When it comes to strength training, it’s easy to stick with the basics—squats, bench press, deadlifts. But if you’re not incorporating unilateral exercises into your routine, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful ways to build balanced strength.
Unilateral exercises train one side of your body at a time, forcing each limb or muscle group to carry its own weight—literally. That means no relying on your stronger side to do most of the work. Instead, you’re developing coordination, balance, and strength where it really counts.
Whether you’re building out your next leg day or refining your upper body routine, we’ve broken down the best upper body unilateral exercises and lower body unilateral exercises to help you get stronger, more stable, and more in control of your lifts. Plus—we’ll walk you through how to do each one the right way.
Upper Body Unilateral Exercises
These unilateral upper body exercises isolate one side at a time to strengthen weak points, improve shoulder and elbow control, and level up your core stability.
1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Targets: Shoulders (primarily deltoids), triceps, core
This staple upper body unilateral exercise strengthens each shoulder independently while also firing up your core to maintain balance and control. It's perfect for building even strength across both sides and improving shoulder stability.
How to do it:
- Stand or sit with a dumbbell in your right hand, held at shoulder height with your palm facing forward.
- Engage your core and press the dumbbell overhead until your arm is fully extended (but not locked).
- Pause at the top, then lower the dumbbell back to shoulder height with control.
- Complete your reps, then switch to the opposite arm.
2. Single-Arm Hammer Curl
Targets: Biceps, brachialis, forearms
While all variations of the biceps curl are great for building bigger muscles, hammer curls excel at this by allowing your arm to lift a heavier weight thanks to the neutral grip.
How to do it:
- Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing your torso.
- Keep your elbow tight to your side and curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder.
- Pause, squeeze your biceps, then lower under control.
- Finish your reps, then switch arms.
3. Single-Arm Cable Row
Targets: Lats, traps, delts, triceps
If you want an effective unilateral exercise that really gives your back a good burn, try this single-arm rowing movement on a cable machine. The machine offers constant tension for your muscles to fight against, which is great for building muscle.
How to do it:
- Set a cable machine with a D-handle at a low level.
- Grab the handle with your right hand, step back, and hinge slightly at the hips.
- Pull the handle toward your torso, driving your elbow straight back.
- Squeeze your back muscles, then return to start.
- Switch arms after completing your reps.
4. Single-Arm Chest Flyes (High Pulley)
Targets: Chest (primarily the pectorals), front delts, core
This upper body unilateral exercise is perfect for isolating each pec individually while keeping your core engaged for balance. The constant tension from the cable challenges your stability and helps improve mind-muscle connection on each side.
How to do it:
- Set a cable machine to the highest pulley setting and attach a single D-handle.
- Stand in a staggered stance and grab the handle with your right hand. Step away from the machine so there's tension on the cable, and extend your arm out to your side with a slight bend in the elbow.
- Keeping your arm slightly bent, bring it across your body in a wide arc until your hand is directly in front of your chest.
- Squeeze your chest at the end of the movement, then slowly reverse the motion.
- Complete your reps, then switch to the opposite arm.
5. Single-Arm Triceps Pushdowns
Targets: Triceps (specifically the lateral and long heads)
This is one of the best isolation upper body unilateral exercises for building stronger, more defined triceps. Training one arm at a time helps correct imbalances and ensures you're not letting your dominant arm do all the work.
How to do it:
- Attach a single handle to the high pulley of a cable machine.
- Stand tall and grab the handle with your right hand, palm facing down.
- Keep your elbow tucked close to your side and press the handle down until your arm is fully extended.
- Pause and squeeze your triceps at the bottom, then return to the start position with control.
- Complete all reps, then switch to the left arm.
Lower Body Unilateral Exercises
These lower body unilateral exercises are key for building strength, correcting imbalances, and improving coordination from the ground up.
1. Pistol Squat
Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, core
This single-legged squatting variation is very challenging because not only you’ll need to manage your body weight with one leg, but you’ll also need to keep your balance with the other leg extended in front of you.
How to do it:
- Stand tall and extend your right leg in front of you.
- Lower into a squat on your left leg, keeping your chest upright.
- Go as low as you can with control, then drive through your heel to return to start.
- Switch legs after your set.
2. Cable Glute Kickback
Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core
As the name indicates, this exercise works your glutes with a cable machine, helping you build a booty with a very simple but effective movement!
How to do it:
- Attach an ankle strap to a low cable pulley.
- Strap it around your right ankle, facing the machine.
- Kick your right leg straight back, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Return slowly and repeat.
- Switch legs after your reps.
Pro Tip: UPPPER’s Ankle Straps are made for this—secure, durable, and designed for comfort.
3. Single-Leg Deadlift
Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, core
This killer leg exercise uses your hip as a hinge to go up and down with a kettlebell. The single leg already makes it unilateral training, but you can take it one step further and use only one arm instead of two to hold the weight.
How to do it:
- Hold a kettlebell in your right hand.
- Stand on your right leg and slowly hinge at the hips, letting your left leg extend straight back.
- Keep your back flat and the kettlebell close to your leg.
- When your torso and back leg are parallel to the floor, reverse the movement.
- Repeat, then switch sides.
4. Bulgarian Split Squat
Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
Your quads are a huge muscle group at the front of your thighs that need enough love to grow and help you get those toned legs you’re dreaming of, and the Bulgarian split squats are perfect for that!
How to do it:
- Stand about two feet in front of a bench.
- Place your right foot on the bench behind you, laces down.
- Lower your left leg into a lunge, stopping when your thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Push through your front heel to return to standing.
- Complete your set and switch legs.
5. Single-Leg Elevated Calf Raise
Targets: Calves, ankles
Your calves are used in countless leg exercises, but they’re not usually the protagonists, which is why you should definitely add this movement to your routine! Not only will your calves have a killer workout, but you’ll also help improve your ankle mobility by getting on your toes and dropping your heels repeatedly throughout the exercise.
How to do it:
- Stand with the ball of your right foot on a raised surface, heel hanging off.
- Lift your heel until you’re on your toes, then lower it below the platform level.
- Perform controlled reps, then switch to your left foot.
Tip: Hold onto a wall or railing for balance.
F.A.Q.
What are unilateral exercises?
Unilateral exercises are movements that train one side of the body at a time. Instead of using both arms or legs simultaneously (as in bilateral exercises), unilateral training isolates a single limb—like doing a single-arm row or a single-leg squat. These exercises are great for correcting muscle imbalances, improving stability, and enhancing coordination.
What’s the difference between unilateral and bilateral exercises?
Bilateral exercises involve both sides of the body working together (e.g., barbell squats, bench press), while unilateral exercises focus on one side at a time (e.g., Bulgarian split squats, single-arm presses). Unilateral training forces each side to pull its own weight—literally—helping you build balanced strength.
How often should I include unilateral exercises in my routine?
You can include unilateral exercises in your workout routine 2–4 times per week, depending on your goals. They can be added as accessory movements after your main lifts or used as primary movements in functional or corrective training days.
Do unilateral exercises help with muscle growth?
Definitely. While they’re often associated with balance and correction, unilateral exercises also promote hypertrophy by isolating muscles and allowing you to focus on controlled time under tension—key for growth.
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Perfect for mastering every rep—one side at a time.