41. UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL GYM STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES? WHICH IS BETTER TO IMPROVE CYCLING PERFORMANCE?

Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash

In the previous KisW Research Notes we saw that heavy gym strength training benefits cycling performance (durability included). In those studies both bilateral and unilateral leg exercises were performed. The principle of training specificity states:

‘Closer the training routine to the desired performance outcome, better the results’.

Following this principle, unilateral (one leg at a time) strength training should be superior compared to bilateral (two legged) strength training, as the former mimics more the pedalling movement (pushing with one at a time).

What is the optimal approach to gym strength training to enhance cycling performance? Unilateral or bilateral exercises?

A study published by Ji and colleagues (German Sport University Cologne) in 2022 on Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research can help to answer this question. (1)

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WHAT DID THEY DO?