The Claim

Training one leg at a time makes that leg much stronger than training both legs together — even though both methods make you equally strong when using both legs at once.

Source: The Effect of Unilateral and Bilateral Leg Press Training on Lower Body Strength and Power and Athletic Performance in Adolescent Rugby Players

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
54score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

Training one leg at a time makes that leg much stronger than training both legs together — even though both methods make you equally strong when using both legs at once.

See the scientific wording

In adolescent male rugby players, unilateral leg press training improves unilateral strength to a greater extent than bilateral leg press training, despite producing similar gains in bilateral strength, suggesting that training specificity and the bilateral deficit phenomenon may enhance neuromuscular adaptations in unilateral movements.

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: The Effect of Unilateral and Bilateral Leg Press Training on Lower Body Strength and Power and Athletic Performance in Adolescent Rugby Players

    Kids who trained one leg at a time got much stronger in that one leg, while kids who trained both legs together got just as strong in both legs—but not stronger in one leg. So training one leg at a time is better if you want to boost strength in just one leg.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

Fit Body Science verdict — we translate health claims into clear verdicts backed by peer-reviewed research.

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