The other day, I was watching one of my clients do Bulgarian split squats. She crushed her first leg, then jumped straight into the other side without a break.
I didn’t pull her up as I wanted to use it as a teaching moment.
Halfway through, she looked at me and said, “Why does this leg always feel weaker?”
I smiled and said, “It’s not weaker… it’s just tired.”
Here’s the thing a lot of people miss when they do single-sided moves (like split squats or one-arm rows):
They don’t rest between sides.
After a hard set on one side, your whole body is a bit tired—your muscles, your heart, even your brain. If you jump straight into the other leg or arm, it’s already at a disadvantage. That means fewer reps, less strength, and less muscle growth over time.
And if you always do the same side second? That side will start falling behind.
BUT—here’s a cool trick…
If one side really is a lot weaker, you can actually use this rest stuff to help fix it. How? By not resting as long before training your stronger side. That way, your strong side has to work a bit harder—kind of like leveling the playing field.
The key is knowing how big the difference is. If the gap between sides is small, which is normal, just keep resting evenly. But if one side is clearly lagging, you can adjust your rest times to help your weaker side catch up.
Smart training isn’t just what you lift—it’s how you recover between sets, too.
By the way, here are 3 more ways I can help you improve your strength, physique and gym confidence:
1. Grab a free copy of my new book – Lower Body Workouts for Women
If you’ve been doing random exercises at the gym without a plan, this is for you. Steal one of my favourite workout templates to build strong and toned legs! Click here to grab your free copy.
2. Join Our Strong Not Skinny Program
I’m putting together a new Strong Not Skinny group at the end of this month… stay tuned for details. If you’d like me to create a brand-new strength program for you each month so you can build strength and muscle, join our WAITLIST HERE, and I’ll give you first access before spots open to the public.
3. Learn more tips and tricks on any one of my socials below:
