Aloha my friends!
There are very few things that defy the normal rules of muscle growth. In fact, in my opinion at least, there are only three:
1. Anabolic Steroids (which you should never use)
2. BFR (Blood Flow Restriction Training)
3. The Cross-Education Phenomenon
Today I want to tell you about the third!
The Cross-Education Phenomenon, which is also known as the “Cross-Transfer Effect” and “Contralateral Co-Activation”, is actually quite simple to understand, belying it’s incredible power. It’s this:
When you work any muscle on one side of your body via a UNILATERAL lift (aka single-sided, as in the GIF below)… the same muscles on the contralateral (opposite) side of your body will receive a significant percentage of the gains from that lift, even though those muscles DIDN’T DO ANY WORK THEMSELVES!!!
And we’re talking gains in every meaning of the word — hypertrophy (size), strength, and endurance.
Mind-blowing, right??
The ramifications and use-cases for this effect are numerous. For one, it’s one of the many science-based efficiency strategies that I’ve integrated into my new 15-Minute Series Total Body Program in order to decrease workout time without sacrificing gains, and while still benefitting from the many activation patterns that are only possible via unilateral movements.
Another incredible application is that when one of your arms or legs is injured… you can not only prevent atrophy but actually even increase the size & strength of the affected muscles—even if they’re completely immobilized—by consistently training the same muscles on the opposite / healthy side of your body!
Scientists are still trying to understand exactly how this works, since like I said at the top… it defies our understanding of how muscle growth should work. Currently the prevailing theory is that it’s a multi-faceted effect involving the nervous, muscle, and endocrine systems of the body.
However it works though, it’s also been discovered that there are three ways to BOOST the Cross-Education Effect, further increasing the percentage of the gains that the contralateral, NON-WORKED muscles receive from unilateral training:
1. Contralateral gains are greater with ECCENTRIC (negative) unilateral training
2. Contralateral gains are greater with LONG FIBER LENGTH range of motion unilateral training
3. Contralateral gains are greater with unilateral training performed with BFR (Blood Flow Restriction)
The BFR boost appears to be the strongest, with the contralateral muscles (with no work done and no direct BFR) in some cases receiving as much as 94% of the gains of the muscles that were directly worked!
Application: You can effectively build a muscle WITHOUT directly working it by targeting the same muscle on the OPPOSITE SIDE via unilateral training!!
Relevant Previous FTF Tips (for All-Access Members):
1) Week 4 | The Amazing Benefits of UNILATERAL (One-Sided) Training!
Relevant Research Article(s):
1) The Cross-Education Phenomenon: Brain and Beyond
Relevant Dr. Gains YouTube Video(s):
1) This AI-Powered 5-Minute REHIT Workout Beats 50 Min of Cardio PLUS A Heavy Leg Workout! (CAROL Bike)
Relevant Dr. Gains Program(s):
1) 15-Minute Series Total Body Program (Pre-Order Now, Releases 9/29)
Dr. Gains 
Leave a comment