Mountain Climber

Mountain climbers are a dynamic full-body movement that target the core, shoulders, and hip flexors while elevating your heart rate. They’re performed from a high plank position with alternating knee drives toward the chest, making them a great exercise for improving coordination, core stability, and conditioning all at once.

Because they require minimal space and no equipment, mountain climbers are a go-to exercise for bodyweight workouts, warm-ups, or metabolic finishers. They’re scalable to fit any fitness level and easily integrated into circuits for strength, endurance, or fat-loss training.

If you’re looking for a movement that builds core strength and gets your heart rate up quickly, mountain climbers deliver a lot of return for minimal setup.

Mountain climbers are a simple but effective way to build endurance, improve core stability, and develop athletic coordination. Use them in warm-ups, HIIT circuits, or as part of a core finisher to challenge your body and boost your conditioning.

Equipment Needed:

• None (optional: yoga mat or soft surface)

How to Perform Mountain Climbers:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.

2. Engage your core and keep your hips level.

3. Drive one knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs.

4. Continue alternating knees in a running motion while maintaining a steady plank.

5. Keep your shoulders over your wrists and avoid letting your hips bounce or sag.

Common Mountain Climber Mistakes:

• Letting the hips rise too high or drop too low

• Rounding the shoulders or collapsing through the arms

• Losing core engagement and letting the back arch

• Rushing the movement and sacrificing form

Mountain Climber Progressions and Regressions:

If this exercise is too challenging:

• Slow the tempo to focus on control

• Elevate your hands on a box or bench to reduce load

• Perform alternating slow knee drives (slow climbers)

If you want to increase the challenge:

• Increase speed for a higher cardio demand

• Add a slider or towel under each foot for more resistance

• Combine with push-ups or pause holds for added intensity