Single-leg lunges helped athletes slow down better with their weaker leg after turning, more than double-leg squats did.

Scientific Claim

Six weeks of unilateral eccentric-overload training is associated with greater improvements in change-of-direction (COD) deceleration efficiency for the non-dominant leg (DEC-COD90nd: -21.2%) compared to bilateral training in young male team sport athletes, suggesting unilateral training may better address bilateral asymmetries in COD performance.

Original Statement

“The UG decrease DEC-COD90nd (-21.1%) and BG increase POWER (+38.6%) substantially more than the other group.”

From study:The effects of unilateral and bilateral eccentric overload training on hypertrophy, muscle power and COD performance, and its determinants, in team sport players

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

overstated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The authors claim unilateral training 'is more effective'—a causal interpretation. The design lacks randomization, so only an association between training type and asymmetry improvement can be claimed.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

The effects of unilateral and bilateral eccentric overload training on hypertrophy, muscle power and COD performance, and its determinants, in team sport players

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2018

This study found that doing single-leg exercises for six weeks helped athletes stop better with their weaker leg more than double-leg exercises did, which is exactly what the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

The effects of unilateral and bilateral eccentric overload training on hypertrophy, muscle power and COD performance, and its determinants, in team sport players

Score: 46

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193841

Similar Assertions

Single-leg lunges helped both legs get better at turning quickly, but double-leg squats only helped the stronger leg.

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Doing squats with both legs on a special machine for six weeks made the outer thigh and outer calf muscles grow more than doing single-leg lunges.

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Both training methods made athletes jump higher and turn faster, but didn’t make them run straight-line sprints any faster.

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Doing single-leg lunges with a special machine for six weeks made the inner thigh and inner knee muscles grow more than doing regular squats with both legs.

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Both types of training made athletes stronger and more powerful, but squats with both legs made them significantly more powerful in the squat than lunges did.

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