Legs / Beginner / Compound (multi-joint)

Side Hop-Sprint

An explosive bodyweight exercise for the quads, with the hip abductors, adductors and calves assisting.

At a glance

Primary

Quads

Secondary

Hip abductors (glute med), Adductors, Calves, Hamstrings

Equipment

Bodyweight

Movement pattern

Jump / plyometric, Single-leg / lunge, Ankle push-off (plantar flexion)

Level

Beginner

Type

Legs, Compound (multi-joint), Explosive

Loads the knee. Use a load you can control and skip it if it causes pain.

How to do it

1. Stand to the side of a cone or hurdle.
2. Begin this drill by hopping sideways over the obstacle, rebounding out of your landing to hop back to where you started.
3. Hop for a prescribed number or repetitions as quickly as possible, and finish this drill by sprinting a short distance upon landing the last hop.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Sprinting at full speed without a warm-up.

  Why it hurts: Hamstrings are most often strained during maximal sprinting, and cold muscles are less tolerant.

  ✓ Instead: Warm up with easy running, drills and 3–4 build-up runs before any all-out effort.

• ✗ Over-striding with the foot landing far in front.

  Why it hurts: The hamstring is loaded while stretched, which is the typical strain mechanism.

  ✓ Instead: Land with the foot under the hips and think of pushing the ground back, not reaching forward.

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