- Start in a strong high plank with your hands under your shoulders.
- Drive each knee towards your chest while your hips stay level.
- Keep the movement light and quick, landing on the balls of your feet.
- Slow climbers are a core exercise; fast ones are conditioning.
- Level
- Beginner
- Trains
- Abs, Obliques, Hip flexors, Shoulders, Quadriceps
- Kit
- None (bodyweight)
What mountain climbers train and why they are worth doing
Mountain climbers work your abs, obliques and hip flexors as you drive your knees in, and your shoulders, chest and triceps as they hold your body up. Your quads and glutes work too. Done fast, they are a conditioning exercise that lifts your heart rate within seconds; done slowly, they are a demanding plank variation.
They need no kit and very little space, so they are useful at home, in a hotel room or as part of a circuit. They also teach you to keep your trunk steady while your legs move, which carries over to running.
How to do a mountain climber
- Start in a high plank: hands directly under your shoulders, arms straight, body in a line from head to heels.
- Brace your trunk and push the floor away so your upper back does not sag.
- Drive your right knee towards your chest, keeping your hips level.
- Return your right foot to the start as you drive your left knee in.
- Keep switching legs in a steady rhythm, landing lightly on the balls of your feet.
- Breathe steadily throughout, and end the set when your hips start bouncing or sagging.
Common mistakes
- Hips too high. Piking up turns it into a jog on the spot with your bum in the air. Keep your hips roughly in line with your shoulders.
- Hips bouncing. Your pelvis bobbing up and down with every step means you have lost your brace.
- Hands in front of your shoulders. Reaching forwards adds strain on your shoulders and wrists.
- Short, shuffling steps. Tiny movements feel fast but do little. Bring each knee well towards your chest.
- Holding your breath. It is easy to do when working fast. Keep breathing.
Easier and harder versions
To make it easier, slow right down and step each knee in with a brief pause. You can also put your hands on a sturdy bench or box so your body is on an incline, which takes weight off your wrists and shoulders.
To make it harder:
- Increase the pace or the length of each interval.
- Drive each knee across towards the opposite elbow (cross-body climbers) for more oblique work.
- Put your feet on sliders or towels on a smooth floor and glide them in and out.
- Add a push-up every few reps.
How to programme mountain climbers
For conditioning, use intervals of 20 to 40 seconds with equal or slightly longer rest for 4 to 8 rounds, or put them into a circuit with burpees, squats and rowing. For core strength, do 3 sets of 10 to 12 slow reps per side. Two or three times a week is plenty.
Your wrists take a lot of load in the high plank. If they get sore, spread your fingers, keep your hands under your shoulders, or rest on your fists or dumbbell handles, and get ongoing wrist pain checked. The guide to HIIT for fat loss shows how to fit intervals like these around strength training.
If you like working hard in a group, Lycan Shred at Lycan Strength is a high-intensity conditioning class; the class timetable has the details.
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Questions
Are mountain climbers cardio or core?
Both. Fast climbers are mainly conditioning, while slow, controlled climbers work more like a plank variation for your core.
Why do my wrists hurt during mountain climbers?
The high plank puts a lot of load through bent wrists. Put your hands on a bench, use dumbbell handles or build up the volume gradually.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.
