How to do On-the-spot Jogging

Spot jogging, or jogging on the spot, is running without going anywhere. You jog in place, lifting your feet in turn and landing softly. All it needs is a square of floor, so you can do it as a warm-up, as cardio between strength moves, or as a workout on its own when the weather keeps you in.

1. Stand strong, with your feet placed at about shoulder width apart, a slight bend at the knee, with your elbows bent loosely at your side

2. Keeping your body upright lightly transfer your weight from one foot to the other as you jog on the spot

3. Continue for the specified amount of time

Benefits

It gets your heart rate up within a minute or two, so it makes a quick warm-up before strength work. Keep going for longer and it counts as steady cardio: 10 to 20 minutes at a pace where you can still talk is a sensible place to start.

Your calves and quads do most of the work, with your core keeping you upright. Each step is small and you choose the surface, so you can keep the pace and impact as light as you like.

Form tips

• Land on the balls of your feet and keep the landings quiet. Loud steps mean you’re landing heavily.
• Stay tall, with your chest up and your eyes forward.
• Swing your arms as you would on a run, elbows bent to about 90 degrees.
• If you can’t say a short sentence, slow down.

Variations

• Easier: march on the spot, lifting each knee without the little hop.
• Harder: drive your knees up to hip height for high knees, or kick your heels towards your glutes for butt kicks.