Medicine Ball Skater Hop

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a medicine ball at chest height with both hands.
2. Maintain a slight bend in your knees and a neutral spine with your core engaged.
3. Ensure you have 4-6 feet of clear space on both sides for lateral movement.

How to do it

1. Push off your right foot to jump laterally to the left, landing softly on your left leg with a slight bend in the knee.
2. As you land, sweep your right leg behind your left and bring the medicine ball toward your left hip to engage the obliques.
3. Exhale as you immediately push off the left foot to jump back to the right, switching the ball to the right hip.
4. Maintain a continuous, rhythmic tempo, focusing on both lateral distance and soft landings.

Form checklist

• Land softly on the mid-foot to absorb impact through the hips and quads.
• Keep your chest lifted and avoid rounding your lower back as you move the ball.
• Keep the trailing foot hovering off the floor to maximize balance and glute engagement.
• Ensure the knee of the landing leg stays aligned with your toes, avoiding inward collapse.

Pro tips

• Think of the medicine ball as a weight-shift tool; drive it aggressively toward the landing hip to increase the demand on your obliques.
• Focus on 'sticking' the landing for a fraction of a second to develop superior eccentric control and joint stability.

Make it harder

• Increase the lateral distance of each jump to maximize power output and force production.
• Touch the medicine ball to the floor outside the landing foot to increase the range of motion and glute demand.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the medicine ball skater hop work?

The medicine ball skater hop primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the medicine ball skater hop?

The medicine ball skater hop uses medicine ball.

Is the medicine ball skater hop good for beginners?

The medicine ball skater hop is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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• 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps