Knee Drive: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Knee drives build hip flexor power and cardio fitness. Drive one knee toward the chest explosively. Elevates heart rate quickly.
Knee Drive: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Your heart does not care about your schedule. It needs to be challenged, or it declines.
This is why Danielle Harrison programs the knee drive in multiple Wellls workouts. It is not flashy. It is corrective. And during perimenopause, corrective wins.
Muscle Tone: Grow And Glow Positive Prenatal Fitness 1
Danielle Harrison
How to Do Knee Drives
Stand on your left leg. Arms in a running position, right arm forward, left arm back.
Drive your right knee up toward your chest explosively. Simultaneously pump your arms as if sprinting.
Lower your right foot back to the floor with control. Immediately drive it back up.
Complete all reps on one side before switching. The pace should be quick but controlled.
Stay tall throughout. If you lean back to get the knee higher, you are compensating. Keep your core engaged.
Muscles Worked
Primary
Primary muscles
Main muscles targeted by the knee drive.
Secondary
Stabilizer muscles
Support primary movers and maintain joint alignment.
Why this matters in perimenopause
Women lose lean muscle mass from their 30s, accelerating during perimenopause as estrogen drops. Regular cardio training counteracts this by preserving cardiovascular capacity and fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Coach's Tips
"Arms overhead, drive that knee in towards your hands, back out again." That is Danielle Harrison's cue. This detail makes the difference between an effective rep and a wasted one.
Danielle Harrison
"Keep the intensity on one side." That is Danielle Harrison's cue. This detail makes the difference between an effective rep and a wasted one.
Danielle Harrison
If anything feels sharp rather than challenging, stop immediately. Back off the depth and reassess your alignment. Discomfort is fine. Pain is a message.
Reduce speed or range of motion until your body adapts.
Why This Matters for You
The knee drive directly addresses three perimenopause priorities: muscle preservation, bone loading, and metabolic health. Estrogen decline after 40 accelerates sarcopenia, the age-related loss of lean muscle that changes body composition, weakens joints, and slows metabolism. Resistance training is the strongest evidence-backed countermeasure.
A 2023 network meta-analysis of 19 RCTs involving 919 postmenopausal women found moderate-intensity resistance training 3 days per week significantly improved lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density. The knee drive loads the exact skeletal sites and muscle groups that perimenopause targets first.
Variations & Modifications
Benefits
Elevates heart rate without equipment
The knee drive gets your heart pumping using only bodyweight. No treadmill, no bike. Just your body and floor space.
Burns calories efficiently
High-intensity bodyweight exercises create an EPOC effect. You continue burning calories for hours afterward.
Preserves explosive power
Fast-twitch muscle fibers decline faster during perimenopause. Explosive movements keep those fibers active and responsive.
Improves cardiovascular fitness in minutes
Short bouts of high-intensity exercise produce cardiovascular benefits comparable to moderate exercise lasting twice as long.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sacrificing form for speed
Sloppy reps stress joints without training muscles. Slow down until form is automatic.
Landing with stiff legs
Every landing should be soft, with bent knees absorbing the impact.
Not breathing rhythmically
Match your breathing to the movement. If you cannot catch your breath, slow down.
Skipping the cooldown
Walk for 2-3 minutes after to bring your heart rate down gradually.
Workouts Featuring This Exercise
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Frequently Asked Questions
Related Exercises
Crunches
Complements the knee drive by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Lateral Raise
Complements the knee drive by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Romanian Deadlift
Complements the knee drive by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Complements the knee drive by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Glute Bridge
Complements the knee drive by targeting related muscle groups and movement patterns.
Get knee drives in a guided workout
Access 2 workouts featuring this exercise, plus personalized plans from Dr. Wellls.
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