis lie so close together, they can’t be truly worked unilaterally. However, you can squeeze to one side and then the other during exercises like alternating knee raises and twisting crunches. And you can stress obliques independently with side bends, seesawed with the resistance in a sole hand.

Unilateral Basics

• Working each side independently of the other lets you better focus on the left and right muscles.
• You can do all the reps for one side and then the other.
• Or you can alternate reps for the left side with reps for the right.
• Do at least one unilateral exercise per workout for each body part.

Unilateral Tip Sheet

• From one-leg calf raises to suitcase deadlifts, there are some unique unilateral lifts to try.
• You can go bilateral on the concentric and unilateral on the eccentric. For example, raise a leg curl with both legs and lower with one.
• Using only one side on exercises like rows helps you expand your range of motion.
• If one side rests while the other works, you can go continuously.

All-unilateral Back Routine 

• One-Arm Dumbbell Row | SETS: 4 | REPS: 8-12
• One-Arm Pulldown | SETS: 4 | REPS: 8-12
• One-Arm Machine Row | SETS: 4 | REPS: 10-12
• One-Arm High-cable Row | SETS: 4 | REPS: 10-12