Touchdown

Touchdown Exercise Description

Touchdown is a bodyweight, high-tempo plyometric drill performed side to side in the frontal plane. You alternate quick lateral steps or small hops into a squat, lightly tapping the floor with the opposite hand before driving up and moving the other direction. The movement uses coordinated triple flexion and extension at the ankles, knees, and hips while maintaining a neutral spine. Primary contributors are the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and calves, with the gluteus medius/minimus and hip adductors assisting in frontal-plane control; the core stabilizes the trunk. Done rhythmically with soft landings, Touchdown provides an aerobic challenge while training lower-body power, footwork, and change-of-direction mechanics. Only reach as low as you can while keeping the chest up, heels grounded, and the back neutral; if floor contact breaks posture, tap the shin instead.

Muscle Groups: Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Hips, Quads
Target Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Gastrocnemius - Medial Head, Gluteus Maximus, Vastus Lateralis
Assisting Muscles: Rectus Femoris, Semitendinosus, Soleus, Vastus Medialis
Stabilizing Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
Body Area: Lower Body
Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Lower Legs, Upper Legs
Body Surface: Back, Side
Body Symmetry: Bilateral
Equipment: Bodyweight
Exercise Patterns: Squat
Exercise Type: Aerobic, Plyometrics
Functional Grouping: Ankle Plantar Flexors, Hip Extensors, Knee Extensors, Knee Flexors
Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
Muscle Location: Glutes, Inner Calf, Outer Hamstring, Outer Quad
Movement Direction: Lateral
Muscle Position: Lateral, Posterior
Gender: Male

How To Do The Touchdown Exercise

‘- Stand athletic: feet about shoulder-width, knees softly bent, ribs stacked over pelvis, spine neutral, eyes forward, core braced.
– Shift or lightly hop to the right, sit the hips back into a squat, and keep heels down; knees track over the middle toes.
– Without rounding the back, lightly tap the floor in front of the right foot with the left hand (tap shin if needed to keep neutrality).
– Drive through the midfoot/heel to rise, push laterally to the left, and repeat, switching the tapping hand.
– Land quietly on both feet; absorb impact by bending at ankles, knees, and hips, keeping chest up.
– Maintain neutral spine and level hips; avoid knee valgus (knees collapsing inward).
– Use the free arm for counterbalance; keep shoulders down and lightly retracted.
– Breathe naturally—exhale as you drive up, inhale as you lower—while keeping a smooth, controlled rhythm.

Touchdown Tips

‘- Start in an athletic stance: feet about shoulder-width, knees softly bent, ribs stacked over pelvis, spine neutral, eyes forward, core braced.
– Shift or lightly hop sideways in the frontal plane, then sit the hips back into a squat while keeping your heels down.
– Let the knees track over the middle toes as you squat to each side, and avoid letting them collapse inward.
– Keep your back neutral and chest up as you reach; only go as low as you can without rounding the spine.
– If touching the floor would break posture, tap your shin instead to maintain a neutral spine.
– Lightly tap the floor (or shin) with the opposite hand in front of the lead foot, then switch hands as you move the other way.
– Drive through the midfoot/heel to rise out of the squat and push laterally into the next step or hop.
– Land quietly on both feet and absorb impact by bending at the ankles, knees, and hips while keeping the chest up and hips level.
– Use the free arm for counterbalance with the shoulders down and lightly retracted, and breathe naturally—exhale as you drive up, inhale as you lower to keep a smooth rhythm.

Touchdown Beginner Introduction

Touchdown is a fast-paced, bodyweight plyometric exercise that moves the body quickly from side to side. Each repetition blends a shallow squat with a brief reach toward the ground, using a hand that crosses toward the opposite leg. The motion relies on the ankles, knees, and hips bending and driving together while the back stays tall and the chest lifted. This creates an athletic, rhythmic pattern that feels similar to court or field footwork.

The main effort comes from the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, with the outer hips and inner thighs assisting as the body shifts laterally. The midsection works continuously to keep the torso steady as the legs change direction. Because the movement is bouncy and continuous, it can raise the heart rate while challenging lower-body power, quickness, and coordination. Touchdown fits well into dynamic warm-ups, conditioning circuits, or agility-focused sessions where soft, controlled landings and smooth tempo are emphasized.