Exercise guide
High Knee Sprints
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
- Waist
High Knee Sprints are a high-intensity cardiovascular movement that builds explosive lower-body power while engaging the core and upper body for stability. This exercise improves running mechanics, agility, and metabolic rate by utilizing a full-body kinetic chain.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Engage your core and maintain a tall, upright posture with your gaze fixed forward.
- Shift your weight slightly onto the balls of your feet to prepare for explosive movement.
How to do it
- Drive your right knee up toward your chest until the thigh is at least parallel to the floor, while simultaneously driving your left arm forward.
- Quickly switch legs in mid-air, landing softly on the ball of the right foot and immediately driving the left knee upward.
- Maintain a rapid, sprinting tempo, pumping your arms rhythmically in opposition to your legs.
- Breathe sharply and rhythmically, exhaling with each explosive knee drive.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest lifted and avoid leaning backward as you fatigue.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet rather than your heels to protect your joints.
- Ensure knees reach hip height on every repetition for maximum hip flexor and core engagement.
- Keep your elbows bent at 90 degrees and drive them back forcefully to maintain momentum.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'punching' the ground away with the balls of your feet to maximize calf and glute activation.
- Maintain a rigid core to prevent your torso from rotating, which transfers more power into the vertical knee drive.
Make it harder
- Increase the speed of transitions to maximize cardiovascular demand and fast-twitch fiber recruitment.
- Incorporate a resistance band around the thighs or ankles to add tension to the hip flexors and glutes.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the high knee sprints work?
- The high knee sprints primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the high knee sprints?
- The high knee sprints requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the high knee sprints good for beginners?
- Yes. The high knee sprints is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
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