Unilateral Training

Use unilateral training to push through plateaus.

As serious lifters take on heavier weights, they eventually see progress start to slow down—unilateral asymmetry is often the missing diagnosis. Unilateral Training: Move Better, Get Stronger, Perform at Your Best will help you identify your weak side, train through the plateau, and use unilateral work to drive bigger lifts and a longer training career.

One of the first resources dedicated solely to unilateral training, this book dives deep into the science and programming so you can apply what you learn to your own training. You will find the following in the book:

• Four training programs, each with a specific focus: strength and hypertrophy, sport-specific performance, high-intensity conditioning, and injury prevention and rehabilitation
• An integrated assessment framework to find and target your weak link
• A unilateral exercise library of upper-body, lower-body, core, and total-body movements
• Coverage spanning many performance applications, from sport conditioning to postrehab return

Guidance on programming and exercise selection will help you determine what unilateral work will best translate into bilateral strength gains. See your squat, bench, and deadlift numbers increase as you target weaknesses in your body.

If your lifting is starting to plateau, asymmetry may be your issue. Use Unilateral Training to assess, target, and work through the weaker area of your body, all while maximizing your bilateral lifting potential.

Earn continuing education credits/units! A continuing education exam that uses this book is also available. It may be purchased separately or as part of a package that includes both the book and exam.

Audience

Athletes and dedicated lifters seeking to improve strength, address muscular imbalances, and enhance performance through unilateral training. Coaches, personal trainers, and rehabilitation specialists who incorporate unilateral exercises into strength programs for injury prevention, sport performance, or functional fitness.

Contents
Exercise Finder

Part I. Essentials: A Unilateral Understanding
Chapter 1. Unlocking the Secrets of Unilateral Training
Chapter 2. Translating the Science Into Training
Chapter 3. Assessing and Addressing Muscular Imbalances

Part II. Strategies and Applications: A Unilateral Approach
Chapter 4. Developing Strength and Muscle Mass
Chapter 5. Enhancing Athletic Performance
Chapter 6. Preventing and Rehabilitating Injuries

Part III. Exercises: A Unilateral Arsenal
Chapter 7. Upper-Body Exercises
Chapter 8. Lower-Body Exercises
Chapter 9. Core Exercises
Chapter 10. Total-Body Exercises

Part IV. Programs and Plans: A Unilateral Playbook
Chapter 11. Muscle and Strength Programming
Chapter 12. Sport-Specific Programming
Chapter 13. High-Intensity Programming
Chapter 14. Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation Programming

Abbreviations
References

Shane McLean is a personal trainer with more than 15 years of training experience and certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). He is the founder of Balance Guy Training, where he offers effective training services, free wellness resources, and fitness articles. McLean authored Get Back in the Saddle and currently writes for Muscle & Fitness. He has written articles for the magazines Men’s Journal and Men's Fitness; for sites like BarBend, Breaking Muscle, Garage Gym Reviews, Yahoo! Life, and MSN; and for several regional newspapers. He has a passion for his craft and continues to spread his unique vision through the health, fitness, wellness, and medical communities to create a positive impact on the current worldwide mindset toward health and wellness.

Tasha “Wolf” Whelan has over two decades of coaching experience and is an International Elite Powerlifter, ranked in 2026 as the number one female powerlifter in Washington state and among the top 20 in the world. She is the 2017 International Powerlifting League world champion and the 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic Lightweight world champion. She co-owns Ideal Strength & Performance in Bellevue, Washington, with fellow coach Dan Stephenson. She holds degrees in cultural anthropology, archaeology, and dance from the University of Washington and an exercise science and athletic training degree from Central Washington University. Her passion lies in helping others unlock their full potential by strengthening both their bodies and minds.

“Tasha Whelan is an elite example of a coach who walks the walk and who has experience training every client level, understanding them and helping them improve. Unilateral Training is the best resource I have seen on unilateral training and is a must-have for every coach’s toolbox. I couldn’t endorse her and this book more!”

—Luka Hocevar, Owner of Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance

“The best coaches simplify complex ideas without sacrificing substance. Shane does exactly that.”

—Muscle and Fitness Magazine

“The best coaches don’t ask whether an exercise is good or bad—they ask who it’s for, why it works, and when it belongs in a program. That’s exactly how Shane and Tasha approach coaching. Unilateral Training goes far beyond a library of unilateral exercises. It provides the biomechanics, programming strategies, and coaching principles needed to help people move better, perform better, and become more resilient. It’s a resource you’ll return to long after you’ve finished reading it.”

—Gareth Sapstead, Editor of 100 Best Physique Workouts and Founder of Team EPT Coaching and EPT Lab Fitness and Performance Gym