Why you should strength train unilaterally for skateboarding.
- Boardybuilding fitness
- Sep 29
- 5 min read
Training each leg individually is an effective way to build strength for skateboarding. This is especially important because most skaters naturally favor one stance—such as regular over switch, or goofy over regular—leading to muscular imbalances over time. Research has shown that skateboarders often display significant asymmetries in performance across various jump tests, including the squat jump, countermovement jump, and drop jump. Interestingly, those with greater asymmetries were often ranked as higher-performing athletes. By focusing on single-limb training and addressing these imbalances, skaters may not only enhance performance but also reduce the risk of injury.
As shown in the image above, the inward collapse of one knee—often referred to as dynamic knee valgus—can have a significant impact on overall movement mechanics. This misalignment doesn't occur in isolation; it’s often the result of compensations throughout the kinetic chain. When these compensations become habitual, especially in athletes, they can increase the risk of injury.
According to the narrative review "Role of the Kinetic Chain in Sports Performance and Injury Risk," athletes who land with poor lower-limb mechanics—such as knee valgus, internal tibial rotation, and foot pronation—are at a higher risk of non-contact ACL injuries and overuse issues like anterior knee pain. Specifically, in alpine skiers, internal tibial rotation combined with either full knee extension or deep flexion (beyond 90°) was associated with a higher incidence of non-contact ACL injuries.
Given that the impact forces in skateboarding can reach 9 to 17 times a skater’s bodyweight, it’s essential for skateboarders to take their lower-body mechanics seriously. Incorporating both unilateral and bilateral squat training in the gym is not just smart—it's necessary for performance and long-term joint health.
Another key benefit of unilateral training in the gym is its role in injury recovery and prevention. For example, if you sprain an ankle and are unable to train that side, you can still train the uninjured limb—and it can actually help preserve strength in the injured one. This phenomenon is known as cross-education, and research has shown that "unilateral training of the free limb successfully maintained strength in the contralateral immobilized limb."
This means that training one side of the body can positively impact the other, making unilateral exercises not just useful for building strength, but also a valuable tool for rehabilitation. By continuing to train while injured, you reduce strength loss and set yourself up for a smoother return to skating—ready to get back to your tricks with confidence.
Understanding all this, it’s clear how important it is to strengthen the ankles—both individually and together—whether you're recovering from past injuries or simply aiming to improve movement quality and reduce your risk of future setbacks. To help you stay strong and skate longer, here are some progressive single-leg exercises designed to build strength, stability, and resilience.
Key Coaching Points:
Base Foot Position: Stand on one leg, making sure your entire foot is facing straight forward. Press firmly through the heel of your standing foot—this activates your glutes and keeps your weight properly distributed.
Knee Alignment: Keep the knee slightly bent and aligned with the second and third toes of the standing foot. Avoid letting it collapse inward (valgus) or roll out.
Opposite Leg Movement: Slowly reach the opposite leg forward while maintaining form and control on the standing leg. Your moving leg should not compromise the position of your planted foot and knee.
Posture: Keep your chest tall and head facing forward. Avoid leaning excessively or rounding your back, as this shifts your weight onto the forefoot and compromises the movement pattern.
Foot Engagement: Focus on engaging the arch of your standing foot. This not only strengthens the ankle but also improves mobility and proprioception.
Volume & Progression:
Perform 10–15 reps or hold for 60–90 seconds of time under tension per side.
Complete 2–3 sets per leg.
Progress the exercise once you can complete the full range of reps or time while maintaining perfect form.
This is the same exercise except with a more challenging movement of the other limb. Making it a progression from the sagittal movement to a frontal (side) movement.
Progression Through Planes of Movement: Sagittal to Frontal
To progress the previous exercise and further challenge your balance and coordination, shift the movement from the sagittal plane (forward and backward motion) to the frontal plane (side-to-side motion).
This change introduces lateral movement, which engages different muscle groups—particularly the glutes, adductors, and lateral stabilizers of the hip, knee, and ankle. It also challenges your ability to maintain proper alignment under a new type of stress, improving overall stability and control.
Incorporating frontal plane exercises helps build resilience and movement efficiency for skateboarding, where side-to-side shifts and lateral control are essential for maintaining balance and executing tricks.
By adding rotation or reaching across the body, you challenge the stabilizing muscles of the hip, knee, and ankle in a new way. This not only increases the difficulty of the exercise but also better mimics the dynamic, multi-directional demands of skateboarding—especially during tricks, turns, and landings.
Once you’ve mastered each movement individually with proper form, the next progression is to combine them into a continuous sequence. This challenges your coordination, control, and endurance.
Key Coaching Point:
Focus on maintaining good form throughout the entire sequence—especially knee alignment, foot positioning, and posture. Smoothly transition from one movement to the next without rushing or compromising technique. This not only builds strength and balance but also reinforces muscle memory for complex, multi-step motions—similar to chaining movements together in a skateboarding line.
After progressing through various movement planes during the single-leg balance reach exercise, it’s time to level up with more weighted or exercises that challenge your core stability even further.
Start with the Dumbbell Split Squat, and then challenge yourself further by progressing to the Bulgarian Split Squat for a deeper range of motion.
Begin with the Single-Leg 12-inch Box Toe Tap as a foundational exercise to assess your control and stability.
Once you’ve mastered this, progress to the Single-Leg 12-inch Box Flat Foot Tap,
followed by the Single-Leg 12-inch Heel Tap.
Each of these variations targets the full range of motion in the knee and ankle, building strength and coordination. Focus on tapping different areas of the foot as it touches the floor, enhancing both mobility and stability.
As you move through these progressions, remember to maintain proper form: keep your head facing forward, chest lifted, and spine neutral. The shin of the working leg should stay parallel to your torso, with your foot pointing forward and in line with the second and third toes—avoid any collapsing or rolling of the foot. This ensures you’re strengthening the arch and promoting a more resilient ankle and knee, which are essential for improving skating performance and preventing injury.
To further progress these exercises, you can tailor the stimulus to your goals: for muscular endurance, aim for 12+ reps or 60-120 seconds of time under tension (TUT); for hypertrophy, target 6-12 reps or 45-90 seconds of TUT; and for strength, focus on 1-6 reps or 10-30 seconds of TUT.
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