Bunny Hops (double leg pogo)

Target muscles

The calves — gastrocnemius and soleus — and the Achilles tendons drive the reactive bounce. The intrinsic foot muscles control the foot position through each contact. The quadriceps and gluteus maximus contribute lightly, but the deeper hip and knee musculature is suppressed because the ankles are doing nearly all the work. The deep core stabilizes the trunk so it doesn't swing through the rapid contacts. As a plyometric, this is about ankle stiffness and elastic-energy return — the same qualities that drive sprint speed and jump performance.

How to perform

Setup

Stand with feet hip-width apart. The knees should have only a slight bend — they barely move during the exercise. Arms pump naturally at the sides for rhythm.

Execution

Hop straight up off the balls of the feet, minimizing knee and hip movement. The bounce should come from the ankles, with the calves and Achilles loading and releasing like springs. Land mid-foot or on the balls of the feet, then immediately bounce again. Ground contact time should be as brief as possible — the goal is a rapid-fire stiff-ankle pogo, not a deep absorbing jump. Keep the torso vertical. Continue for the prescribed time or rep count.

Common mistakes

• Bending the knees on each landing. The knees stay almost locked; the bounce is ankle-driven.
• Landing on the heels. Mid-foot or ball-of-foot only; heel contact kills the elastic recoil.
• Pumping the hips up and down. Hips stay quiet; the work is at the ankles.
• Going too long without rest. After 20-30 seconds the elastic quality degrades; rest before continuing.
• Doing high volumes on hard surfaces. The Achilles loads heavily on every rep; cumulative volume on concrete is how tendons get angry.

Progressions and regressions

Regress to short calf raises (no jumping, just rising onto the balls of the feet) until the ankle and Achilles have endurance to tolerate the impact. Single-leg calf raises with a hold build strength before adding the pogo. To progress, work single-leg pogo hops, lateral pogos, or chain pogos with broad jumps for plyometric sequences.

Programming notes

Excellent low-volume plyometric for runners and field-sport athletes. 3-4 sets of 10-20 hops with full recovery, or 15-30 seconds of continuous hopping per round. Two or three times a week. Cumulative Achilles load is the limiting factor; back off if calf tightness becomes persistent. Pair with broad jumps and box jumps for a complete reactive-strength program.