What's a sensible starting dose for the single-leg hop-and-stick, and what should I have first?

Start with three to four tiny hops per leg, holding each landing for a full two to three seconds before the next one. You should already be comfortable landing a small jump on two feet and holding a quiet single-leg stance before adding the hop, since this drill assumes both pieces are already solid on their own.

How do I regress the single-leg hop-and-stick if sticking the landing is hard?

Shrink the hop down to barely lifting off the floor at all, focusing on a silent, aligned landing before adding any real distance. Once tiny hops stick cleanly every time, add a little more distance or try landing sideways before increasing height.

Who is the single-leg hop-and-stick for, and when should I avoid it?

It trains the hip and ankle to absorb force and stabilize instantly on landing, which is central to injury-resilient cutting, jumping, and landing in sport. It's well suited to athletes who already move comfortably on one leg, but skip it during any current knee, ankle, or hip injury, since the impact of landing is exactly the load an unhealed joint doesn't need.

Advanced

Single-Leg Hop-and-Stick

The hop is trivial; the skill is in the stick. Landing on one leg and freezing without a wobble teaches the hip and ankle to absorb force and stabilize instantly, which is central to injury-resilient cutting and landing. This is late-stage balance work best built after the static and reaching drills feel easy.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Glutes, Quads
Type: Balance, Functional
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Medius
Browse by movement: Gait Drill

How to do it

1
Balance on one leg with a soft knee and the free foot off the floor.
2
Perform a small controlled hop forward, sideways, or in place.
3
Land on the same single leg with the knee bent and the foot quiet.
4
Freeze the landing and hold a stable, level stance for two to three seconds.
5
Confirm the hip, knee, and ankle are aligned before the next rep.
6
Complete your reps, then switch legs.

Tips

Aim for a silent landing; noise means you are crashing rather than absorbing.
Keep the knee tracking over the toes and never let it collapse inward on impact.
Start with tiny hops and hold each landing fully before adding distance.
If you cannot stick the landing cleanly, reduce the hop size rather than fighting the wobble.

Variations

Common mistakes

The next hop fires the instant the foot touches down, chaining hops together instead of freezing and holding each landing the way the drill calls for.
Every hop goes straight forward, so the sideways and in-place directions this drill is supposed to test never actually get trained.
The torso pitches forward on landing to catch balance, instead of the hip stacking cleanly over the knee and ankle.
Landings get graded only by whether you stayed upright, when a stable stance with the joints aligned is the actual standard, not the mere avoidance of a fall.

Frequently asked

What's a sensible starting dose for the single-leg hop-and-stick, and what should I have first?: Start with three to four tiny hops per leg, holding each landing for a full two to three seconds before the next one. You should already be comfortable landing a small jump on two feet and holding a quiet single-leg stance before adding the hop, since this drill assumes both pieces are already solid on their own.
How do I regress the single-leg hop-and-stick if sticking the landing is hard?: Shrink the hop down to barely lifting off the floor at all, focusing on a silent, aligned landing before adding any real distance. Once tiny hops stick cleanly every time, add a little more distance or try landing sideways before increasing height.
Who is the single-leg hop-and-stick for, and when should I avoid it?: It trains the hip and ankle to absorb force and stabilize instantly on landing, which is central to injury-resilient cutting, jumping, and landing in sport. It's well suited to athletes who already move comfortably on one leg, but skip it during any current knee, ankle, or hip injury, since the impact of landing is exactly the load an unhealed joint doesn't need.

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