# Mountain Climber: how to do it

- Main muscles: abs, hip flexors
- Also works: front delts, quads, cardio
- Equipment: bodyweight
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/mountain_climber/260ceb18d1/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight.
2. Drive your right knee towards your chest and touch the foot down lightly.
3. Switch legs, pushing the right leg back as the left knee comes forward.
4. Keep switching at a steady pace with your hips level.

## Cues

- Hips level with your shoulders.
- Shoulders stay over your hands.
- Knees drive to your chest.

## Common mistakes

- Hips bouncing or piking up: brace your stomach and slow down.
- Shoulders moving behind your hands: keep your weight over your hands.
- Racing with sloppy form: go only as fast as you can stay straight.

## The version in our demo

High-plank mountain climber at a steady, controlled pace, the driving foot touching down lightly under the chest before the legs switch. This is ACE's pattern at Healthline's beginner pace; the sprint version and hands-on-a-step regression are not shown.

## Starting position

High plank on the floor. Hands shoulder-width apart, directly under or just in front of the shoulders, fingers forward, arms straight. Body in one line from head to heels, abs braced, shoulders pulled down away from the ears. Feet hip-width apart on the balls of the feet. Head in line with the spine, eyes on the floor just ahead of the hands.

## The movement

Drive the right knee forward towards the chest and touch the right foot lightly to the floor under the hip, heel up. Then switch in one quick move: the right leg pushes back to straight as the left knee drives forward, both feet briefly leaving the floor. The hands stay planted; the shoulders stay over the hands; the hips stay level with the shoulders and do not bob.

## Breathing

Steady, rhythmic breathing; do not hold the breath.

## Form in numbers

- Front foot lands 50–60 cm ahead of its plank position, under the hip, on the ball of the foot.
- Back leg straight, knee flexion 0–5°, ball of the foot on the floor.
- Hip height stays within about 5 cm of the plank line; no piking or sagging.
- Shoulders stay over the wrists (shoulder flexion about 90°); elbows straight.
- Feet off the floor for under 0.1 s at each switch.

## Sources

1. [ACE, "Mountain Climbers"](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/258/mountain-climbers/)
2. [Healthline, "Lower Ab Workout: 10 Exercises for a Stronger Core" (mountain climbers)](https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/flutter-kicks)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/mountain-climber