10 Best Side Standing Long Jump Alternatives for Quad Strength
If you can’t perform the Side Standing Long Jump, choose lateral-focused, quad-dominant drills such as single-leg squat to lateral reach, lateral skater hops, or Cossack squats. Cue a strong hip hinge with knee tracking over the toes and drive through the forefoot to load the quadriceps and generate lateral force.
Original Exercise: Side Standing Long Jump
How to Perform Side Standing Long Jump
- Begin standing with your feet hip width apart in an athletic stance. Your head and chest should be up, knees and hips slightly bent. This will be your starting position.
- Leaning to your right, extend through your hips, knees, and ankles to jump into the air. Block with the arms to lead the movement, jumping as far to your right as you can.
- Land facing the same direction with your feet hip width apart, absorbing the impact through your lower body.
Pro Tips
- Category: Plyometrics
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Side Standing Long Jump Alternatives
1. Burpee
74.7% 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.
2. Astride Jumps (male)
70.6% 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.
3. Dumbbell Burpee
66% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand.
- Lower your body into a squat position, placing the dumbbells on the ground in front of you.
- Kick your feet back into a push-up position, keeping your body in a straight line.
- Perform a push-up, bending your elbows and lowering your chest towards the ground.
- Jump your feet back towards your hands, landing in a squat position.
4. Back And Forth Step
64.4% 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. Bench Sprint
61.7% 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.
6. Depth Jump Leap
61% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- For this drill you will need two boxes or benches, one 12 to 16 inches high and the other 22 to 26 inches high.
- Stand on one of the two boxes with arms at the sides; feet should be together and slightly off the edge as in the depth jump. Place the other box approximately two or three feet in front of and facing the performer.
- Begin by dropping off the initial box, landing and simultaneously taking off with both feet.
- Rebound by driving upward and outward as intensely as possible, using the arms and full extension of the body to jump onto the higher box. Again, allow the legs to absorb the impact.
7. Fast Skipping
59.4% 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.
8. Carioca Quick Step
56.3% 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.
9. Dumbbell Seated Box Jump
54.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Position a box a couple feet to the side of a bench. Hold a dumbbell to your chest with both hands and seat yourself on the bench facing the box. This will be your starting position.
- Plant your feet firmly on the ground as you lean forward, extending through the hips and knees to jump up and forward.
- Land on the box with both feet, absorbing the impact by allowing the hips and knees to bend.
- Step down and return to the starting position.
10. Bear Crawl
53.6% 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.
Why You Might Need a Side Standing Long Jump Alternative
You may need substitutes because of knee pain, limited space, poor landing mechanics, or a lack of confidence with explosive lateral movement. The Side Standing Long Jump demands rapid eccentric control from the quadriceps and shock absorption through the ankle–knee–hip chain. Alternatives let you keep quad overload while reducing frontal-plane impulse or progressive plyometric demand. For example, a slow Cossack squat emphasizes eccentric quad control and adductor activation when you sit low with a tall torso and knees tracking over toes. A controlled single-leg squat reduces bilateral impact and lets you train hip stability and quadriceps loading without high-velocity landings.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to your limiting factor: if joint pain limits jumps, pick slow eccentrics (Cossack squat or Bulgarian split squat) and cue hips back and chest up to shift load into quads safely. If balance or coordination is the issue, use assisted single-leg squats or step-outs with a hand on a rail and focus on knee alignment over the second toe. If you lack power but have healthy joints, progress to low-amplitude lateral skater hops, emphasizing soft landings with 90-degree knee flexion to teach force absorption. Prioritize movement pattern (lateral force production), desired intensity, and specific muscle activation when selecting a replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Side Standing Long Jump work?
The exercise primarily targets the quadriceps via knee extension and the gluteus medius for lateral drive; hamstrings and calves assist in propulsion and landing. During the takeoff you should feel concentric quad activation, and on landing the quads absorb eccentric load to decelerate the knee.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Side Standing Long Jump?
For most people the single-leg squat to lateral reach is the best bodyweight alternative because it preserves unilateral quad loading and lateral stability. Cue sitting back slightly, keep the torso upright, and reach the free foot laterally to train eccentric quad control and hip abductors.
Can I build muscle without doing Side Standing Long Jump?
Yes — you can build quadriceps mass with controlled, higher-volume movements like Bulgarian split squats, Cossack squats, and slow single-leg squats that emphasize time under tension. Focus on full knee flexion, controlled eccentric phases, and progressive overload through reps or tempo to stimulate hypertrophy.
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