Feel the burn with this mountain climber exercise
Welcome to our weekly Move of the Week series. Every Monday, we’ll be sharing with you one of our favourite exercises – how to do them, what muscles they work and why they should be a regular part of your workout regime. This week: mountain climbers.
If you’re in the mood for an intense bodyweight exercise that works multiple muscle groups and gets the blood pumping, then turn to mountain climbers. This dynamic move is a great way to build upper and lower body strength while strengthening your core. The best part about this explosive move is you don’t even need a mountain.
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What is a mountain climber?
Mountain climbers involve moving dynamically through the core while holding a plank position.
This exercise is great because:
It gets your heart rate up: it’s a cardio exercise that helps improve fitness.
It builds core strength: mountain climbers require you to work through your total core.
You don’t need any equipment: you can do it anywhere and any time – add it on to the end of your strength circuit or to fire up your core after a run.
What muscles do mountain climbers work?
Mountain climbers are a compound exercise, meaning they work lots of muscle groups, but they particularly target:
- Pecs (chest)
- Deltoids (shoulders)
- Rectus abdominals
- Transverse abdominals
- Back
- Triceps
- Biceps
- Quads
- Glutes
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How to do mountain climbers
- Start in a plank position – engage your abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button to your spine and keep your back straight, without dipping your hips or floating your bum in the air.
- Bring your right knee to your right elbow, squeezing through the core.
- Return it to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Pick up the pace so you are moving quickly through the reps.
Images: Stylist
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