Skater hop
A skater hop is bounding sideways from one foot to the other, sweeping the free leg behind you like a speed skater. It works the glutes, quads and outer hips, and trains balance and side-to-side power.
- Group
- Cardio
- Equipment
- None
- A first set
- 20 reps
How to do it
Start position
Stand on one leg with the knee slightly bent and the other foot lifted behind you, torso leaning a little forward, arms ready.
One rep
- Bound sideways and land softly on the other foot, sweeping the free leg behind the standing leg while your arms swing across your body.
- Bound back to the first side for the next rep.
Tempo
About 1.6 seconds per rep, at a controlled pace. A set of 20 takes around 32 seconds.
Form cues
- Land softly with your knee bent.
- Keep the hops short, within the width of a mat.
Common mistakes
- Landing with a straight legBend the landing knee and sink into the hip to absorb the hop.
- Knee falling in on landingKeep the knee over the middle of the foot; hop shorter until it stays there.
- Putting both feet downLet the back foot only tap the floor, or not touch it at all.