The High Knee/Buttkicker is a combination of two related sprint warm-up exercises combined for an effective workout movement.
How To Do It
1. Begin in a standing position, arms at your sides, hands relaxed.
2. Bend elbows until arms are at a 90-degree angle. Maintain this 90-degree elbow angle throughout the exercise, moving arms only at the shoulders, and keeping your hands relaxed. No tight fists, no karate chop hands.
3. Begin moving forward by raising knees to waist height (Right Knee-Left Knee).
4. Immediately try to touch your buttocks with your heels (Right Heel-Left Heel). This particular motion is called a “Buttkicker” for obvious reasons.
5. Continue this pattern for the prescribed distance or repetitions, moving forward at a steady rate. Not too slow, not too fast. Right Knee-Left Knee-Right Heel-Left Heel.
Online Personal Trainer Tips
1. Maintain an erect torso throughout the movement.
2. Focus on a distance far in front of you, to keep your head steady.
3. Swing your hands and arms forward and backward naturally, rotating at your shoulders, maintaining your 90-degree arm angle, and NOT crossing your hands in front of your body. If you see your hands in front of you, you are crossing too much. They should be in your peripheral vision only. This is the way world-class sprinters are taught, and that should be good enough for the rest of us.
