Loser's Ladder — Squat Jump | Friends

Quick Intro

Loser’s Ladder is a race that gets longer every round. Two partners start with a tiny set, for example three squat jumps, and race to finish it with clean jumps. The partner who finishes second calls out one more rep, and the next round is four squat jumps for both. Then five, then six. The ladder keeps climbing until one partner decides to stop. Whoever won more of the races wins the ladder.

The name sounds harsh, and the rule is gentler than it sounds. The partner who came second does not do extra work alone. They simply announce the next rung, which both partners climb together.

How to do a squat jump well, sitting back into a squat, driving up through the whole foot and landing softly back into the squat, is taught at Squat Jump. This guide covers the game: racing clean jumps, the top rung, stopping, fatigue and landing safely.

What You’ll Need

Two people.
A soft, non-slip surface, such as grass, a sprung floor or rubber gym flooring, with room for both partners side by side.
A phone or paper to keep track of who wins each race.

How to Play

Agree the starting rung, the top rung and the clean-jump standard.
Stand side by side, at least an arm’s length apart, facing the same way or facing each other.
On “go”, both partners do the rung’s number of squat jumps as fast as they can with clean jumps.
The first to finish stands tall and calls “done”. That partner wins the race.
The partner who finished second calls out the next rung, one rep higher.
Rest briefly, about 30 seconds, then race the new rung.
Keep climbing until a partner calls a stop or the top rung is raced.
The partner who won more races wins the ladder.

What Counts as a Clean Jump

Agree the standard first and hold both partners to it:

A real squat at the bottom. Thighs close to parallel, or the agreed depth for the handicap.
Full extension in the air. Hips and knees straight, feet leaving the floor.
A soft landing. Landing on the balls of the feet and rolling through to the heels, knees bending to absorb it, then sinking into the next squat.

A jump that lands stiff-legged or misses the depth does not count, and the partner has to do it again. Speed only matters if the jumps are clean.

The Top Rung

Agree the highest rung before starting, for example ten squat jumps. Once it has been raced, the ladder is over. The top rung matters here because squat jumps are hard on the legs and the landing joints, and a race encourages people to keep going past the point where landings stay soft.

Stopping Is a Normal Choice

Either partner can call a stop at any time, before a race or partway through it. The ladder ends there and the races already won decide the result. A partner who stops early has not lost anything more than the races still to come. Calling a stop because landings are getting heavy is good judgement, and it is always respected.

How Fatigue Builds

The rungs rise by one rep each round, and the rests are short. From three to ten squat jumps, the ladder adds up to 52 jumps for each partner, plus the effort of racing every rung. Fatigue shows first in the landings, which get louder and stiffer. Both partners can watch for it in each other and call it.

Making It Fair

A slower partner can jump from a shallower squat, which makes each rep quicker and less tiring, while both race the same ladder. Agree the depth before starting. Training With a Friend has more on handicaps that keep a race close.

Staying Safe

Soft landings always. A loud landing is a warning sign.
A forgiving surface. Avoid concrete and slippery floors.
Warm up first. A few easy squats, some light jumping and leg swings.
Stop at knee or ankle pain. End the ladder at once.

Common Mistakes

Racing with half jumps. The feet barely leave the floor and the squat gets shallow. These do not count.
Landing on the heels. It sends a jolt up through the knees and back.
Skipping the rest. Thirty seconds between rungs keeps the landings honest.
Treating second place as a punishment. Both partners do the next rung. The partner who came second just gets to name it.

Fitting It Into a Session

Loser’s Ladder suits the middle of a lower-body or conditioning session, after a good warm-up and before any heavy leg work that would leave the legs too tired to jump well. One ladder is enough. Building a Partner Session covers more on where jump work sits in a session.

Getting Better Over Time

Note the highest rung reached and the result of each race. As leg power and endurance improve, the ladder climbs further before anyone calls a stop. Raise the top rung by one or two once it is reached easily.

Burpee Add-One Ladder climbs the same kind of ladder with burpees.
Dare Ladder lets the winner of each round choose the next rung.
Metronome Games include a version that keeps squat jumps in time with a beat.
Escalation Dare trades rising dares on a hold.

FAQ

What if both partners finish at the same time?

Neither wins the race, and the ladder still climbs by one.

Do we have to face each other?

No. Side by side works just as well. Facing each other makes it easier to see who finished first.

Is it smarter to hold something back in the early rungs?

Sometimes. Every race counts the same, so a partner who saves their legs early can win more of the later, longer races. Clean jumps still come first.

Related to Squat Jump, Burpee Add-One Ladder and Dare Ladder.