Legs · Bodyweight
Lateral Hops
How to do the lateral hops, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand on the balls of your feet and hop side to side, pushing off one foot to bound laterally and landing softly on the other or both feet. Keep your knees soft and stay light, hopping back and forth in a steady rhythm.
- 1Your calves and quads springing you laterally off each push
- 2Your outer hips and glutes controlling the landing on each side
- 3Soft, athletic landings with knees bent to absorb the impact
Common mistakes
- Do not land with stiff, straight legs; absorb through a soft bend
- Do not let your landing knee cave inward
- Do not hunch forward; stay tall and balanced over your feet
Muscles worked
The lateral hops mainly works the calves, with the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and adductors assisting.
- CalvesPrimary
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the lateral hops for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More calves & shins exercises
- How to do the ankle cars
- How to do the ankle circles
- How to do the ankle rocks
- How to do the resistance band ankle mobilization
- How to do the calf press
- How to do the calf raises with hold
Last reviewed June 2026.