Lateral Hop to Balance

Setup & Positioning

• Stand on one leg with a soft bend in the knee, core engaged, and eyes forward.
• Keep the opposite foot off the ground and arms slightly out for balance.
• Choose a clear space or set up a small marker to jump over.

Key point: “Your job is to land softly and under control—stick the landing before moving to the next hop.”

Execution

1. Push off your standing leg to hop sideways toward the opposite side.
2. Land on the opposite leg with the knee slightly bent, hips back, and chest up.
3. Hold the landing for 1–2 seconds to stabilize before hopping back the other way.
4. Repeat for the set number of reps or distance, focusing on controlled landings.

Where You Should Feel It

• Glutes and hip stabilizers controlling the landing
• Quads and hamstrings absorbing force
• Core muscles keeping your torso upright

Where You Shouldn’t Feel It

• Knee pain from locking out on landing
• Lower back strain from collapsing forward
• Ankle pain from landing too stiff or rolling the foot

Breathing

"Exhale during the hop, inhale as you stabilize in the landing."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Landing stiff-legged – Absorb the impact with a soft knee bend.
2. Not holding the balance – Pause at each landing to train control.
3. Collapsing at the hips – Keep your pelvis level on landing.
4. Jumping too far too soon – Start with small hops and progress gradually.