WorkOnFitness

Partner workoutsFriends

High Knees Knee Tag

4 minute read

Quick Intro

High Knees Knee Tag is a quick, reactive game. Two people stand facing each other about an arm’s length apart and run high knees on the spot at a matched pace. As your partner’s knee comes up, you may try to tag it lightly with your hand before it drops. The first to an agreed number of clean tags wins, as long as they kept their own knees going.

How to run high knees well is covered at High Knees. This guide covers the game: when a tag counts, how to keep the rhythm while reaching and how to even it out.

What You’ll Need

  • A clear, stable floor with a little space around both of you.
  • Nothing else.

How to Play

  1. Agree the target, such as ten tags, and a shared pace.
  2. Face each other with roughly an arm’s length between you.
  3. On “go”, both start high knees on the spot at the agreed pace.
  4. As one of your partner’s knees lifts, you may reach down and tag it lightly before it drops.
  5. Keep your own knees driving the whole time.
  6. First to the target wins, without stumbling.

What Counts

A tag counts when:

  • it is a light touch on the top of a raised knee;
  • your own high knees kept going while you made it;
  • you did not stumble or stop.

Grabbing a knee, or pulling on it, is not allowed. If you stop running to reach, the tag does not count.

Two Jobs at Once

The game asks you to do high knees and watch your partner’s knees at the same time. The temptation is to slow your own cadence so you can concentrate on tagging. That defeats half the point, since the high knees are the exercise. The best players keep the knees coming up to hip height at the agreed pace and let the tag happen in the rhythm, often on the same side as their own knee drive.

Making It Fair

A slower partner can lift the knees lower while keeping the same cadence. Lower knees are easier to keep going and slightly harder to tag, which evens out the game. If the gap is still large, agree a smaller target for them. More on fair contests is in Training With a Friend.

Staying Safe

  • Keep tags light. A grab or a pull on a raised knee can throw someone off balance mid-stride.
  • Stand far enough apart that knees do not collide.
  • Use a clear, steady floor. Stop at once if either person’s footing looks unsteady.
  • Agree to contact on the knee before starting.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the cadence. Slowing to a jog makes tagging easier and the exercise easier too. Hold the agreed pace.
  • Leaning in. Bending forward to reach brings your head toward your partner’s. Stand tall and reach with the arm.
  • Knees too low. Without the agreed handicap, both people should drive the knees to about hip height.

Fitting It Into a Session

The game is short and raises the heart rate quickly, which makes it a good warm-up after a few minutes of easy movement, or a quick round between longer games. Several short rounds with rest work better than one long one.

Getting Better Over Time

Count how many tags each of you lands in a set time, such as 30 seconds, and keep that number to beat next week. Once tags come easily, raise the agreed cadence a little, or agree that only tags on the knee nearest your tagging hand count, which means watching both knees more closely.

FAQ

Which knee can I tag?

Either of your partner’s knees, as long as it is lifting or at the top.

Can both of us score at the same moment?

Yes. If both tags land together, both count.

How fast should we go?

Fast enough to feel like running on the spot, but slow enough that you can still watch your partner. Agree it before starting.

Why do I keep tagging air?

You are probably reaching for where the knee was. Aim slightly above the top of its rise, so the knee meets your hand on the way up.

Can I block a tag with my hands?

No. Keep your hands free for tagging and pumping with the run; blocking turns it into a slapping game and slows the knees.

Related to High Knees, Mirror Games and Lateral Shuffle Tag.