Alternate driving knees toward your chest from a high plank, using fast, repeated drives to elevate heart rate while challenging the core, shoulders, and hips.
How to do the Mountain Climber#
- Set up in a high plank with hands under your shoulders, legs straight, and body forming a straight line from head to heels.
- Brace your core and pull one knee rapidly toward your chest while keeping your hips low and shoulders stable.
- Extend that leg back as you immediately drive the opposite knee forward, switching legs in a smooth, quick rhythm.
- Keep your hands planted and maintain a neutral spine; move with controlled speed rather than uncontrolled bouncing.
- Breathe steadily throughout and focus on steady shoulder position and core tension as you alternate legs.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Abs (Rectus Abdominis), Hip flexors (Iliopsoas (Hip Flexors))
- Secondary: Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Front delts (Anterior Deltoid), Chest (Pectoralis Major), Triceps (Triceps Brachii)
Common mistakes#
- Hips rising too high into a pike position.
- Letting the lower back sag and losing core tension.
- Bouncing the feet instead of driving the knees under control.
- Shoulders drifting forward of the wrists, stressing the shoulders and wrists.
- Holding your breath during the movement.
