September 19, 2019

168: Unilateral and Bilateral Training: Periodization, Neurology and Integration Roundtable with Cal Dietz, Cameron Josse and Chad Dennis | Sponsored by SimpliFaster

1 hour 12 minutes

Today’s episode features an expert roundtable on an integrative view of single and double leg (unilateral and bilateral) training. Experts include Cal Dietz, author of Triphasic Training and University of Minnesota strength coach, Cameron Josse, director of sports performance at DeFranco’s gym (co-author of “The Process”), and Chad Dennis, veteran NCAA and professional level strength coach who is now director of performance for the XFL Seattle Dragons.

Single and double leg training is hotly debated in many cases, each method with its own unique aspects, benefits and drawbacks. In the majority of situations, single leg training is used as a warmup or auxillary while the “big lifts” dominate the landscape of exercise. Taking a wider view of these training modalities is important when it comes to optimal integration into our own training.

On the show today, myself, Cal, Cameron and Chad go over many ideas on this topic, particularly the idea of using single leg training as the primary method in earlier training phases (accumulation, GPP, etc.) and moving towards bilateral dominated training in later training phases (intensification, SPP, etc.).

We also take a deep dive into the neurological aspects of barbell (and jump) training, as the ramifications of movements with many, vs. few degrees of freedom (i.e. a walking rotational lunge vs. a heavy quarter squat). This episode is rounded out by a chat on unilateral jumping progressions and using dynamic work to prepare tissues for the rigors of high intensity training and in-season play.

Today’s episode is brought to you by SimpliFaster, supplier of high-end athletic development tools, such as the Freelap timing system, kBox, Sprint 1080, and more.

View more podcast episodes at the podcast homepage.

Key Points

A thesis summary of building a foundation of single leg training and then filtering into double leg training

Different approaches to periodization and planning in regards to single and double leg training

Neurological Ramifications of unilateral vs. bilateral training via threat response

Approaches to jump training periodization looking at single and double leg periodization

A discussion on using unilateral work in the weightroom, and on field (jumps and sprints) to prepare tissues of the body for the season

Quotes from Cal Dietz, Cameron Josse and Chad Dennis

“I’m looking at a progression where we start with a foundation of coordination (single leg/more degrees of freedom) and we transfer that into really high outputs (bilateral training)” ~Cam Josse

“Unilateral work favors the cross crawl concept” ~Dietz

“I’m not a big fan of single leg squat with dumbbells, because I don’t feel there is enough stress, in my opinion” ~Dietz

“In the bilateral (lifting and even plyometric), I didn’t get a good neural feedback loop” ~Dietz

“I haven’t found one of my athletes that didn’t go into threat with a double leg, or get better (neurological) responses from a split squat stance” ~Dietz

“How do I fix that threat? I just have them march. If they do a hurdle hop, the next four steps are marching steps, and that takes them out of that threat as they go to the next exercise” ~Dietz

“There was a great tissue resiliency built from doing (single leg rudiment hops, filtering into bounding over time, as well as a unilateral to bilateral progression in the weightroom) from the joints, especially in the lower leg” ~Dennis

“It makes a lot of sense to use unilateral training in the early during these early periods in the training year, it could be 6-8 weeks, it could be 4 weeks really. I’m thinking field first, weightroom second” ~Josse

“If you are in the weightroom, it’s naturally multi-planar, just because you are on one leg more degree of freedom are involved” ~Josse

“If we are concentrating speed and power on the field, how do we support that in the weightroom? Bilateral activities” ~Josse

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By Joel Smith, Just-Fly-Sports.com

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