How to Do High Knees: Benefits, Muscles Worked & Variations

Are you looking for a prep exercise that is cheerful to perform? The high knees exercise can be done anywhere with no equipment, and it can easily fit into your busy schedule. It is recommended for all fitness levels as all it needs is your body weight.

What are high knees? It is an excellent cardiovascular exercise and is popularly practised worldwide. But have you wondered how many calories do high knees burn? They burn approximately 60 calories in just five minutes with good intensity. Hence, high knees for weight loss are extensively used in every fitness program.

This exercise might look easy to perform but is a challenging move that targets multiple muscle groups in the body. High knees exercise benefits the system by racing the heartbeat and working out the large lower body muscle groups. Furthermore, performing the high knees properly activates the core muscles and makes you drenched in sweat. So, are you ready to witness what high knees have to offer? Please keep reading to know more about high knees benefits, variation and how to do it in a correct form.

What Is High Knees Exercise?

The first step before getting to know how to do high knees is, you must wear comfortable attire and shoes before starting it. You have to ensure that the floor is not slippery as this exercise for knees will lead to an ankle injury when done without proper grip. This exercise is commonly referred to as standing high knees. Start by standing with your feet as wide apart as your hip and straighten your body. Open the chest and keep engaging your core muscles throughout the workout.

You have to look straight when performing by bringing the knees to your chest level. Keep alternating between both legs in a quick motion for the desired period until you feel fatigued. However, you might be wondering how many high knees should I do? The number of moves in a high knees workout depends on your overall fitness condition, but you can begin with 30 seconds with a rest of 30 seconds in between the sets. Bear in mind that you don't require any special tool or equipment to perform it, and therefore it is the best home workout.

What Muscles Do High Knees Work?

When you are busy pondering what is high knees exercise, the muscles that are worked in them would have crossed your mind. It is a weight-bearing workout, and so it will significantly impact the core, upper and lower body muscles.

More specifically, the lower-body muscles most active when performing high knees include:

• hamstrings
• calves
• hip flexors
• quadriceps
• glutes

The lower back remains safe throughout the entire exercise as the obliques, and transverse abdominis are targeted. Furthermore, the core and abdominals are stabilized to assist with the high knee form. If you contract your arms properly, then you can expect the pumping of the biceps and triceps to take place.

When Is The Ideal Time To Perform High Knees?

High knees are a functional workout that will fit into many of your workout schedules. But you might be confused, "how many high knees should I do" when including it in a warm-up, HIIT or weight training.

• When including a warm-up schedule, try doing two whole minutes of high knees or 100 counts. If you find it too challenging, aim for 30 seconds with 15 seconds break between them.
• Between each resistance training set, you can add a 30-second high knee workout as an effective weight training program. It will range around 35 high knees here but will increase your heart rate and improve muscle endurance.

What Are the Benefits of High Knees Exercise?

High knees exercise warms your body muscles in both the lower and upper body, and it works best to prepare the body for other complex activities and workouts. Let us discuss a few of the high knees benefits here.

• It targets the hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, glutes, and calves. Thereby it improves body balance, coordination and endurance in the muscles.
• It burns more calories when compared to other cardiovascular exercises, so high knees for weight loss is getting noticed amongst everyone. A standard question that arises in everybody's mind is "how many calories do high knees burn"? Well! Research states that this calisthenic exercise is sure to burn 4 to 6 calories with moderate intensity in one minute.
• It recruits the abdominal and core muscles greatly, and eventually, this will make it more effective to improve the body posture.  
• High knees exercise benefits the body by increasing the heart rate immediately within a minute

What Are High Knees Variations?

The major variations which help us understand how to do high knees are:

‍1. Lateral High Knees

Start by standing with the arms bent at an angle of ninety degrees to the sides. Then run on the spot by lifting the knees to the height of the waist at a faster pace. Take two or three steps to each side with each stride and keep alternating between the sides. Keep swinging your arms throughout the lateral high knees workout and imitate as if you are running.

‍2. Jumping High Knees

Start performing this exercise by having the knees bent slightly. Then have the arms extended beside your sides and stand comfortably. Then, with a quarter squat and a proper dip jump, an exploding move into the air upwards. As you perform this, ensure that the knees move towards your chest, attempting to touch it. So, you have to jump as high as possible and raise your knees. Take care to land safely by re-extending the legs and repeating the whole exercise. Jumping high knees are seen to burn more calories than standing high knees workout.

By now, you would have got the answer to what are high knees workout. With a better understanding of how they can serve as a warm-up, strength training and cardio exercise, you can include it in your HIIT and aerobic routines. High knees are worth your time as the benefits of high knees exercise are numerous. Consult with your physician if there is any pain in joints while performing the high knees and modify it as needed.

High Knees Video Exercise Guide By Cult Fit