Why Mountain Climbers Are Worth Your Time – Plus, Variations For Every Level

If you need a simple bodyweight exercise that gets your heart rate up and also builds strength in your entire body, meet the mountain climber.

It’s a classic exercise you’ve probably done before, and fitness pros love it because it will strengthen your core while simultaneously working on your cardio and muscular endurance. This move is a great addition to any ab workout, especially if you’ve already mastered beginner ab moves like crunches and planks. And it’s a great addition to any HIIT workout because it’ll have you out of breath in no time. Mountain climbers also make a great warmup exercise, especially when paired with some other mobility drills.

Curious how to do them, exactly? Keep reading to better understand the benefits of mountain climbers, which muscles are worked by mountain climbers, some variations on mountain climbers, and how to do mountain climbers with correct form so you can get the most out of this exercise.

Benefits of Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are a great compound movement, Cristina Chan, certified trainer at F45 Training, says. Compound moves are ones that work multiple large muscle groups, which translates to strengthening more muscles at once, as well as increasing the demand you’re putting on your body.

Mountain climbers, specifically, “help with strengthening big muscle groups like your hamstrings, quads, back, shoulders, and glutes, as well as your core,” she says. Yep, with all those muscles worked by mountain climbers, they’re basically a full-body exercise.

Think about it this way: mountain climbers are essentially a plank variation, so you can expect to strengthen the same muscles as during that exercise (i.e., your shoulders, upper back, and core). Since you’re essentially running in place while in a stable plank position, this exercise also builds leg strength. And, as a cardio move, mountain climbers also get your heart rate up and increase your cardiovascular endurance – these things come with a laundry list of their own benefits, such as a boosted mood and better heart health, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

How to Do Mountain Climbers

Chan has plenty of tips to help you make sure you’re doing mountain climbers with proper form. First of all, “make sure you stay in a plank position, and keep your hips at shoulder height throughout the entire exercise set,” she says. Also, “keep distance between you and the ground by pushing up through your shoulder blades and engaging your core. As you bring one knee in, make sure your opposite leg is extended straight while you engage through your glute and leg muscles.” And finally, if it’s cardio you’re after, “keep a faster tempo if you want more of a cardio burn,” she says. Ready?

Here’s how to do mountain climbers, step by step.

• Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine.
• Engage your core, and lift your right leg, drawing your knee in toward your chest. Return the right foot to the starting position as you simultaneously drive your left knee toward your chest. Return to the starting position.
• Continue alternating sides. To increase the intensity, pick up the pace until it feels like you’re “running” in place in a plank position.

Mountain Climber Variation: Slow-Motion Mountain Climber

If you are new to mountain climbers or exercise in general, are rebuilding your skills after a hiatus from the gym, or just want to make mountain climbers a little less intense, try slow-motion mountain climbers. By dialing down the pace, you’ll reduce the cardiovascular demands of the move but really hone in on the core work you’re doing. Here’s how.

• Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine.
• Engage your core, and lift your right leg, drawing your knee in toward your chest. Hold this position for one second, then return the right foot to the starting position.
• Repeat with the left leg, driving your left knee toward your chest, holding for one second, and then returning to the starting position.
• Continue alternating sides without speeding up the pace.

Mountain Climber Variation: Twisted Mountain Climbers

Add a literal twist to your mountain climbers with this variation (shown above). By rotating your hips slightly, you’ll place more of a demand on your obliques, the muscles that run along the sides of your core. These muscles are responsible for twisting your torso, bending it to the side, and also giving it stability.

• Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine.
• Engage your core, and lift your right leg, drawing your knee in toward your chest and over to your left elbow. Return the right foot to the starting position.
• Repeat with the left leg, driving your left knee toward your chest and over to the right elbow, and then return to the starting position.
• Continue alternating sides. Speed up the pace if you’d like, taking care to move with control.

Mountain Climber Variation: Spider Mountain Climber

Not to be confused with the Spider-Man push-up (a mountain climber/push-up hybrid), the spider mountain climber is a more intense mountain climber that also happens to be a great hip mobility exercise. Make sure you do a thorough warm up before tackling this one.

• Start in a plank with your shoulders directly over your wrists. Keep your back flat and your hips down, maintaining a neutral spine. Step your right foot up and outside of your right hand so it’s planted on the ground. Keep your hips low and in plank position.
• Jump to switch sides, hopping your right foot back to plank position and your left foot forward outside of your left hand.
• Continue alternating sides. Speed up the pace if you’d like, taking care to move with control.

Mountain Climber Variation: Plank With Bunny Hop

This mountain climber variation is not for the faint of heart. You’ll engage your entire core, plus your arms, shoulders, back, quads, and glutes, helping to strengthen the muscles in virtually your entire body. And the jumping motion acts as a plyo workout, getting your heart rate up so you can enjoy some cardio benefits too. Give it a try, but if it’s too hard to complete a full set, pat yourself on the back for trying – this is an advanced move. Finish out the rest of the set with a regular plank or a body saw instead, and keep trying to work your way up to a full set instead.

• Begin in a plank position with the feet together.
• Pulling your abs in, jump your feet to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow. Your torso will twist to the right.
• Jump your feet back to plank to complete one rep.
• Repeat on the other side, and continue alternating sides for 20 reps total.

– Additional reporting by Jenny Sugar and Mirel Zaman

Lauren Mazzo was the senior fitness editor at POPSUGAR. She is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist through the American Council on Exercise. Prior to joining POPSUGAR, she worked for six years as a writer and editor for Shape Magazine covering health, fitness, nutrition, mental health, sex and relationships, beauty, and astrology.

Jenny Sugar was a staff fitness writer at POPSUGAR. She loves eating plant-based, CrossFit, and yoga.

Mirel Zaman is the health and fitness director at POPSUGAR. She has nearly 15 years of experience working in the health and wellness space, writing and editing articles about fitness, general health, mental health, relationships and sex, food and nutrition, astrology, spirituality, family and parenting, culture, and news.