How is Fast Feet different from High Knees?

High Knees drive each knee up to about hip height from a tall posture, which works the hip flexors hard and covers more range on every step. Fast Feet keeps the feet just off the floor in a low, bent-knee stance, so the challenge shifts to foot turnover speed, the calves and holding the quadriceps in a partial squat.

How long should a set of Fast Feet last?

Most coaches use bursts of 10 to 30 seconds, because foot speed drops quickly once fatigue sets in. Rest at least as long as you worked if you want every set to stay at full speed.

Does Fast Feet improve agility?

It trains the quick, light ground contacts and the low stance that cutting and reacting start from, which is why it is a staple warm-up in field and court sports. It never changes direction on its own, so pair it with drills that do, such as the Lateral Shuffle, when moving in different directions is the goal.

Is Fast Feet a plyometric exercise?

Not in the usual sense. The feet barely leave the floor and there is no jump, so it works as fast, rhythmic conditioning rather than explosive jump training, although the calves and Achilles tendons still absorb a large number of small contacts.

Should the arms pump during Fast Feet?

In this version the hands stay together in front of the hips, which keeps the upper body quiet so all the speed comes from the feet. Pumping the arms in a short, quick sprinting action is a common variation and works just as well.

Fast Feet

What Is the Fast Feet?

Fast Feet is a compound exercise that primarily targets cardiovascular fitness, with the calves and quadriceps doing most of the muscular work. It is a beginner-level movement performed from a low athletic stance, where the feet tap the floor in rapid alternation, each one rising only an inch or two, while the hands rest together in front of the body.

The goal is foot speed, not height or distance. Keeping the steps tiny and the ground contacts quick drives the heart rate up within seconds, so the drill is a common opener in warm-ups and a short burst in interval circuits. Coaches in football, basketball and combat sports use it to prime footwork before practice, and it needs no equipment and only a small patch of floor.

Because the hips and knees stay bent the whole time, the quadriceps hold a partial squat while the calves and the small muscles around the ankle handle every push-off from the balls of the feet. That sets it apart from Jogging in Place, which is done taller with a longer, relaxed stride, and from High Knees, which drive each knee up toward hip height and ask much more of the hip flexors. The Boxer Shuffle uses a similar quick rhythm from a taller stance with the hands up in a guard, and the Lateral Shuffle takes low, quick footwork side to side.

The drill suits almost anyone who can hold a quarter squat and stay on the balls of the feet, from beginners building basic conditioning to athletes sharpening their footwork. If the calves or ankles tire quickly, start with Marching in Place or a slower tempo, and build calf endurance with the Bodyweight Calf Raise.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Gastrocnemius (Lateral Head): Primary
Gastrocnemius (Medial Head): Primary
Soleus: Primary
Rectus Femoris: High
Vastus Lateralis: High
Vastus Medialis: High
Gluteus Maximus: Medium
Gluteus Medius: Medium
Erector Spinae: Low
Tibialis Anterior: Low

Instructions

Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width, toes pointing forward or turned slightly out.
Bend your knees and push your hips back into a quarter squat, leaning your chest forward over your thighs with a flat back and your knees tracking over your toes.
Bring your hands together in front of your hips, elbows bent and pointing out to the sides.
Shift your weight onto the balls of your feet.
Lift one foot an inch or two off the floor and set it straight back down as the other foot lifts.
Keep alternating as fast as you can, landing lightly with each foot returning to roughly the same spot.
Hold the low stance and keep your head and torso steady, with your gaze on the floor a short distance ahead.
Breathe steadily for the set time, then slow down and stand up tall to finish.

Common Mistakes

Standing too tall
Rising out of the low athletic stance straightens the knees and hips, turning the drill into jogging in place and taking the work off the quadriceps.
Lifting the feet too high
Raising each foot more than an inch or two slows the turnover, since the drill is about how fast the feet return to the floor, not how high they rise.
Landing on the heels
Letting the heels thump down kills the quick rebound and sends more jolt into the knees and shins, so stay on the balls of the feet.
Bouncing the upper body
Letting the head and shoulders bob with each step wastes energy and shows the hips are moving instead of just the feet.
Letting the knees cave in
Allowing the knees to drift inward in the wide stance strains the inside of the knee, so keep them tracking over the toes.
Going faster than you can control
Chasing speed until the rhythm breaks or the feet tangle trades clean contacts for sloppy ones, so use only the speed you can hold evenly.

Injuries

Fast Feet is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. There is no external load and the feet barely leave the floor, but the hundreds of quick contacts in a session add up for the calves, the Achilles tendons and the shins. The knees can also take strain if they cave inward in the wide stance, and the lower back can tire if it rounds while holding the forward lean.

Warm up the ankles and calves first, wear supportive shoes and choose a forgiving surface such as a gym floor or grass over concrete. Keep the sets short, land softly on the balls of the feet rather than the heels, keep the knees tracking over the toes and the back flat, and add total volume gradually from week to week, especially for anyone new to running or jumping.

To make it easier, stand a little taller, slow the tempo or switch to Marching in Place. To make it harder, lengthen the work intervals, sit lower in the stance, or move on to drills that travel, such as the Lateral Shuffle. Skip the drill with an acute ankle sprain, recent shin splints or an unstable knee, and stop if you feel sharp pain in the Achilles, shin, ankle or knee, or dizziness or chest discomfort.

Overview

Primary Focus: Cardio
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Cardio
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Fast Feet

The Fast Feet is also known as:

Quick Feet

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is Fast Feet different from High Knees?: High Knees drive each knee up to about hip height from a tall posture, which works the hip flexors hard and covers more range on every step. Fast Feet keeps the feet just off the floor in a low, bent-knee stance, so the challenge shifts to foot turnover speed, the calves and holding the quadriceps in a partial squat.
Q: How long should a set of Fast Feet last?: Most coaches use bursts of 10 to 30 seconds, because foot speed drops quickly once fatigue sets in. Rest at least as long as you worked if you want every set to stay at full speed.
Q: Does Fast Feet improve agility?: It trains the quick, light ground contacts and the low stance that cutting and reacting start from, which is why it is a staple warm-up in field and court sports. It never changes direction on its own, so pair it with drills that do, such as the Lateral Shuffle, when moving in different directions is the goal.
Q: Is Fast Feet a plyometric exercise?: Not in the usual sense. The feet barely leave the floor and there is no jump, so it works as fast, rhythmic conditioning rather than explosive jump training, although the calves and Achilles tendons still absorb a large number of small contacts.
Q: Should the arms pump during Fast Feet?: In this version the hands stay together in front of the hips, which keeps the upper body quiet so all the speed comes from the feet. Pumping the arms in a short, quick sprinting action is a common variation and works just as well.