Speed Skater

The speed skater, also called a skater jump or skater bound, is a bodyweight plyometric exercise that mimics the lateral push-off of a speed skater's stride. Athletes leap sideways from one leg to the other, absorbing each landing before immediately bounding back in the opposite direction. It builds explosive hip and knee extension power, frontal-plane balance, and single-leg landing control that translates directly to change-of-direction sports. Because each rep lands on one leg, it also exposes and corrects side-to-side strength imbalances.

Muscles Targeted

• Primary: Gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, quadriceps, hamstrings
• Secondary: Hip adductors and abductors, calves (gastrocnemius, soleus)
• Tertiary: Obliques and deep core stabilizers, ankle stabilizers

Starting Position

Stand on your right leg with the knee slightly bent, left foot lifted off the floor and trailing behind and across your body. Hinge slightly forward at the hips and lower into a quarter-squat on the standing leg, keeping your chest up and your weight centered over the ball of your foot. Let your arms hang relaxed and ready to swing, mirroring a speed skater's low, athletic stance.

Execution Steps

1. Load the standing leg by bending the knee and hip slightly, as if loading a spring before takeoff
2. Push off explosively through the standing foot, driving sideways and slightly upward
3. Leap laterally across your body, letting the trailing leg sweep behind you for counterbalance and swinging the opposite arm across your body for momentum
4. Land softly on the opposite leg, absorbing the impact by bending the knee and hip immediately on contact
5. Stabilize for a beat to confirm balance before the next rep, especially early in training
6. Reverse direction immediately, pushing off the newly landed leg back across to the other side
7. Continue alternating sides for the prescribed number of reps or time

Form Cues

• Land quiet and soft: Absorb each landing through the hip and knee rather than letting the foot slap down stiff-legged
• Keep the chest tall: A slight forward hinge is fine, but avoid collapsing forward at the waist on landing
• Drive with the arms: Swinging the opposite arm across your body adds momentum and mirrors the real skating motion
• Stay low between reps: Keep the hips and knees bent throughout rather than standing fully upright between bounds
• Track the knee over the foot: Avoid letting the landing knee cave inward toward the midline

Common Mistakes

• Landing stiff-legged: A locked knee on landing sends impact straight into the joint instead of the muscles, increasing injury risk. Bend the knee and hip to absorb force.
• Jumping too far too soon: Overreaching the lateral distance before you can control the landing causes instability and wasted energy correcting balance. Shorten the bound until landings are controlled.
• Letting the knee collapse inward: Valgus collapse on landing stresses the knee ligaments. Actively push the knee out in line with the toes on contact.
• Skipping the counter-arm swing: Keeping the arms passive removes momentum and coordination benefits. Drive the opposite arm across the body on each bound.
• Staying upright between reps: Standing tall between bounds resets the athletic stance and reduces the plyometric carryover. Stay in a low, ready position throughout the set.

Variations

• Stick-the-landing skater: Pause and hold each landing for 1-2 seconds to build single-leg stability before progressing to continuous bounds
• Resisted skater with mini band: A band looped around the ankles adds lateral resistance and increases glute medius activation
• Low skater hold: A regression that holds the loaded single-leg position isometrically without jumping, useful for beginners building balance
• Weighted skater jump: Holding light dumbbells increases the power demand for advanced athletes
• Skater with reach: Touching the floor with the trailing hand on each landing adds hip mobility and range of motion demand

Tips for Progression

• Increase jump distance gradually as landing control improves, rather than maximizing distance from the start
• Reduce the pause between reps to build continuous, reactive power once single landings are solid
• Add a resistance band around the ankles to increase the strength and stability demand
• Increase total bounds per set or add extra rounds before adding external load
• Progress from stick-the-landing reps to continuous bounding once each landing is stable and quiet

Training Notes

Program speed skaters as part of a lower-body power or plyometric warm-up 2-3 times per week, using 2-4 sets of 8-12 total bounds (4-6 per side). Prioritize landing quality over speed or distance, and rest 60-90 seconds between sets to keep each rep explosive. This exercise pairs well with lateral agility drills and single-leg strength work, and is especially useful for athletes in sports involving cutting, skating, or lateral acceleration.