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Chris Freytag demonstrating Lateral Shuffle

The lateral shuffle fires up the muscles in your calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors and glutes. It increases coordination and agility for those hard side-to-side movements.

The lateral shuffle is used by tennis, soccer and basketball players but can benefit anyone! More than anything, a side shuffle exercise is an excellent cardio workout that increases blood flow in your body for a healthier heart and a killer calorie burn.

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Table of Contents

Lateral Shuffle Instructions

Here’s how to do a lateral shuffle:

  1. Start standing with feet hip distance apart and sink into a deep knee bend. Bring both hands in front of the chest in guard position.
  2.  Start with right foot moving right and left foot following.  Shuffle right for four right-left steps, then move left for four left-right steps.  Continue shuffling right left for the desired amount of time.

Tip: Keep your core engaged the whole time and make sure your chest stays lifted. This will help you maintain proper form. Check out the video below!

Lateral Shuffle Benefits

There are many benefits to the lateral shuffle and just as many reasons you should incorporate them into your workouts.

Here are just a few:

Cardio Exercise Benefits

The lateral shuffle is a great cardiovascular exercise that gets your heart pumping and challenges you to breathe heavy. Like most cardio exercise, the harder and faster you move, the more you will feel the work. 

Learning how to do the lateral shuffle is a great way to switch up a regular running routine!

Tones the Thighs and Glutes

The lateral shuffle moves you from side to side. The unique benefits this provides is that you use your outer and inner thighs to move.

In addition, the glutes and quads are shaped and toned if you sit lower in the shuffle.

Improves Body Mechanics and Movement Patterns

Much of our time is spent moving, whether it’s walking or standing up and down. The side shuffle movement encourages you to use different neuromuscular pathways, which challenges your body.

Because we don’t often make these movements, the lateral shuffle might feel awkward at first, but the more you practice the easier and more natural it becomes. Moving the body sideways helps balance out the forward motion of running and walking.

Easy Ways to Incoporate the Lateral Shuffle Into Your Workouts

The lateral shuffle is a great cardio exercise on its own, but it’s even better when you combine it with other moves and use it for more inclusive workouts.

Here are some great ideas for incorporating the lateral shuffle into your exercise routine:

Use Lateral Shuffle In Your At-Home Cardio Workout

Running is great and cycling is awesome, but many people are looking for alternatives or variety in their cardio exercise. The lateral shuffle can be combined with other cardio moves for a simple but effective cardio workout.

Try this one out for size:

15-Minute At-Home Cardio Blast

Warm up by jogging in place for 1 minute, then follow these moves at a moderate intensity for 1 minute each with no rest in between. At the end, go back to the start and repeat.

Repeat this series again!

Use Lateral Shuffle To Incorporate Cardio Into Your Strength Session

Strength training and cardio are both part of a well-rounded fitness plan. Why not get them both done in the same workout? Here’s a routine for you to try (you’ll need a set of 10 or 12 pound dumbbells to use!)

The lateral shuffle is a great way to improve your cardiovascular system, burn calories and work your leg muscles, especially your outer thighs.

If you like the benefits of the lateral shuffle, here are a few other exercises you might also enjoy: