Skater Hops

About This Exercise

A lateral plyometric bound that trains single-leg power, deceleration, and balance through the frontal plane — the reactive lateral strength that underpins cutting, shielding, and change of direction.

1Setup

Stand on one leg with a soft knee, chest tall, arms ready to swing. Clear a little space to each side.

2Execution

Push off the standing leg and bound laterally, landing softly on the opposite leg. Absorb the landing with a bent knee and hip, find your balance, then immediately bound back to the other side. Swing the arms to drive each hop.

Pro Tips

• Land soft and stick the landing for a beat — control beats distance
• Drive off the outside leg and absorb on the landing leg with a bent knee
• Keep the chest up and the landing knee tracking over the toes (no inward collapse)
• Build distance only once you can land balanced and quiet