Functional… has got to be one of the stupidest terms ever introduced to the fitness industry (in my humble opinion). One of my pet peeves is hearing ignorant fitness coaches mention that natural bodybuilders aren’t functional… and that natural bodybuilding produces muscle that’s all show and no go.
Many natural bodybuilders also compete in powerlifting. Many natural bodybuilders, like myself also play sports. Not only do we look great… but we ‘function’ (whatever the fuck that means), and perform exceptionally well.
This week we started a new training phase… Phase 9 from the Aesthetic Muscle Plan…
…and in addition to our heavy ass lifting sessions at the beginning of the week, we decided to include unilateral exercises during hypertrophy training sessions throughout the second half of the week.
You’d think that us old school meatheads would have collapsed under the demands of these single leg movements… yet we excelled… especially as we progressed through the workout. Our first sets (the ones recorded in the video below) may not have been perfect… and we still have plenty of room for improvement…
…But I believe, because of our natural bodybuilding experience, which involves training for the ‘feel’… we gain more from these unilateral exercises compared to much of the ‘functional’ crowd who I see rapidly and carelessly move through the motions while balancing on a Bosu Ball or wobble board.
Check out our complete Leg Workout using unilateral exercises and see how us meatheads make the most out of these experiences… constantly paying attention to our feedback loop and gaining valuable insights from every rep… using this knowledge to improve all of our future workouts and compound bilateral exercises…
Including unilateral movements has been absolutely amazing for improving our mind-muscle connection. With each of these leg exercises you can ‘feel’ a shift in tension with your thighs and glutes by simply altering where you apply the pressure through your feet.
One thing became very apparent during the workout… I tend to shift more of my weight toward the outer aspect of my right foot… which creates more tension in my outer thigh and abductors, while reducing tension in my inner thighs and adductors. I seem to evenly distribute my weight on my left foot.
This is most likely the reason why I tend to get ‘knots’ in my right glute and tensor fascia latae, which requires regular self massage with the lacrosse ball and Rumble Roller.
Here are the unilateral exercises used in today’s leg workout…
A1 Single Leg Hack Squat
A2 Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
B1 Single Leg Leg Press
B2 Landmine Reverse Lunge
C1 Single Leg Back Extension (focused on hammies and glutes)
C2 Single Leg Elevated Hip Thruster
Although the weight used during this workout was VERY light for us… we still experienced some serious DOMS the next day… especially in our glutes.
If you missed yesterday’s Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps workout using unilateral movements, be sure to check it out. My obliques, abs, and transverse abdominals are REALLY felt the impact of that workout.
…and here’s the Back and Biceps workout using unilateral exercises.
Give these workouts a shot and be sure to share your feedback with us.
Sculpt a Masterpiece,
Scott Tousignant
About The Author
Scott Tousignant, BHK is a Physique Coach and Elite Natural Bodybuilder with the UFE.
Scott specializes in helping regular men and women sculpt their body into a chiseled work of art.
Viewing training as an art form and your body as a sculpture is a simple shift in mindset that brings out the beauty in your ongoing body transformation.
The art of molding and chiseling an aesthetically pleasing physique with spectacular symmetry, proportions, and carved out detail is one of life’s most rewarding and fulfilling experiences…
…It’s an opportunity for self growth and self discovery that will impact every area of your life.
Learn more about Scott’s physique-focused training programs:
AMPlify Aesthetic Muscle Gains and Strip Away Stubborn Sacks Of Fat with AMP – Aesthetic Muscle Plan
Get a taste of Scott’s hardcore physique training programs with Physique Phreak