Legs · Bodyweight
High Knees
How to do the high knees, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Timed hold
- Movement
- Gait
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand in place and run by lifting knees high towards chest. Swing arms naturally as if running. Land softly on balls of feet and maintain a quick pace.
- 1Feel your hip flexors, quads, and core working as you drive your knees up quickly
- 2Keep your torso upright and pump your arms to maintain rhythm
- 3Land on the balls of your feet and stay light
Common mistakes
- Avoid leaning backward or hunching forward
- Don't let your knees turn inward; drive them straight up
- Avoid slapping your feet heavily; keep movements quick and controlled
Muscles worked
The high knees works the quads, glutes, hamstrings, upper abs, and calves.
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the high knees for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed April 2026.