Full-body workout: Mountain Climbers: How-to, Benefits and More

If you're looking for a full body exercise that boosts overall fitness, consider mountain climbers.

It's a beneficial and explosive bodyweight workout that targets multiple muscles at once. It's a compound exercise that helps enhance strength, agility, flexibility, and balance while also improving blood circulation and enhancing heart rate.

You can easily squeeze this exercise into your at-home or gym workout session and get a full body workout in less than ten minutes. While the standard version sounds easy and is suitable for beginners, pro exercisers can level up the move with different variations and modifications.

Muscles worked in mountain climber

As a compound exercise, mountain climbers work different muscles at once. That includes:

chest
arms (forearms, biceps, and triceps)
shoulders
abdominals
core
legs (hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and calves)
back
glutes

How to do mountain climbers?

The mountain climber exercise targets the leg muscles. (Photo via Pexels/kinkate Gruber)

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Start by taking a position on all fours, i.e., position your hands and knees on the floor, and assume a plank position.
Make sure to place your hands at a shoulder-width distance and shoulders over your wrists.
Press your fingers on the floor to stabilize your entire upper body.
With the spine neutral and gaze on a straight spot, bring your left knee in towards your chest, and move it back to the starting position.
Repeat the movement with your right knee, bringing it towards your chest, and moving it back.
Continue for a few more reps, and increase the speed. Ensure that the spine is straight, and the abs are tight throughout the exercise.

Benefits

Practicing mountain climbers offers great health benefits, such as

Builds upper body strength and mobility

If you want to develop massive upper body strength, mountain climbers are the exercise you can rely upon.

Studies have shown that practicing this exercise regularly for a certain period can help develop upper body strength and agility. Doing it strengthens major upper body muscles such as the chest, shoulders, and arms, and boosts upper body strength.

Boosts core strength

If you want to build toned abs, enhance core strength, or reduce belly fat, look no further than this bodyweight movement. Studies have shown that practicing this exercise for at least seven weeks can enhance core stability and strength and improve fitness.

Great for cardiovascular health

Studies have shown that doing any type of exercise is beneficial for heart health. Bodyweight exercises such as mountain climbers are no different and are sure to help maintain heart health and weight.

Also read: Top 5 Heart-Healthy Foods You Must Include in Your Diet

Low-impact and good for beginners

Mountain climbers are beginner-level low-impact bodyweight exercises, meaning they're suitable for absolute newbies and ideal for people with knee or ankle pain too.

People with any kind of chronic pain, such as knee, back, or ankle pain can perform this exercise without any trouble, as it doesn’t put stress on the joints, and its impact is really low.

Important tips to keep in mind

Focusing on your form is important. (Photo via Pexels/Elina Fairytale)

While mountain climbers are simple bodyweight exercises that require no equipment and can be done by beginners and advanced exercisers alike, there are tips to keep in mind to ensure that the exercise is performed correctly.

Remember these tips while performing mountain climbers:

Keep the abs engaged throughout the exercise.
Avoid rounding the back. Keep the spine tall and lengthened at all times.
Do not put much stress on your toes. Divide your weight evenly on your palms and toes.
As a beginner, start the exercise slowly, and gradually increase your speed as you gain strength and confidence.
Avoid lifting your hips into the air. Ensure that the body is in a straight line from head to toes and that the hands remain directly under the shoulders.

Practice this versatile exercise regularly to build strength and agility

Mountain climbers are a very productive exercise that can be modified depending on the exerciser’s fitness level and goal. When done correctly with the right technique and form, the exercise can work wonders on both the upper and lower body and help develop massive strength.

Always remember to do it in a slow and controlled manner to target the right muscles, and most importantly, to prevent strains and injuries. As you build confidence and strength, increase your speed, and challenge your muscles even more by adding different variations.