How long should a beginner do high knees for?

Start with 4 rounds of 20 seconds of quick, controlled knee drives with 40 seconds of rest, a couple of times a week as part of a warm-up or conditioning circuit. Add 10 seconds to the work interval before you shorten the rest, and prioritize a full hip-height knee lift over speed as you progress.

What can you do instead of high knees if you want it easier or harder?

Marching in place with a deliberate hip-height knee lift is a gentler entry point if the fast tempo feels like too much too soon. Adding a light ankle-height jump between each knee drive, or moving the drill forward instead of in place, raises the difficulty once the base version feels easy.

What is high knees good for?

It raises your heart rate, primes the hip flexors, and reinforces the fast, tall-posture mechanics that carry over into running, which makes it a strong dynamic warm-up or conditioning burst. It is a poor choice for anyone with an acute hip flexor strain, since the drill repeatedly loads that exact muscle group under speed.

Beginner

High Knees

High knees are a simple, equipment-free way to raise your heart rate, prime the hip flexors, and sharpen running mechanics. Driving the knees up loads the hip flexors and quads while the calves handle the rapid bounce. They work well as a dynamic warm-up or as short bursts inside a conditioning circuit.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs, Quads
Type: Cardio
Browse by muscle: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Browse by movement: Gait Drill

How to do it

1
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in the knees.
2
Drive one knee up toward hip height while staying on the ball of the opposite foot.
3
Quickly switch, driving the other knee up as the first foot lands.
4
Pump the arms in sync with the legs like you are sprinting.
5
Stay light and springy on the balls of your feet.
6
Keep the torso tall and the core braced throughout.

Tips

Lift the knees to at least hip height rather than shuffling with low, lazy steps.
Stay on the balls of your feet and land softly to keep it quick and springy.
Keep your chest up; leaning back to reach knee height strains the low back.

Variations

Common mistakes

The arms hang still or swing out of time with the legs, turning a sprint-mechanics drill into a plain knee lift with no arm carryover.
Traveling several feet forward with each knee drive instead of staying nearly in place turns the drill into a slow jog and dilutes the quick turnover it is meant to build.
The torso twists side to side with every knee drive instead of staying square, bleeding power sideways instead of straight up and down.
The knee drive slows into an even, marching tempo instead of a quick alternating snap, which trains a march more than the fast footwork high knees is for.

Frequently asked

How long should a beginner do high knees for?: Start with 4 rounds of 20 seconds of quick, controlled knee drives with 40 seconds of rest, a couple of times a week as part of a warm-up or conditioning circuit. Add 10 seconds to the work interval before you shorten the rest, and prioritize a full hip-height knee lift over speed as you progress.
What can you do instead of high knees if you want it easier or harder?: Marching in place with a deliberate hip-height knee lift is a gentler entry point if the fast tempo feels like too much too soon. Adding a light ankle-height jump between each knee drive, or moving the drill forward instead of in place, raises the difficulty once the base version feels easy.
What is high knees good for?: It raises your heart rate, primes the hip flexors, and reinforces the fast, tall-posture mechanics that carry over into running, which makes it a strong dynamic warm-up or conditioning burst. It is a poor choice for anyone with an acute hip flexor strain, since the drill repeatedly loads that exact muscle group under speed.

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