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Workouts

Big Gains in Balance and Strength with Unilateral Training

This 12-week cycle of bodyweight workouts focuses on developing balance and strength with the use of one-limbed movements.

Mindith Rahmat

Written by Mindith Rahmat Last updated on April 10, 2015

Week 1, Day 1

5×3+ Pull Up

5×8+ Swiss Ball Leg Curl * on both side

5×10 Body Weight Split Squat * on both sides

5×10+ Diamond Push Up (slow tempo)

5×5 V Up

5×5 Bridge

Day 2

5×10 Body Weight One Legged Dead Lift *alternating sides

5×5 Cossack Squat *alternating sides

5×30 Seconds Plank to Push Up

5×10 Forward Lunge * on each leg

5×10 Calf Raise

Day 3

5×5 King Deadlift

5×10 Close Grip Strict Push Up

5×20 Flying Lunges * alternating

3×10 Horse Stance Squats

3×10 Walkouts to FIngers

3×20 Seconds RKC Plank

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 2, Day 1

3×5+ Pull Ups

3×20 Walking Split Squat on Beam *alternating sides

3×10 Knees to Elbows

5×5 Body Weight Windmills

5×30 Seconds Handstand Hold *Handstand Push Up or Progression

5×5 Pike Sit Up

Day 2

4×5 Pull Ups

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers *Right Side

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers * Left Side

4×10 Unbroken Knees to Elbows

5×1 Down Dog to Flip Dog to Bridge

5×1 Forearm Handstand Hold (or progressions)

5×1 Max Handstand Hold x 3

Day 3

5×10 Rear Leg Elevated Split Squat * on each side

5×30 Seconds Janda Situps

5×25 Air Squats

5×30 Seconds Kimura Sit Ups

5×10 Wide Grip Push Ups

5x 30 Seconds Alternating Abdominal Single Leg Lift Twist

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 3, Day 1

5×3+ Pull Up

5×8+ Swiss Ball Leg Curl * on both side

5×10 Body Weight Split Squat * on both sides

5×10+ Diamond Push Up (slow tempo)

5×5 V Up

5×5 Bridge

Day 2

5×10 Unweighted One Legged RDL *alternating sides

5×5 Cossack Squat *alternating sides

5×30 Seconds Plank to Push Up

5×10 Forward Lunge * on each leg

5×10 Calf Raises

Day 3

5×5 King Squat

5×10 Close Grip Strict Push Up

5×20 Flying Lunges * alternating

3×10 Horse Stance Squats

3×10 Walkouts to Fingers

3×20 Seconds RKC Plank

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 4, Day 1

3×5+ Pull Ups

3×20 Walking Split Squat on Beam *alternating sides

3×10 Knees to Elbows

5×5 Body Weight Windmills

5×30 Seconds Handstand Hold *Handstand Push Up or Progression

5×5 Pike Sit Up

Day 2

4×5 Pull Ups

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers *Right Side

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers * Left Side

4×10 Unbroken Knees to Elbows

5×1 Down Dog to Flip Dog to Bridge

5×1 Forearm Handstand Hold (or progressions)

5×1 Max Handstand Hold x 3

Day 3

5×10 Rear Elevated Split Squat * on each side

5×30 Seconds Janda Situps

5×25 Air Squats

5×30 Seconds Kimura Sit Ups

5×10 Wide Grip Push Ups

5x 30 Seconds Alternating Abdominal Single Leg Lift Twist

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 5, Day 1

5×3+ Pull Up

5×8+ Swiss Ball Leg Curl * on both side

5×10 Body Weight Split Squat * on both sides

5×10+ Diamond Push Up (slow tempo)

5×5 V Up

5×5 Bridge

Day 2

5×10 Body Weight One Legged Dead Lift *alternating sides

5×5 Cossack Squat *alternating sides

5×30 Seconds Plank to Push Up

5×10 Forward Lunge * on each leg

5×10 Calf Raises

Day 3

5×5 King Deadlift

5×10 Close Grip Strict Push Up

5×20 Flying Lunges * alternating

3×10 Horse Stance Squats

3×10 Walkouts to FIngers

3×20 Seconds RKC Plank

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 6, Day 1

3×5+ Pull Ups

3×20 Walking Split Squat on Beam *alternating sides

3×10 Knees to Elbows

5×5 Body Weight Windmills

5×30 Seconds Handstand Hold *Handstand Push Up or Progression

5×5 Pike Sit Up

Day 2

4×5 Pull Ups

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers *Right Side

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers * Left Side

4×10 Unbroken Knees to Elbows

5×1 Down Dog to Flip Dog to Bridge

5×1 Forearm Handstand Hold (or progressions)

5×1 Max Handstand Hold x 3

Day 3

5×10 Rear Elevated Split Squat * on each side

5×30 Seconds Janda Situps

5×25 Air Squats

5×30 Seconds Kimura Sit Ups

5×10 Wide Grip Push Ups

5x 30 Seconds Alternating Abdominal Single Leg Lift Twist

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 7, Day 1

5×3+ Pull Up

5×8+ Swiss Ball Leg Curl * on both side

5×10 Body Weight Split Squat * on both sides

5×10+ Diamond Push Up (slow tempo)

5×5 V Up

5×5 Bridge

Day 2

5×10 Body Weight One Legged Dead Lift *alternating sides

5×5 Cossack Squat *alternating sides

5×30 Seconds Plank to Push Up

5×10 Forward Lunge * on each leg

5×10 Calf Raises

Day 3

5×5 King Deadlift

5×10 Close Grip Strict Push Up

5×20 Flying Lunges * alternating

3×10 Horse Stance Squats

3×10 Walkouts to FIngers

3×20 Seconds RKC Plank

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 8, Day 1

3×5+ Pull Ups

3×20 Walking Split Squat on Beam *alternating sides

3×10 Knees to Elbows

5×5 Body Weight Windmills

5×30 Seconds Handstand Hold *Handstand Push Up or Progression

5×5 Pike Sit Up

Day 2

4×5 Pull Ups

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers *Right Side

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers * Left Side

4×10 Unbroken Knees to Elbows

5×1 Down Dog to Flip Dog to Bridge

5×1 Forearm Handstand Hold (or progressions)

5×1 Max Handstand Hold x 3

Day 3

5×10 Rear Elevated Split Squat * on each side

5×30 Seconds Janda Situps

5×25 Air Squats

5×30 Seconds Kimura Sit Ups

5×10 Wide Grip Push Ups

5x 30 Seconds Alternating Abdominal Single Leg Lift Twist

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 9, Day 1

5×3+ Pull Up

5×8+ Swiss Ball Leg Curl * on both side

5×10 Body Weight Split Squat * on both sides

5×10+ Diamond Push Up (slow tempo)

5×5 V Up

5×5 Bridge

Day 2

5×10 Body Weight One Legged Dead Lift *alternating sides

5×5 Cossack Squat *alternating sides

5×30 Seconds Plank to Push Up

5×10 Forward Lunge * on each leg

5×10 Calf Raises

Day 3

5×5 King Deadlift

5×10 Close Grip Strict Push Up

5×20 Flying Lunges * alternating

3×10 Horse Stance Squats

3×10 Walkouts to FIngers

3×20 Seconds RKC Plank

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 10, Day 1

3×5+ Pull Ups

3×20 Walking Split Squat on Beam *alternating sides

3×10 Knees to Elbows

5×5 Body Weight Windmills

5×30 Seconds Handstand Hold *Handstand Push Up or Progression

5×5 Pike Sit Up

Day 2

4×5 Pull Ups

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers *Right Side

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers * Left Side

4×10 Unbroken Knees to Elbows

5×1 Down Dog to Flip Dog to Bridge

5×1 Forearm Handstand Hold (or progressions)

5×1 Max Handstand Hold x 3

Day 3

5×10 Rear Elevated Split Squat * on each side

5×30 Seconds Janda Situps

5×25 Air Squats

5×30 Seconds Kimura Sit Ups

5×10 Wide Grip Push Ups

5x 30 Seconds Alternating Abdominal Single Leg Lift Twist

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 11, Day 1

5×3+ Pull Up

5×8+ Swiss Ball Leg Curl * on both side

5×10 Body Weight Split Squat * on both sides

5×10+ Diamond Push Up (slow tempo)

5×5 V Up

5×5 Bridge

Day 2

5×10 Body Weight One Legged Dead Lift *alternating sides

5×5 Cossack Squat *alternating sides

5×30 Seconds Plank to Push Up

5×10 Forward Lunge * on each leg

5×10 Calf Raises

Day 3

5×5 King Deadlift

5×10 Close Grip Strict Push Up

5×20 Flying Lunges * alternating

3×10 Horse Stance Squats

3×10 Walkouts to FIngers

3×20 Seconds RKC Plank

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Week 12, Day 1

3×5+ Pull Ups

3×20 Walking Split Squat on Beam *alternating sides

3×10 Knees to Elbows

5×5 Body Weight Windmills

5×30 Seconds Handstand Hold *Handstand Push Up or Progression

5×5 Pike Sit Up

Day 2

4×5 Pull Ups

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers *Right Side

4×30 seconds of Bird Pickers * Left Side

4×10 Unbroken Knees to Elbows

5×1 Down Dog to Flip Dog to Bridge

5×1 Forearm Handstand Hold (or progressions)

5×1 Max Handstand Hold x 3

Day 3

5×10 Rear Elevated Split Squat * on each side

5×30 Seconds Janda Situps

5×25 Air Squats

5×30 Seconds Kimura Sit Ups

5×10 Wide Grip Push Ups

5x 30 Seconds Alternating Abdominal Single Leg Lift Twist

Click on the number below that corresponds to the week of training you’re in.

Mindith Rahmat

About Mindith Rahmat

Mindith is a born mover. She has spent her life exploring various athletic disciplines, starting with ballet and modern dance from an early age. She went on to become a E-RYT 500 certified yoga therapist and teacher and discovered CrossFit after the birth of her daughter.

Mindith coached CrossFit at a number of boxes near her home in Southern California, which lead to her involvement in Russian kettlebells and Olympic weightlifting. She has coached a wide variety of populations and cares deeply for women’s health, specializing in pregnancy and postpartum fitness. She is currently studying the principles of Natural Movement and Kettlebell Sport, and is working to complete an additional teacher training in the Taoist art of Yin Yoga with Master Paulie Zink.

Mindith founded Breaking Muscle in 2011. Over 5 million people a month have visited the site, hundreds of thousands of them follow Breaking Muscle on social media, nearly 2,000 coaches have written or appeared on its pages, and there are thousands of free, fully-formed training plans freely available. Breaking Muscle has won numerous awards in the industry and is recognized for pioneering new approaches to fitness and coaching techniques. In 2021, Breaking Muscle was acquired by Barbend. Mindith continues to devote time to her kids, pursue her doctorate in psychology, do research, and teach.

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