The Skaters Exercise, also known as Skater Hops or the Lateral Bound, is a dynamic, plyometric movement that mimics the side-to-side motion of a speed skater. This lateral movement is highly effective for improving agility and cardiovascular fitness, unlike most common forward-and-back exercises. Engaging in this unilateral movement builds lower body power and challenges balance and coordination. It increases your heart rate while strengthening the muscles responsible for side-to-side stability.
Step-by-Step Execution
Begin the movement in an athletic stance with your feet approximately hip-width apart, your knees slightly bent, and your chest lifted. Shift your weight onto one leg and prepare for the lateral push-off by slightly hinging at the hips. The leg you are standing on provides the explosive force, driving your body horizontally across the floor.
As you propel yourself sideways, coordinate your arms by swinging the arm opposite the jumping leg across your body to generate momentum and aid in balance. Aim to cover as much ground as possible laterally, extending the leg you pushed off with behind and across your body. Your focus during this airborne phase should be on preparing for a soft, controlled landing.
Land exclusively on the opposite foot, absorbing the impact by immediately bending your knee and pushing your hips back. The landing should be quiet, with your weight slightly forward on the ball of your foot, and your knee aligned over your toes to prevent inward collapse. The non-landing foot should sweep behind the ankle of the stable foot, either hovering or lightly tapping the floor only for momentary balance.
Without pausing for an extended period, explode off the landing leg to immediately jump back in the opposite direction, maintaining a continuous, rhythmic flow. The goal is to move smoothly from the absorbed landing into the next powerful push-off, keeping your chest up and your core braced throughout the side-to-side sequence. This continuous, controlled movement is what differentiates the exercise from a simple side jump.
Muscles Targeted
The Skaters Exercise engages a wide array of lower-body and core musculature. The primary muscles driving the push-off and absorbing the landing are the quadriceps and the gluteal muscles. The quadriceps work to extend the knee during the explosive jump and then eccentrically control the landing.
The gluteus maximus is recruited for the hip extension that propels the body laterally. The gluteus medius and gluteus minimus are heavily engaged to stabilize the hip and pelvis during the single-leg landing. The hamstrings and calves assist in stabilizing the knee and ankle complex to maintain control throughout the movement.
The core and oblique muscles play a significant role in maintaining balance as the body shifts weight from side to side. They resist the rotational forces created by the lateral jump, ensuring the torso remains upright and stable during the single-leg landing. This focus on lateral hip and core stability is a key benefit of the exercise.
Scaling Difficulty and Preventing Errors
To adjust the intensity of the Skaters Exercise, beginners should start by stepping side-to-side rather than jumping, which reduces the impact and allows a focus on balance and form. To increase the challenge, consider the following modifications:
- Increase the distance of your lateral jump.
- Add a touch-down element, where your hand touches the floor near your landing foot.
- Pause for one to two seconds on the landing leg to emphasize single-leg stability before pushing off again.
A common error to avoid is letting the knee of the landing leg collapse inward, which places undue stress on the joint. To correct this, actively engage your glutes and ensure your knee tracks directly over your toes as you absorb the impact. Another frequent mistake is landing stiffly without bending the hips and knees enough, which fails to absorb the force and can strain the joints. Always aim for a soft landing by immediately dropping your hips and bending your knee to cushion the impact.
Some people perform small, vertical hops instead of driving horizontally, which reduces the effectiveness for agility and power. Focus on pushing out and across the floor, not just up, and use your arms to help generate that sideways momentum. Being mindful of these form points maximizes the benefits of this lateral movement.