Hurdle Step Over
The Hurdle Step Over is a functional mobility exercise that targets the hip flexors and glutes to improve range of motion and single-leg stability. It involves stepping high and laterally over an imaginary or physical barrier, challenging your balance and hip mechanics without heavy loading.
Since this exercise provides minimal stimulus for growth, Iridium excludes it from your volume tracking per muscle group to prevent inflated hypertrophy data. The algorithm schedules this movement strictly as a preparatory drill when your warmup preference is set to 'Dynamic Routine.' If your session is time-constrained, Iridium prioritizes specific warmup sets over general mobility work to maximize your working set volume.
Form Cues
- Stand tall with your chest up and core braced
- Drive your knee up high toward your chest
- Rotate the knee outward to step over the hurdle
- Keep your pelvis level throughout the movement
- Plant your foot softly and with control
- Don't lean your torso forward or backward to compensate
- Don't hike your hip up to clear the hurdle
- Don't rush the movement or use momentum
- Don't let your standing knee collapse inward
Common Mistakes
- Excessive trunk leaning
- Hiking the hip
- Rotating the spine
- Rushing the tempo
- Poor balance on standing leg
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the hip flexors (iliopsoas) and the gluteus medius, which works to stabilize the standing leg. It also heavily engages the core musculature to maintain an upright torso while the hips undergo dynamic flexion, abduction, and external rotation.
Primary
Secondary
Get Personalized Coaching for Hurdle Step Over
Don't guess your way through weights or workouts. Download Iridium for automatic, AI-powered coaching that adapts to your recovery and goals.