Exercise guide
Single Leg Hopping
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
This plyometric exercise builds explosive power, ankle stability, and unilateral lower-body strength by targeting the calves and posterior chain. It is highly effective for improving athletic reactivity and correcting muscle imbalances through high-impact force absorption.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand upright with feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
- Lift one foot off the ground, bending the knee slightly so the foot is suspended behind you.
- Find your balance on the standing leg with a slight bend in the knee and hip to prepare for the movement.
How to do it
- Push through the ball of your foot to jump vertically, explosively extending the ankle, knee, and hip.
- Exhale as you explode upward, using your arms in a rhythmic swinging motion to help generate momentum.
- Land softly on the ball of the same foot, immediately absorbing the impact by bending the knee and hip into a shallow squat.
- Maintain a steady, rhythmic tempo, performing all repetitions on one side before switching to the other.
Form checklist
- Keep the knee of the working leg aligned with your second toe; do not let it cave inward.
- Land as quietly as possible to ensure your muscles, rather than your joints, are absorbing the force.
- Maintain an upright torso and keep your gaze forward to assist with balance.
- Keep the non-working leg stable and tucked to prevent it from swinging and creating false momentum.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'stiffening' the ankle upon contact to minimize ground contact time, which maximizes plyometric reactivity.
- Imagine the floor is hot to encourage quick, spring-like movements rather than heavy, sluggish jumps.
Make it harder
- Increase the height of each hop to maximize power output and eccentric load during the landing.
- Perform the hops over a small obstacle or line to incorporate a spatial accuracy and lateral stability component.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the single leg hopping work?
- The single leg hopping primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the single leg hopping?
- The single leg hopping requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the single leg hopping good for beginners?
- The single leg hopping is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- 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