10 Best Skater Hops Alternatives for Low-Impact Cardio

Skater Hops are done standing. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Ski Step, the Back And Forth Step and Scissor Jumps.

Skater HopsWatch the Skater Hops

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do Skater Hops

The steps for Skater Hops themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Cardio, with quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves · Bodyweight · Advanced · Compound

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and jump to the right, landing on your right foot.
  3. As you land, swing your left leg behind your right leg and tap the ground with your left toes.
  4. Immediately jump to the left, landing on your left foot.
  5. As you land, swing your right leg behind your left leg and tap the ground with your right toes.
  6. Continue alternating sides, jumping and tapping the ground with each leg.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Skater Hops Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Skater Hops on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Ski StepPlay demonstration

    1. Ski Step

    93% match

    Cardio · Beginner · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the heart and lungs.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Bend your knees slightly and keep your back straight.
    3. Jump to the right, landing on your right foot while swinging your left leg behind your right leg.
    4. Immediately jump to the left, landing on your left foot while swinging your right leg behind your left leg.
    5. Continue alternating jumps from side to side, mimicking a skiing motion.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: Work for 30 to 60 seconds, rest as long as you worked, and repeat 6 to 10 times.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: your heart and lungs, the same as Skater Hops
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as Skater Hops
    • Body position: standing, the same as Skater Hops
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than Skater Hops

  5. 5. Burpee

    86% match

    Cardio · Intermediate · Compound

Why You Might Need a Skater Hops Alternative

You may substitute skater hops because of joint pain, balance deficits, limited space, or training goals that prioritize conditioning over plyometric stress. Skater hops create high lateral ground-reaction forces and repeated single-leg loading that can aggravate ankle, knee, or hip issues. Alternatives let you preserve lateral power and cardiovascular stimulus while reducing impact or isolating stability work. For rehab or stability, choose moves that emphasize glute med activation and limit frontal-plane shear; cue controlled push-off, keep hips square, and land softly on the midfoot to reduce joint stress. For conditioning, select drills that sustain heart rate without explosive landings.

How to Choose the Right Skater Hops Substitute

Match the substitute to your training goal: power, conditioning, or rehab. If you want lateral power, pick single-leg bounds and progress distance while cueing strong hip extension and driving through the heel to engage glute max. For low-impact cardio, use lateral shuffles or high-knee marches and emphasize quick ground contacts with an upright torso. For balance or rehabilitation, choose curtsy lunges or lateral stepovers and cue knee tracking over the toes and minimal hip drop to target the glute med. Also consider available space, fatigue management, and how the movement loads single-leg vs bilateral patterns when programming.

Skater Hops FAQ

What muscles does Skater Hops work?

Skater hops primarily tax the cardiovascular system while recruiting the glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, hip abductors, and core for stabilization. Biomechanically they impose lateral ground-reaction forces and single-leg loading that require strong glute med activation to control hip adduction; cue landing on the midfoot to absorb force.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Skater Hops?

A curtsy lunge is a practical bodyweight alternative because it reduces impact while targeting the same hip abductors and glutes used in lateral propulsion. Cue sending the hips back, drive through the heel on the front leg, and keep the chest upright to emphasize glute med and glute max activation.

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

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