Ankle Hop

How to do it

1. Stand tall with feet hip-width and knees almost straight.
2. Rise onto the balls of the feet.
3. Hop a few centimetres off the floor using only the ankles.
4. Land on the balls of the feet and rebound immediately into the next hop.
5. Keep a quick, even rhythm for the set number of hops.

Tips

• Think of the ankles as stiff springs: short contact time, quick rebound.
• Keep the heels just off the floor on every landing.
• Use a small arm swing to help the rhythm.

Common mistakes

• Bending the knees deeply on each landing.
• Landing flat-footed on the heels.
• Chasing height instead of speed.

Muscles worked by the Ankle Hop

• Calves (gastrocnemius) Primary29%
• Calves (soleus) Primary19%
• Quads (vastus lateralis) Secondary8%
• Gluteus maximus Secondary7%
• Quads (rectus femoris) Secondary7%
• Hamstrings (biceps femoris) Secondary6%
• Quads (vastus medialis) Secondary6%
• Adductors Minor4%
• Hamstrings (semitendinosus/-membranosus) Minor4%
• Front delts Stabilizer3%
• Spinal erectors (lower back) Stabilizer3%
• Upper abs Stabilizer2%
• Gluteus medius Stabilizer2%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Stiff, quick hops off the ankles. Two-footed jumps are a fast countermovement of hips, knees and ankles: glutes, quads and calves produce the force and absorb the landing.

Ankle Hop alternatives

Same equipment

• Forward Backward Line HopBodyweight
• Pogo JumpBodyweight
• Lateral Hurdle HopBodyweight
• Lateral Line HopBodyweight

Different equipment

• Dumbbell Jump SquatDumbbell
• Kettlebell Jump SquatKettlebell

Make it harder

• Lateral Hurdle HopBodyweight
• Box Step Up JumpBodyweight
• Broad Jump to SprintBodyweight
• Dumbbell Jump SquatDumbbell

Similar exercises

• Depth DropBodyweight
• Depth JumpBodyweight

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Ankle Hop work?

Mainly the calves (gastrocnemius) and calves (soleus). The quads (vastus lateralis), gluteus maximus, quads (rectus femoris), hamstrings (biceps femoris) and quads (vastus medialis) assist.

Is the Ankle Hop good for beginners?

Yes. The Ankle Hop is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Ankle Hop?

For example the Forward Backward Line Hop, Pogo Jump and Lateral Hurdle Hop. They train mostly the same muscles.

How do you make the Ankle Hop harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Lateral Hurdle Hop and Box Step Up Jump.

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