Jogging on the spot is running in place at an easy pace. You take short, light steps on the balls of your feet with only a small knee lift, and your arms swing with the elbows bent. It raises your heart rate without needing space or equipment. It is used as a warm-up, and in rehab as a step between marching in place and running outdoors.

How to do the jogging on the spot

Stand tall on a firm, non-slip floor with your feet about hip width apart. She is barefoot in the video, but supportive athletic shoes that fit well and grip the floor are the safer choice, and they soften each landing.
Bend your elbows to about a right angle and keep your hands loose.
Start jogging in place. Lift one heel and knee a little, put that foot down on the ball of the foot, and spring into the next step with the other foot.
Keep the steps short and light, with your body upright and your eyes ahead. Your arms swing forward and back in time with your legs, opposite arm to opposite leg.
Start at an easy pace. To make it harder, speed up the jogging, as the voice guide suggests, but only for as long as the landings stay quiet.

What you should feel

Your breathing and heart rate picking up, with work in your calves and thighs. At an easy pace you should still be able to talk comfortably.

Common mistakes

Landing on the heels, so each step thumps.
Leaning well forward or backward instead of staying tall.
Holding your breath or hunching the shoulders up toward the ears.
Going fast from the first second, before your legs and breathing have warmed up.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 4 rounds of 30 seconds to 2 minutes at an easy pace, with a short rest or some marching in between. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.
You feel dizzy, lightheaded, faint or sick, or the room seems to spin. Stop, sit down and get medical advice the same day before you exercise again. If you faint, it does not settle within a few minutes of sitting still, your vision suddenly blurs or goes double, or you cannot stand or walk steadily, call emergency services.
Sharp pain in the foot, shin, knee or hip, or pain that makes you limp.
Shin or foot pain that is clearly worse the next morning.
A sudden pop or snap at the back of your ankle or heel, a feeling that someone kicked you there, or sudden pain there after which you cannot push off or rise onto your toes on that leg. Stop, take the weight off that leg carefully and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still walk, as this can be a torn Achilles tendon.

From the clinic

If you have not done any impact for a while, begin with marching on the spot, where one foot always stays on the floor. Move to a slow jog once marching feels easy. High knees and butt kicks are harder versions of the same idea. Clear a space with nothing to trip on, and keep a wall or counter within reach if your balance is unsure.

Every step is a small impact, and your heart works harder the faster you go. Ask your doctor or physio before you start if you have a heart or lung condition, high blood pressure or osteoporosis, or are coming back from a leg injury or operation. The same applies if you are pregnant or notice urine leaking when you jog or jump.

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon before you try jogging on the spot. Many surgeons advise against running and jogging after a joint replacement for good, not just for the first months, because each step sends impact through the new joint.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Jogging on the spot