10 Best Side Hop-sprint Alternatives for Quad Strength
If you can’t do the Side Hop-sprint, use lateral bounds, skater jumps, Bulgarian split squats, jumping lunges, or sled pushes to target the quadriceps and lateral power. Emphasize knee extension and soft landings: absorb force with a 20–30° knee bend and drive through the midfoot to maximize quad activation.
Original Exercise: Side Hop-sprint
How to Perform Side Hop-sprint
- Stand to the side of a cone or hurdle.
- Begin this drill by hopping sideways over the obstacle, rebounding out of your landing to hop back to where you started.
- Hop for a prescribed number or repetitions as quickly as possible, and finish this drill by sprinting a short distance upon landing the last hop.
Pro Tips
- Category: Plyometrics
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Side Hop-sprint Alternatives
1. Carioca Quick Step
82.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Begin with your feet a few inches apart and your left arm up in a relaxed, athletic position.
- With your right foot, quick step behind and pull the knee up.
- Fire your arms back up when you pull the right knee, being sure that your knee goes straight up and down. Avoid turning your feet as you move and continue to look forward as you move to the side.
2. Bench Sprint
75.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand on the ground with one foot resting on a bench or box with your heel close to the edge.
- Push off with your foot on top of the bench, extending through the hip and knee.
- Land with the opposite foot on top of the box, returning your other foot back to the start position.
- Continue alternating from one foot to another to complete the set.
3. Bear Crawl
70.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Lift your knees slightly off the ground, keeping your back flat and your core engaged.
- Move your right hand and left foot forward simultaneously, followed by your left hand and right foot.
- Continue crawling forward, alternating your hand and foot movements.
- Maintain a steady pace and keep your core tight throughout the exercise.
4. Back And Forth Step
66% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Step forward with your right foot, bending your knee and lowering your body into a lunge position.
- Push off with your right foot and step back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement with your left foot, alternating legs with each step.
- Continue stepping back and forth, maintaining a steady pace.
5. Double Leg Butt Kick
65.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Begin standing with your knees slightly bent.
- Quickly squat a short distance, flexing the hips and knees, and immediately extend to jump for maximum vertical height.
- As you go up, tuck your heels by flexing the knees, attempting to touch the buttocks.
- Finish the motion by landing with the knees only partially bent, using your legs to absorb the impact.
6. Astride Jumps (male)
64.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position.
- Jump explosively upwards, extending your legs and arms.
- While in the air, spread your legs apart and bring your arms out to the sides.
- Land softly with your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees to absorb the impact.
7. Battling Ropes
63.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold one end of the rope in each hand, with your palms facing each other.
- Raise your arms to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
- Begin making alternating waves with the ropes by rapidly raising and lowering each arm.
- Continue for the desired duration or number of repetitions.
8. Burpee
62.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body into a squat position by bending your knees and placing your hands on the floor in front of you.
- Kick your feet back into a push-up position.
- Perform a push-up, keeping your body in a straight line.
- Jump your feet back into the squat position.
9. Fast Skipping
61% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a relaxed position with one leg slightly forward. This will be your starting position.
- Skip by executing a step-hop pattern of right-right-step to left-left-step, and so on, alternating back and forth.
- Perform fast skips by maintaining close contact with the ground and reduce air time, moving as quickly as possible.
10. Bodyweight Walking Lunge
53.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Begin standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips.
- Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright, and your front knee should stay above the front foot.
- Drive through the heel of your lead foot and extend both knees to raise yourself back up.
- Step forward with your rear foot, repeating the lunge on the opposite leg.
Why You Might Need a Side Hop-sprint Alternative
You may need substitutes because of knee or ankle pain, lack of space or equipment, or a goal shift from high-speed work to controlled strength. High-impact lateral hops demand rapid eccentric control and strong hip abductors; alternatives let you isolate the quads or reduce joint loading. For example, Bulgarian split squats let you load concentric knee extension without repeated high-impact landings—keep the torso upright and descend with controlled eccentric tempo to emphasize quad tension. If you want power but can’t sprint laterally, perform lateral bounds with a controlled landing to preserve frontal-plane force production while lowering impact.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Choose a substitute based on your goal, joint tolerance, and available equipment. For power and lateral explosiveness pick skater jumps or lateral bounds and cue a long push-off and soft, knee-dominant landing to train rapid knee extension and hip abduction. For raw quad hypertrophy or rehab pick split squats or single-leg press, using slow eccentrics and a full knee bend to overload the quadriceps. If you need low-impact progression, use sled pushes or step-ups and keep knee alignment neutral to avoid valgus stress while still targeting knee-extensor torque.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Side Hop-sprint work?
The Side Hop-sprint primarily loads the quadriceps through repeated knee extension and eccentric landing control. It also recruits the glute medius and maximus for lateral stability, hamstrings and calves for sprint propulsion, and the core for trunk stabilization during changes of direction.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Side Hop-sprint?
Skater jumps (lateral bounds) are the top bodyweight substitute because they replicate frontal-plane force and lateral quad demand. Cue a strong single-leg push-off, land softly with 20–30° knee flexion, and absorb the landing with the working quad and hip abductors to maintain low impact and good mechanics.
Can I build muscle without doing Side Hop-sprint?
Yes. Use loaded unilateral lifts like Bulgarian split squats or weighted squats to produce greater time under tension and progressive overload for the quads. Perform controlled eccentrics, full knee flexion, and increasing load or sets to stimulate hypertrophy without relying on plyometric Side Hop-sprints.
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