High Knees

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Intermediate
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A cardiovascular drill involving rapid running in place, driving the knees high towards the chest. It targets the hip flexors and quads, improving conditioning and coordination.

About Exercise

Equipment

Body Weight

Difficulty

3/5 • Intermediate

Primary Muscle Groups

Hip Flexors, Quads

Secondary Muscles

Abs, Shoulders

Popularity Score

9

Goals

Conditioning
Endurance
Fat Loss

Training Style

HIIT
Cardio

Setup Requirements

Requires Rack

No

Requires Bench

No

Requires Spotter

No

Space Needed

Small

Noise Level

Moderate

Muscle Breakdown

Hip Flexors

10/10

Iliopsoas

Quads

8/10

Rectus Femoris, Vastus Medialis

Abs

5/10

Rectus Abdominis

Shoulders

3/10

Anterior Delts

Programming

Typical Rep Range

20-100 reps

Rest Between Sets

10-60 seconds • Often used in short, high-intensity intervals or for warmups.

How to Perform

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and chest lifted. Keep your gaze straight ahead and hands positioned near your hips or chest, ready to pump the arms.

  1. Begin running in place, quickly alternating the legs.
  2. Drive each knee up towards your chest or hip level.
  3. Pump your arms rhythmically with the opposite leg action.
  4. Maintain an upright torso and strong core brace throughout.
  5. Focus on fast foot turnover and soft landings.
  6. Continue the high-intensity motion for the prescribed duration.

Coaching Tips

Form Cues

  • Knees to hip level
  • Fast feet, soft landing
  • Pump the arms hard
  • Stay tall and balanced
  • Engage the core

Breathing

Inhale and exhale rapidly and continuously, coordinating your breath with the high-intensity movement while maintaining a strong core brace.

Tempo

N/A

Range of Motion

Bring the thigh high enough so the hip joint reaches at least 90 degrees of flexion, bringing the knee to hip height.

Safety

Safety Notes

  • This is a high-impact exercise; use soft landings to protect knee joints.
  • If running causes pain, modify to a high-knee march or use lower impact cardio.
  • Stop immediately if experiencing dizziness or chest pain.

Spotting

Not recommended; this is a bodyweight conditioning drill.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaning backward as the knees lift.
  • Not lifting knees high enough.
  • Shuffling feet instead of high-tempo lifting.
  • Slouching the shoulders forward.

When to Avoid

  • Acute knee or ankle injuries
  • Recent lower body surgery

Flexibility Needed

  • Good hip flexion range of motion

Build Up First

  • Basic coordination for running in place

Also known as

Jog In Place, Vertical Mountain Climber, High Knee Run, Wheel Run

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