How to do the Knee Circles
- Stand with feet together, hands on your hips, knees slightly bent.
- Circle both knees together slowly, keeping your heels on the floor.
- Reverse the direction and match the number of circles.
Full technique — 6 steps
- Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips.
- Bend your knees slightly, keeping them together and your heels on the floor.
- Draw slow circles with both knees together, moving forward, to one side, back, and to the other side.
- Keep your torso upright and let the movement come from your knees and ankles.
- Complete all circles in one direction at a steady pace.
- Reverse the direction and make the same smooth circles through the fullest range available.
Common mistakes
- Using fast partial circles
- Skipping one direction
- Heels lifting off the floor
- Letting the knees drift apart
- Swinging the hips instead of the knees
Form cues
- Make full circles
- Match both directions
- Keep knees together
- Heels stay down
- Torso upright
Quick answers
What muscles does the Knee Circles work?
Primary: Quads 6/10. Also works: Hamstrings 4/10, Calves 4/10, Hip adductors 3/10, Hip abductors 3/10.
When should I do the Knee Circles in a workout?
Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 2 min with rest.
How many sets and reps of the Knee Circles?
Strength: 1–2 sets of 10 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 1–2 sets of 10 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve. Endurance: 1–2 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 30 s, 6 reps in reserve.
