High Knees

Running on the spot or forward with the knees driving up to hip height. It is a warm-up drill, a running-mechanics drill and a no-equipment engine piece all at once.

Standard: A valid rep drives the knee to at least hip height with the foot landing under the body, staying tall throughout rather than leaning back to get the knee up.

How to do the High Knees

1. Stand tall with the ribs down and the shoulders relaxed.
2. Drive one knee up to hip height and let the foot land under you.
3. Swap legs quickly, keeping the contact time with the floor short.
4. Land on the ball of the foot with a springy ankle rather than a flat slap.
5. Pump the arms in time with the legs, elbows staying at about 90 degrees.

Common faults

• Leaning back so the knees look high but the hips have gone nowhere.
• Shuffling with low knees to keep the count up.
• Slapping the feet down flat and heavy.
• Letting the shoulders creep up toward the ears as the set drags.

Scaling & progressions

• March instead of run, keeping the knee height and dropping the pace.
• Reduce the interval length and take full rest between efforts.
• Move forward slowly rather than running on the spot to reduce the contact rate.
• Substitute a bike or a row when the calves are already loaded.