Mountain climbers or simply, climbers, are among the simplest bodyweight exercises that I love. Despite their simplicity, they can target several muscle groups at once and can even be a part of your cardio workout.
Haven’t you tried mountain climbers yet? If that’s the case, here’s more of the reasons why you should try and how you can perform this calisthenics correctly.
Benefits of Mountain Climbers
While climbers primarily target the quads, they can also hit other major muscle groups.
Related: Lunge Step Ups for Stronger Quads
In other words, mountain climbers are considered whole-body calisthenics, as they can also hit the following:
- abdominals
- hamstrings
- hip abductors
- deltoids
- biceps
- triceps
- chest
- obliques
That’s practically your major upper and lower body muscles. Just as you would hit your whole body when climbing up a mountain for real, mountain climbers can pump up your whole system and even strengthen your heart.
How To Perform Climbers
As I’ve already hinted, this body weight exercise simply mimics your movement when climbing up a mountain or a hill.
To start, position yourself in an upper push-up mode, or simply a plank position with both arms fully stretched. Set your hands slightly wider apart than your shoulders.
- Draw one knee in—pull it so it goes under your chest—without lifting your hips up.
- Alternate legs going in and out as if you’re actually climbing or running.
- Go as fast as you can. The faster you “climb,” the more your heart rate goes up.
Climbers are as easy as that, but they’re totally sweat-inducing and heart-healthy.
Now as you begin practicing mountain climbers, see to it that you’re using the correct form. Remember the following tips.
- Keep your hips low.
- Tighten your abs as you pull your leg in.
- Keep your spine straight.
- Never let your head droop.
At this point, you’d be ready to check out the video demonstration below to get more inspiration in doing mountain climbers!
Credits: Howcast/YouTube
