Legs / Beginner / Compound (multi-joint)

Single-Leg Stride Jump

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

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

Level

Beginner

Type

Legs, Compound (multi-joint), One side at a time, Balance / unstable, 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 box with your inside foot on top of it, close to the edge.
2. Begin by swinging the arms upward as you push through the top leg, jumping upward as high as possible. Attempt to drive the opposite knee upward.
3. Land in the same position that you started, using your inside leg to decelerate the impact.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Knee caving in on landing.

  Why it hurts: Single-leg landings are a main cause of ACL injury and ankle sprains.

  ✓ Instead: Master two-leg hops first, then land single-leg with the knee over the toes and hold each landing briefly.

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