4-Square

strengthenkneeadvancedactive

Content last reviewed: 2026-07-14

4-Square demonstration

How to do it

Mark four landing targets around a central starting point — one forward, one behind, one left and one right — and stand on one leg in the centre.
Hop on that same leg from the centre to each target and back, landing quietly through the forefoot or midfoot and letting the heel settle naturally.
Keep your knee tracking over your toes and your pelvis level, moving quickly but staying controlled, then switch legs.

Form cues

Land quietly with the ankle, knee and hip slightly bent — absorb through the whole leg, not a stiff toe landing.
Keep the stance knee aligned over the middle toes and the pelvis level.
Begin with small hops on a firm, non-slip surface and stabilize each landing before increasing speed.
Stop for knee, ankle or Achilles pain, or when landing quality deteriorates; rest 30–60 seconds between rounds.

Dosage

4 × 10s per side

Muscles worked

quadriceps — anatomical illustration — quadricepsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

gluteus maximus — anatomical illustration — gluteus maximusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

gastrocnemius — anatomical illustration — gastrocnemiusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

soleus — anatomical illustration — soleusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

gluteus medius — anatomical illustration — gluteus mediusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

hamstrings — anatomical illustration — hamstringsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Strengthens: quadriceps, gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius, soleus, gluteus medius, hamstrings

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