- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadWrist
How to do the Mountain Climber
Set up. Get into a push-up position with straight arms and your body in a straight line.
- Drive one knee toward your chest.
- Switch legs, bringing the other knee in as the first goes back.
- Keep alternating for the target time.
Form cues
- Keep the hips low.
- Keep the shoulders over the hands.
- Go slower to keep good form.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing the hips up.
- Letting the shoulders drift back.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Front delts and Quads.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Mountain Climber, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Woodchop Same core session: it trains the obliques.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Mountain Climber first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Mountain Climber 3 × 30 to 60 s
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cable Woodchop 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Cable Crunch
Cable
Less load on the wrist
Medicine Ball Slam
The Mountain Climber loads the wrist by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Plank.
Other variations of the Plank: Side Plank, Hollow Hold, Bear Hold and Plank Shoulder Tap.
Do before it: Plank (same movement, lighter) and Dead Bug (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Mountain Climber is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Mountain Climber?
Set up: Get into a push-up position with straight arms and your body in a straight line. Steps: 1. Drive one knee toward your chest. 2. Switch legs, bringing the other knee in as the first goes back. 3. Keep alternating for the target time. Form cues: Keep the hips low. Keep the shoulders over the hands. Go slower to keep good form. Common mistakes: Bouncing the hips up. Letting the shoulders drift back.
What muscles does the Mountain Climber work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the front delts and quads on the way.
What can I do instead of the Mountain Climber?
In a gym: Cable Crunch. With less load on the wrist: Medicine Ball Slam. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Mountain Climber with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension and Cable Woodchop.