Workouts that include unilateral moves—exercises performed one side at a time—are incredibly beneficial for building balanced strength and stability. These moves help identify and correct muscle imbalances, improving overall performance and reducing the risk of injury, according to the American Council on Exercise.
Experts in This Article
By engaging core muscles and enhancing coordination, unilateral exercises also promote better posture and functional strength. Incorporating single-leg moves challenges your body in unique ways, ensuring each side works independently and effectively.
That’s why Or Artzi, CPT, a lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, created this single-leg workout to strengthen both sides of your body.
Join the club
If you’re following along with our January 2025 Good Moves Club Winter Challenge (sign up here if you haven’t already!), this is the workout for day 20, week 3. You can follow along with Artzi and the full-length workout below. This efficient workout includes a warmup and six strength-based exercises.
The warmup
Do each exercise for 30 seconds. Complete one round.
1. Walkout
- 1.Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
- 2.Hinge forward at your hips and reach toward the floor.
- 3.Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands forward and come into a high plank so that your shoulders are over your wrists.
- 4.Pause, engaging your core.
- 5.Walk your hands back to your feet, then return to standing.
- 6.Repeat.
2. World’s greatest stretch (alternating sides)
- 1.Start in a high plank with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
- 2.Step your right foot forward and place it outside of your right hand.
- 3.Keeping your hips square, lift your right hand toward the ceiling, rotating your chest toward your right leg. Allow your gaze to follow your fingertips.
- 4.Pause, then return your right hand to the floor and extend your right leg back to plank position.
- 5.Repeat on the opposite side.
- 6.Continue alternating sides.
3. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)
- 1.Start on all fours with your hands and knees on the floor. Align your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
- 2.Slowly arch your spine, dropping your belly toward the floor. Look up as you draw your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
- 3.Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tucking your chin toward your spine as you tilt your pelvis forward (cat pose).
- 4.Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.
4. Deep squat with thoracic twist (alternating sides)
Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter
Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.
Got it, you've been added to our email list.