Mountain Climbers
Running the knees toward the chest from a push-up position — core stability under fast limb movement, plus a conditioning hit.
Also called: mountain climber
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Strong push-up position — hands under shoulders, body a straight line.
How to do Mountain Climbers
- Drive one knee toward the chest, then switch legs in a running rhythm.
- The hips stay LOW and level — the plank must not break.
- Shoulders stay stacked over the hands.
- Land softly on the balls of the feet.
Mountain Climbers muscles worked
Mountain Climbers work the core, hip flexors and shoulders.
Common Mountain Climbers mistakes
- Hips piking up as fatigue builds.
- Bouncing the whole body instead of switching the legs.
- Hands drifting forward of the shoulders.
Scale it
Easier: Slow the tempo, or elevate the hands on a bench.
Harder: Faster switches, or cross-body knees toward the opposite elbow.
Pairs well with
Around the World
Circling a light weight around the head or body — shoulder mobility and control through a full circle of positions.
Overhead Press
Pressing weight from the shoulders to overhead while standing — shoulder and trunk strength that carries a tall posture.
Plank
The basic straight-body hold on forearms and toes — trunk endurance that keeps your running posture from crumbling late in long efforts.
Plank Shoulder Taps
Tapping alternating hands to the opposite shoulder while holding a plank — challenges core and shoulder stability together.