How to Do Single-Leg Stride Jump

Single-Leg Stride Jump — start position demonstration photo
Start
Single-Leg Stride Jump — end position demonstration photo
End

Start and end of one clean rep of Single-Leg Stride Jump.

Quick facts

Primary muscleQuads
Secondary musclesGlutes, Calves, Hamstrings
EquipmentMachine
CategoryPlyometrics

How to perform Single-Leg Stride Jump

  1. Stand to the side of a box with your inside foot on top of it, close to the edge.
  2. Begin by swinging the arms upward as you push through the top leg, jumping upward as high as possible. Attempt to drive the opposite knee upward.
  3. Land in the same position that you started, using your inside leg to decelerate the impact.

Muscles worked

  • Quads (primary): extends the knee to drive squats, lunges and jumps.
  • Glutes (secondary): extends and stabilises the hip — the engine behind hinges, squats and sprints.
  • Calves (secondary): points the foot to power push-off and steady the ankle.
  • Hamstrings (secondary): bends the knee and extends the hip through hinges and pulls.

Sets & reps by goal

GoalSets × repsLoadRest
Strength3–5 × 3–5Heavy (~85%+)2–3 min
Hypertrophy3–4 × 8–12Moderate (~65–75%)60–90 s
Endurance2–3 × 15–20Lighter (~50–60%)30–45 s

Pick the row that matches your goal. If you're newer, anchor in the hypertrophy range while you groove the form.

Form tips

  • Keep the knees tracking in line with the toes and push the whole foot into the floor.
  • Set the seat and pads so the machine's pivot lines up with the joint you're training before your first rep.
  • Land softly through the whole foot with bent knees to absorb the force, and reset fully between reps.
  • Breathe out on the effort and in on the return, keeping one steady rhythm across the set.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the knees cave inward as you push out of the bottom.
  • Leaving the seat or range on a setting that forces the joint into an awkward angle.
  • Landing stiff-legged or with locked knees, which spikes the load on the joints.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does Single-Leg Stride Jump work?

Single-Leg Stride Jump mainly works the quads, with the glutes, calves, hamstrings helping as secondary movers.

What equipment do I need for Single-Leg Stride Jump?

Single-Leg Stride Jump needs the corresponding weight-stack or plate-loaded machine.

How many sets and reps should I do for Single-Leg Stride Jump?

It depends on your goal: about 3–5 sets of 3–5 heavy reps for strength, 3–4 sets of 8–12 for muscle growth, or 2–3 sets of 15–20 for endurance. Pick the row that matches your goal. If you're newer, anchor in the hypertrophy range while you groove the form.

Train Single-Leg Stride Jump with a coach in your pocket

Gimmy is your AI gym buddy — it programs Single-Leg Stride Jump into recovery-aware workouts, tracks your sets, and shows one score that tells you if it's working.

Get early access

Related quads exercises