Legs · Bodyweight
Sideward Shuffle
How to do the sideward shuffle, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Lunge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Drop into an athletic half squat and shuffle sideways, pushing off the trailing foot and stepping out with the lead foot. Keep your hips low and chest up, then change direction and shuffle back.
- 1Stay low in an athletic stance and push hard off the outside foot
- 2Feel your glutes and outer thighs driving each lateral step
- 3Keep your feet quick and light without crossing them over
Common mistakes
- Don't stand tall; staying low keeps the work in your legs
- Avoid clicking your heels together or crossing your feet
- Don't let your knees cave inward as you push off
Muscles worked
The sideward shuffle mainly works the glutes and quads, with the adductors, hamstrings, and calves assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- QuadsPrimary
- AdductorsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the sideward shuffle 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 glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.