Effects of unilateral vs. bilateral resistance training interventions on measures of strength, jump, linear and change of direction speed: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Exercises can be categorized into either unilateral or bilateral movements. Despite the topic popularity, the answer to the question as to which (unilateral or bilateral) is superior for a certain athletic performance enhancement remains unclear. To compare the effect of unilateral and bilateral resistance training interventions on measures of athletic performance. Keywords related with unilateral, bilateral and performance were used to search in the Web of Science, PubMed databases, and Google Scholar and ResearchGate™ websites. 6365 articles were initially identified, 14 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis, with overall article quality being deemed moderate . The quantitative analysis comprised 392 subjects (aged: 16 to 26 years). Sub-group analysis showed that unilateral exercise resistance training resulted in a large effect in improving unilateral jump performance compared to bilateral training (ES = 0.89 [0.52, 1.26]). In contrast, bilateral exercise resistance training showed a small effect in improving bilateral strength compared to unilateral (ES = -0.43 [-0.71, -0.14]). Non-significant differences were found in improving unilateral strength (ES = 0.26 [-0.03, 0.55]), bilateral jump performance (ES = -0.04 [-0.31, 0.23]), change of direction (COD) (ES = 0.31 [-0.01, 0.63]) and speed (ES = -0.12 [-0.46, 0.21]) performance. Unilateral resistance training exercises should be chosen for improving unilateral jumping performance, and bilateral resistance training exercises should be chosen for improving bilateral strength performance.

A novel balance training approach: Biomechanical study of virtual reality-based skateboarding

“…Unilateral leg training is a type of exercise that focuses on strengthening and conditioning one leg at a time (Liao et al, 2022). This type of training can be useful for a variety of purposes, including improving muscle imbalances, preventing injuries, and rehabilitating after an injury (Manca et al, 2017;Liao et al, 2022).…”

“…Unilateral leg training is a type of exercise that focuses on strengthening and conditioning one leg at a time (Liao et al, 2022). This type of training can be useful for a variety of purposes, including improving muscle imbalances, preventing injuries, and rehabilitating after an injury (Manca et al, 2017;Liao et al, 2022). Unilateral leg training can be performed using a variety of exercises, such as lunges, single-leg squats, and single-leg deadlifts, using body weight or added resistance (Baumgart et al, 2017;Manca et al, 2017).…”

“…Unilateral leg training can be performed using a variety of exercises, such as lunges, single-leg squats, and single-leg deadlifts, using body weight or added resistance (Baumgart et al, 2017;Manca et al, 2017). This type of training can be especially beneficial for athletes and individuals with a history of lower body injuries, as it can help to improve balance, stability, and overall leg strength (Liao et al, 2022). In addition, research has shown that unilateral leg training can be effective for improving muscle strength and power, as well as increasing muscle activation and coordination (Zhou et al, 2022).…”

Transferencia del entrenamiento de fuerza al sprint y al salto vertical en futbolistas juveniles: sentadillas vs estocadas

“…Dicha hipótesis, sin embargo, no pudo ser verificada, ya que no se observaron diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos experimentales, para ambos tipos de desplazamiento. Estos resultados están en concordancia con Liao et al (2021), quienes en un trabajo de meta-análisis concluyeron que el entrenamiento de fuerza unilateral y bilateral no presentan diferencias significativas en relación a la mejora del salto vertical bipodal y al sprint. No obstante, al igual que Appleby et al (2020), Stern et al (2020), Ramirez-Campillo et al (2018 y Fisher y Walin (2014), también en nuestro estudio se observó una tendencia a mayores tamaños de efecto en los sujetos que utilizan ejercicios bilaterales en comparación a los sujetos que utilizan ejercicios con predomino unilateral.…”

Isometric Resistance Training Effects on Lower Limb Muscle Activity

“…In this study, the CMJ action strategies of the subjects were more consistent. 11 Under the condition that the angular displacement of each joint of the lower limbs is relatively constant, the higher the contraction speed of the muscles, the greater the angular acceleration of the joints. At this time, the joint angular velocity is also faster.…”