Lateral Bound

Execution

1. Bend the standing knee and send the hips back a little to load the spring.
2. Push hard sideways and travel onto the other foot, letting the arms swing with you.
3. Land on the whole foot with the knee soft and tracking over the toes, and hold your balance for 1 second.
4. Only push back the other way after you are stable, because this drill teaches braking rather than bouncing.
5. Do 4-6 reps on each side with full rest between sets, keeping the count equal on each side.
6. If the knee caves inward on landing, shorten the distance until you can control it.

Quick cues

• Stick the landing before the next rep.
• Knee tracks over the toes.
• Push sideways, not upward.
• Hold your balance for 1 second.
• Short and clean beats far and messy.

Common faults

• Fault: Bouncing continuously without settling between reps

  Fix: Come to a full stop and hold the landing for 1 second before the next bound.

• Fault: The knee caving inward the moment the foot lands

  Fix: Shorten the bound, drive the knee toward the little toe and add single-leg balance work to your warm-up.

• Fault: Landing on the toes and tipping forward

  Fix: Aim to land flat-footed and keep the chest facing straight ahead.

• Fault: Trying for maximum distance in the first session

  Fix: Start with a shoulder-width bound and only widen it when the landings are quiet and stable.