Mountain climbers combine a plank hold with dynamic leg drives, training the core isometrically while elevating heart rate. A versatile conditioning exercise for home workouts and circuit training.
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Form Guide
Step-by-step: Mountain Climber
1Start in a push-up (straight-arm plank) position. Wrists under shoulders.
2Drive one knee toward your chest without raising your hips.
3Quickly switch legs in a running motion.
4Hips stay level — do not pike up or sag down.
Common Mistakes
What most people get wrong
Hips too high (piking): turns it into a plank with leg movements. Hips stay level with shoulders.
Too slow to train the cardiovascular benefit: mountain climbers work best fast.
Programming
How to program the Mountain Climber
Use in HIIT: 30–40 seconds on, 20 seconds off. Or as a circuit component: 20–30 reps. Slow mountain climbers (pausing at the top of each knee drive) are a legitimate core exercise; fast are a conditioning tool.