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Looking for a quick, effective cardio move that also tones your lower body and fires up your core? Let’s talk about skaters—one of my favorite functional exercises that packs a serious punch. Whether you’re warming up, adding bursts of cardio between strength training moves, or just want to get your heart rate up in a fun and dynamic way, skaters are your go-to.
And bonus—they’re low equipment, high results!
Skaters mimic the side-to-side motion of a speed skater, challenging your balance, coordination, and muscular endurance. You’ll be hopping from foot to foot while swinging your arms for stability—engaging your entire body in a move that’s both playful and powerful.
I love incorporating skaters into my warm-ups to activate my lateral movers and wake up my glutes, legs, and core. They’re also a great metabolic booster when sandwiched between strength moves.
This move is simple, effective, and gets your body moving in a different direction—literally!
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Skaters Exercise Instructions
Here is a quick step-by-step for how to do the skaters exercise:
- Start Standing: Feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, core engaged.
- Hop to One Side: Jump to your right, landing softly on your right foot. Let your left foot sweep behind you without touching the ground (or lightly tap for balance).
- Swing Your Arms: Opposite arm crosses in front for balance, like you are speed skating.
- Push Off and Repeat: Explode off your right foot and hop to your left, repeating the motion side to side.
- Pro Tip: Focus on powerful push-offs and soft landings. Stay low and athletic in your stance to fire up your legs and glutes!
Skaters Exercise Benefits
There are plenty of reasons to love skaters—here’s why I keep them in my regular rotation:
High-Intensity Interval Benefits
Skaters fit perfectly into HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts. You can go hard for short bursts, recover, and repeat. Not only does this keep things interesting, but it also revs up your metabolism, helping you burn calories long after your workout is over.
To learn more about this type of training, check out my HIIT for beginners guide.
Work Your Lower Body And Core
Your legs are driving this movement—and they’ll feel it! Skaters challenge your quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and those all-important outer thighs. Plus, your core stays engaged to help you stabilize with every lateral hop.
The trick? Push off with power and land with control. Your muscles will thank you!
Work The Lateral Plane of Motion
We spend a lot of time moving forward and backward, but side-to-side movement is essential for joint health, coordination, and balance. Skaters move you through your lateral plane—a direction we often neglect. Training in this way boosts not only your physical health but also gives your brain a fresh challenge.
At-Home Cardio, No Equipment Needed
One of the best things about skaters? You can do them anywhere! No gym, no machines, no excuses. Just clear a bit of space, and you’ve got yourself an effective, heart-pumping cardio move. Short bursts of moves like this can give you an awesome workout in under 20 minutes. Talk about efficiency!
Easy Ways to Incorporate the Skaters Exercise Into Your Workouts
The skaters exercise is a great cardio workout all on its own! However, you could also incorporate skaters into other workouts to mix them up.
Try this 30-Minute Full Body Workout at home—it requires no equipment and just a little bit of your time to reach your fitness goals!
You can also give one of these similar exercises a try:
What Muscles Do Skaters Work?
Skaters are a lower-body powerhouse. Here’s a breakdown of what’s firing:
- Quads – These work hard during the push-off and landing.
- Glutes and Outer Thighs– Activated for balance and power.
- Hamstrings & Calves – Help stabilize and drive the motion.
- Core – Essential for balance and maintaining control.
Every rep challenges multiple muscle groups, helping you build strength and stability all in one go.
Explore more of my favorite cardio workouts (no running involved!).
How Many Calories Do Skaters Burn?
Calorie burn varies depending on your effort level and body size, but skaters are a calorie-torching move. Because they’re high-intensity and use large muscle groups, you can expect to burn between 8–12 calories per minute if you’re working at a moderate to vigorous intensity.
Pair skaters with other cardio and strength training moves in HIIT workouts and you’ll torch even more calories—and keep burning post-workout thanks to the afterburn effect.
Skaters are a simple yet powerful move to keep in your toolbox. I use them as a warm-up, a cardio burst between strength moves, or as part of a HIIT circuit. They’re functional, effective, and fun—plus, they help you move better in everyday life.
