Skater Jump
What Is the Skater Jump?
Skater Jump is a compound exercise that primarily targets the glutes and quads and also engages the calves, hamstrings, inner thighs and core. It is an intermediate-level plyometric movement in which you push off one leg, jump sideways and land on the other leg, letting the trailing leg sweep behind the landing leg much like a speed skater's stride.
Most jump training moves straight up or straight ahead. The skater jump works side to side instead, building the lateral push-off and the single-leg landing control that cutting, defensive slides and quick changes of direction depend on. That makes it a common drill for field and court athletes, and a useful way for anyone to train balance and power in a direction that squats and lunges rarely cover. As a power drill it belongs early in a session or after the warm-up, while you are fresh, and as quick continuous reps it also shows up in circuits and conditioning intervals.
The push-off leg extends the hip, knee and ankle together to drive you sideways, with the glutes, quadriceps and calves doing most of that work and the gluteus medius on the outside of the hip helping push the body away. The landing leg then has to absorb your body weight on one foot, so the quadriceps and glutes work while lengthening and the gluteus medius holds the knee in line and the pelvis level. How you run the set changes the focus: holding each landing for a count builds control and balance, jumping farther raises the landing demand, and moving quickly from side to side turns it into conditioning. Tapping the trailing toe down behind you on each landing is the easier version.
The skater jump suits anyone who can already balance on one leg with a bent knee and land a two-footed jump quietly. If that is not yet solid, build up with the Bodyweight Lateral Lunge for side-to-side strength, the Bodyweight Single-Leg Deadlift for single-leg balance and the Jump Squat for basic landing mechanics, then start with short, controlled skater jumps before adding distance or speed.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus
- Primary
- Gluteus Medius
- Primary
- Vastus Lateralis
- Primary
- Vastus Medialis
- Primary
- Rectus Femoris
- High
- Soleus
- High
- Adductor Magnus
- Medium
- Biceps Femoris
- Medium
Instructions
- Stand on your right leg with the knee and hip slightly bent, your chest up and leaning a little forward from the hips, and your left foot lifted just off the floor behind your right ankle.
- Bend your elbows and keep your arms ready to swing.
- Sink slightly deeper into the right hip and knee, then push hard through the right foot to jump sideways to your left.
- Land softly on the ball of your left foot and let the whole foot settle as the left knee and hip bend to absorb the landing.
- As you land, let your right leg sweep behind your left ankle with the foot off the floor, and swing your right arm across the front of your body while your left arm swings back.
- Keep the left knee pointing the same way as your toes and hold the landing until you are steady.
- Push off the left foot to jump back to the right, landing on your right leg with the left leg sweeping behind and the left arm swinging across.
- Keep alternating sides for the set, making every landing quiet and controlled.
Common Mistakes
Knee caving on landing
Letting the landing knee drift inward strains the knee, so keep it pointing the same way as your toes.
Landing on a stiff leg
A straight knee on landing sends the impact into the joints instead of letting the glutes and quads absorb it.
Jumping farther than you can control
Covering more distance than you can stick leads to wobbling, the trailing foot slamming down and the ankle rolling.
Keeping the arms still
Without an arm swing you lose momentum and balance, so each jump gets shorter and each landing less stable.
Rushing into the next jump
Pushing off again before the landing is steady lets form break down, especially late in a set.
Injuries
Skater Jump is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. Every rep ends on one foot with your body still moving sideways, so the landing knee and ankle take most of the stress. The knee is at risk when it caves inward on landing, the ankle can roll outward if the foot lands on its edge, and pushing off too wide can strain the inner thigh or groin. Repeated landings also add up on the knee tendons over a long set.
Warm up the hips, knees and ankles before jumping, and land softly on the ball of the foot, letting the whole foot settle while the hip and knee bend to absorb the impact. Keep the landing knee pointing the same way as your toes. Start with short jumps you can hold still on landing, and only add distance or speed once every landing is quiet and steady. End the set when landings get loud, you start wobbling or the knee drifts inward.
To make it easier, remove the airtime and step out sideways instead, or tap the trailing toe down behind you on each landing. The Bodyweight Lateral Lunge builds the same side-to-side strength with no impact at all. To progress, jump farther, hold each landing longer, or speed up the rhythm once distance and control are both solid.
Stop if you feel sharp pain in the knee, ankle, hip or groin, or if a knee or ankle feels like it gives way. Anyone returning from a knee or ankle injury, or with ongoing joint pain, should get clearance from a clinician before adding single-leg jumps.
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Plyometrics
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Skater Jump
The Skater Jump is also known as:
- Lateral Bound
- Speed Skater
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Are skater jumps good for beginners?
They work better as a second step than a first one. Start with a stepping version that never leaves the floor, or with the Bodyweight Lateral Lunge, and add the jump once you can balance on one bent leg with the knee in line.
- Q: Is a skater jump the same as a lateral bound?
Yes, most coaches use both names for the same sideways jump from one leg onto the other. Holding each landing for a count puts the focus on control, while quick continuous reps turn it into conditioning.
- Q: Should the trailing foot touch the floor?
Keeping it just off the floor makes each landing a true single-leg balance, which is the harder version. Lightly tapping the toe down behind the landing leg is a sensible regression while you learn to control the landing.
- Q: Do skater jumps help with side-to-side speed?
They train the sideways push-off and single-leg landing that cutting and defensive slides rely on. In a small six-week study of high school girls' basketball players, a side-to-side plyometric program improved a lateral hop test and a lateral shuffle test on the left side more than a forward-and-back program, while the forward-and-back program did more for the vertical jump.
- Q: How many skater jumps should I do?
For power, keep sets short, around 6 to 10 landings, and rest fully so every jump stays fast and controlled. For conditioning, longer timed sets work as long as the landings stay quiet and the knees stay in line.