1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: I am Tom Holland and this is Fitness Disrupted. All right. 3 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: Quick fit tip Asymmetrical training again one of those terms 4 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: some of you may have heard of, many of you 5 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: might not, and those who have heard of it probably 6 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: still somewhat confused as to what it is. So that 7 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: is the subject of today's fit tip. Now. I did 8 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: do a fit tip not too long ago on offset training, 9 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: very similar kind of part of this, so I will 10 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: talk about that. But if you want a little bit 11 00:00:54,680 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: more info on this type of training, listen to that podcast. 12 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: I did quick bit tip on offset loading, but the 13 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: related and I will talk about that as well. All right, 14 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: So let me just go back to when I was 15 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: a trainer. Couple quick stories that relate to this. And 16 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: one client who when I would ask him to do 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: a dumbell bicep curl standing dumbbell bicep curl, one arm 18 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: would go up ridiculously faster than the other, so much 19 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: stronger on one side than the other. And that is typical, 20 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: not like that. That was a typical in that like 21 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: it was so pronounced, but we are not symmetrical. I 22 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: would have those clients too, that were a little too 23 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: focused on the aesthetic and would fixate on the fact. 24 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: They would look in the mirror and say, oh, my gosh, look, 25 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: I am not symmetrical. Oftentimes I didn't see it, it 26 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: wasn't visual, but it was to them. They'd say things like, 27 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: you know, look at my calves. One is bigger than 28 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: the other. Oftentimes no one else noticed, right, but we're 29 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: not symmetrical. We're not symmetrical often visually, not to a 30 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:19,679 Speaker 1: large degree as this and and many other clients perceived, 31 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: but definitely from a strength perspective, and that can cause problems. 32 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: And so we want to employ so many different kinds 33 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: of training. And that is a big part of this 34 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 1: short discussion is that this is not the one way. 35 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: This is something you will add into your training to 36 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: help balance out those asymmetries as well as potentially do 37 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 1: a couple other things. Okay, so asymmetrical training is against 38 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: similar to that offset loading, or it is one type 39 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: of offset loading. And so let me give you four 40 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: are actually three and then a fourth I'll add in 41 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: as a combination of the two quick types of asymmetrical 42 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: training to go, what the heck is it? How do 43 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: I do it right. Well, it's loading one side of 44 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: the body, just one side, okay. So for those of 45 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: you who know what a farmer's carry is, you may 46 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: have seen people doing this in the gym or online. 47 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: You're holding dumbbells or kettle bells something in both hands 48 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: and you're walking. It's a great way to strengthen the 49 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: lower body. Right, And one way you make this asymmetrical 50 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: is just you just hold one dumbbell, a dumbell or 51 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: a kettle bell something. You load the body on one 52 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 1: side and not the other. So that is one type 53 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: of asymmetrical training. Again, why would you do this A 54 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: couple of reasons and shortly, but one is to help 55 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: with those asymmetries, right, You're gonna hold it on your 56 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: weaker side to help balance out your body. Then the 57 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: second is offset loading right where you're gonna use two 58 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: different weights. So let's go back to the farmers carry. 59 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: You're gonna hold maybe a twenty pound dumbbell on one 60 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: side and a fifteen on the other, So two different 61 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: weights on either side of the body, and let me 62 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: go back to the first one if you need one. 63 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: More example would be doing a dumbbell chess press with 64 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: just one dumbell. So that's loading one side of the 65 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: body with just a weight on that side and no 66 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: weight on the other side. Okay, that was number one. 67 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: Just another example. So you got farmers carry and then 68 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: the dumbbell single arm chest press, but only holding one 69 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: for that entire set. Okay. Then again number two using 70 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: two different weights on either side of the body. That 71 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: goes to offset loading. Okay, So that is another way 72 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: of doing asymmetrical training. So offset loading is in essence 73 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: a form of asymmetrical training. Just words, right. And finally, 74 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: you can perform exercises unilaterally versus bilaterally. I'm a huge, 75 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: huge proponent of unilateral exercises. If you've read my books 76 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: like The Marathon Method and The Twelve Week Triathlete. One 77 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: of the reasons I am injury free are unilateral exercises. 78 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: So really quickly, if you're doing a squat with both 79 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: feet body weight squad normal typical body weight squad, that's 80 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: bilateral two ft. If you are doing a single leg squad, 81 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: maybe you put a ball, a big inflataball stability ball 82 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: against the wall, you lean against it, then you stand 83 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: on one leg. I'm doing it as I speak and 84 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: you go up and down. That's unilateral, so that takes 85 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: out the dominant side. That allows you to focus on 86 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: one side at a time, right, Because yes, one side 87 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: of the body tends to dominate, and when we do 88 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: bilateral exercises, that strong side, that dominant side tends to 89 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: take over, and that goes forward. Doing a barbell bicep curl, right, 90 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: if your right arm is a little stronger, it is 91 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: most likely going to do more work as you were 92 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: trying to curl that bar towards your body. When you 93 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: use dumbbells, it takes that out to some degree. Right. 94 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: So then the question is very simple. Many people would have, well, 95 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: why wouldn't you just do those unilateral exercises because research 96 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: is showing that there might be more to it. There's 97 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: definitely more to it. In willing give you three quick reasons. Okay, 98 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: your core right, so when you are holding just one, 99 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: like when you're doing the farmers carry, your core has 100 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: to stabilize yourself in a totally different way than if 101 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: you're holding two dumbbells. Right, So you're when the farmers, 102 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: farmers walk, farmers carry, whatever you wanna call it, you're 103 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: holding one dumbell and you're walking, You're out of balance. 104 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: So how does your body resist that rotation and overcome 105 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: that asymmetry. You're using more muscles and a huge part 106 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: of that is from your core. So amazing. Throw the 107 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: word functional out there. I believe all strength is functional, 108 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: but I understand why the term is used the way 109 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: it is. You are going to recruit more core musculature 110 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: stabilization functional different, right, and then you're going to again 111 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: strengthen the non dominant side in isolation of the dominant side. 112 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: So we talked about that, right, you want it to 113 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: be in isolation, but when you are doing it with 114 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: like a farmer's carry, you're adding in that core stability, 115 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: so you're getting a different effect and added effect as well. 116 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: But here is the very cool thing, and this is 117 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: what gets me excited. Oh gets me excited. But what 118 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: the research is showing and what you would experience when 119 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,239 Speaker 1: you do this is there's a different mind body connection. 120 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: Right when you have to concentrate on using one side 121 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: of the body that is loaded or loaded differently from 122 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: the other, there's a neural component. Still learning about it. 123 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,719 Speaker 1: I don't see a downside to it. You don't want 124 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: to again do this exclusively, but as part of your 125 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: exercise arsenal, what an amazing new workout. If you're not 126 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: doing it, how many times a week should you do it? 127 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: I would say one for the vast majority of people, 128 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: one time asymmetrical. I mean, many different ways to program 129 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: it in. But we want to get strong first. You 130 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: gotta build that base of strength. So I would go 131 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: in this order, bilateral right, you gotta you gotta get 132 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: good first, then unilateral right, and then the different one 133 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: or two different methods of asymmetrical training, either loading just 134 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: one side of the body doing the offset loading as 135 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 1: I said, And let me give you just one more option, 136 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: doing you anilateral and asymmetry at the same time. What 137 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: is that? Very simple? A one legged dumbbell deadlift. Okay, 138 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: so just more options. And one great thing about options 139 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: and variation, it keeps you interested. Going to the gym 140 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: can be really boring if you're doing the same thing 141 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: over and over again. And if you do the same 142 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: thing over and over again, you know, stop seeing the 143 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: same type of results. You're gonna plateau as your body 144 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 1: gets acclimated to that. So it's just another element to 145 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: add in to your training. Repertoire based on your goals. 146 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: But when one of the major goals for myself and 147 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: hopefully for you is to stay injury free and to 148 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: help balance out those asymmetries, because we're only as strong 149 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: as our weakest link, then asymmetrical training along with that 150 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: offset loading element is a great way to do it, 151 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: all right, So you go try it once a week. 152 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: If you're working out three times a week, do your 153 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: traditional workout, and you can even do it within Everything 154 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: doesn't have to be asymmetrical. But if you're doing three 155 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: strength workouts, doing two of your normal ones and throwing 156 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: in some offset loading, some asymmetrical training, gonna mix it up, 157 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: gonna make it more interesting and gonna challenge your body 158 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: in a different way. You're adding in the core musculature, 159 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: you're adding in a neural component which is going to 160 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: make mind body connections different and better. Potentially, These are 161 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: all good things, all right. There you go. Asymmetrical training 162 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: questions comments reach out Tom h Fit Instagram and Twitter. 163 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: Tom h Fit can also email me through Fitness disrupted 164 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: dot com. Please follow the show, subscribe to the show, 165 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: rate the show, whatever you can do, it's greatly appreciated. 166 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: Greatly appreciated, and the most recent book is The micro 167 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 1: Workout Plan, which is the basics that I just talked about, bilateral, 168 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 1: unilateral stuff that keeps me injury free. But it's about variation, 169 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: not one way. You know, this was once pitched to 170 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: me by someone, the offset loading, and it was like, 171 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: this is the way, it's not unillateral. So they had 172 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 1: to denigrate uniateral training to pitch the asymmetrical slash offset loading. No, no, 173 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: they're all good. And if you do all of these 174 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: things a little bit, it's the excessive moderation. People. If 175 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: you do some bilateral training, some uniateral training, some asymmetrical training, 176 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: holy smokes, are you gonna be in great shape? Holy smokes? 177 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: Are you gonna be functionally fit? And at fifty three, 178 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: my goal is to be able to do everything I 179 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: want to do, like run across the Grand Canyon, not once, 180 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 1: but twice. I think I'd go back now, I think 181 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: I may go back again and sometimes in the future. 182 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: So amazing. But my point is to do different things 183 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: consistently so that you can have your best life, because 184 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: that's my goal for this show. All right, enough, it's 185 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: a fit tip. We're done. Thank you for listening. I'm 186 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 1: Tom Holland. This is Fitness Disrupted. Believe in yourself. Fitness 187 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: Disrupted is a production of I heart Radio. For more 188 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 189 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.