Challenge: do some isolateral training

Several months ago, I decided that I wanted to be able to do a one arm push-up by my 50th birthday. This milestone birthday comes at the end of January 2023. I chose to set myself this goal for three main reasons: it keeps me motivated to do my workouts, it is very challenging, and it requires little space or equipment.

Working towards a one arm push up has challenged me to come up with the best exercises to reach that goal. I am doing eccentric training, which means slowly lengthening a muscle under load, "negatives" and holding (isometric training-static contraction of a muscle), and isolateral training (training one side of the body at a time).

I noticed a big difference in muscle recruitment when I started doing one-arm planks. When I am holding a one arm plank for 30 seconds, not only do I feel my abdominals firing like crazy but also my opposite (opposite to the supporting arm) hip and leg! This made me realize how

important and effective it is to incorporate isolateral exercises into any workout routine.

It is easy to get into the habit of doing "standard" exercises that work both sides of your body at the same time. You can incorporate more isolateral training by using dumbbells instead of a barbell or machine, but I recommend taking it a step further with body-weight exercises like planks, push ups and chin ups.  

For instance, if you go to a gym that has a Gravitron or assisted chin-up machine, try doing one arm chin-ups and notice how different that feels—do you feel more muscles firing? Different muscles firing? Isolateral exercises as well as eccentric and isometric exercises significantly improve strength, more so than concentric training. They are challenging exercises that can add variety to your workout routine.

You don't have to set yourself the goal of doing a one-arm push up or chin-up or holding a one-arm plank for 1 minute, but I suggest training as if you have that goal. Choose exercises that work towards that goal. Let me know how it goes and I will keep you posted on my progress. So far, I can do one negative push up from my knees.