Back Squats are great. Deadlifts are great. Bench Press is awesome, and so is the Barbell Strict press. We do them all! But if this all you do for your strength, you just might want to start thinking about splitting up those compound movements for some unilateral ones such as the split squat or single arm shoulder press.
Mixing up these compound movements with some unilateral ones will not only help change up your routine, but more importantly, it will help fix any imbalances in your body. For instance...say you always back squat, and your left leg is less mobile than your right. Well, being that both legs are moving one object (barbell) at the same time, you might not realize the imbalance since one could be overcompensating for the other.
So instead, try doing a barbell back rack split squat to help find those imbalances. Incorporating the split squat will definitely help you notice if one leg is less mobile than the other or if one is stronger than the other. Then once you continue to work and strengthen both legs through the split squat, you will be that much stronger when you go back to that back squat!
Another massive reason to incorporate more unilateral movements is because as athletes and humans we are constantly moving from on foot to another, or lifting things up with arm instead of two. Just think about when we run! When you run you are literally bounding from one foot to another. So training this way will only help you both in and outside the gym!
So next time you get into the gym, even if you are doing back squats or deadlifts that day, be sure to throw in some unilateral movements like a split squat or single leg rdl to see how much it help you in your fitness!
Stay Athletic Y'All and Earn That Rest,
Coach Neil
FutbolerFit HQ