HIGH KNEES DRILL IN RUNNING - POINTLESS OR HELPFULL?

If you ask us - it is pointless and is actually slightly damaging, especially if you want to run fast. The irony? This is one of the most popular running drills for speed.

The popularity of this drill is due to the visual misconception of the movement that happens during running. What looks like an active move, is a by-product of another move in reality.

Let’s see, what running is. Running is a movement in the horizontal direction. Movement in the vertical direction has a different name - jumping.

Now, back to the high knees drill - an exercise that is supposedly good and helpful, where one is supposed to lift the knees high (notice - vertical direction) to run better and to run faster.

From the Pose Method point-of-view, running is a change of support, while falling (visually: leaning forward from the ankles). The prescribed Pose running drills reinforce the horizontal movement.

The high knee drill requires a certain pattern of movement, which actually is not beneficial for and has nothing to do with running. Try this yourself - stand in the Pose stance or any other position that allows you to maintain balance and lift any one of your knees high up. Now try to start running... not easy is it? Kinda requires for you to lower your knee in order to start moving? And how exactly do you think that drill translates into running forward? It doesn't. It's that simple.

The high knees drill is a relic of an outdated view on running. It does not help at all. If anything, it contributes to inefficient movement that doesn't improve your running technique.

Article by Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov