Shuttle Runs
Accelerate, decelerate, change direction. Conditioning plus athleticism.
Choose an effort level
Hard
Forward, backward and lateral shuttles.
Moderate
Longer shuttles at controlled pace.
Sport
Court sport style repeated efforts.
MET values reference the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. They are population averages, not personal measurements.
Technique cues
- Drop the hips to decelerate rather than stopping stiff-legged.
- Plant the outside foot and push, do not pivot on a straight knee.
- Stay low through the turn and accelerate out of it.
- Touch the line — cutting it short changes the whole session.
Common mistakes
- Turning on a locked knee, which is how knees get hurt.
- Skipping the warm-up before change-of-direction work.
- Running them on a slippery surface.
A starter session
Warm up thoroughly, then 8 × 20 m shuttles with 45 seconds rest between.
Who it may suit
High impact with heavy braking forces. Not the place to start if you are new to cardio.