How to do a Mountain Climber
- Begin in a high plank with hands under shoulders and body in a straight line.
- Brace your core and keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
- Pull one knee in toward your chest without lifting your hips.
- Switch legs quickly, driving the other knee in as the first returns.
- Continue alternating at a steady pace, keeping your back flat.
Keep in mind
- Keep the shoulders stacked over the wrists the whole time.
- Drive the knee toward your chest, not down toward the floor.
- Keep the hips low and level — no bouncing up and down.
- Set a pace you can hold for the whole interval.
Common mistakes
- The hips rising with every rep — slow the tempo and keep the plank line.
- The feet landing heavy — stay light and quick.
- Hands creeping forward — reset them under the shoulders.
Breathing
Breathe in a quick, steady rhythm; don't try to match it to your legs.
Take care
This is a plank at speed, so it fails at the lower back first — stop when the hips start rising, not when the legs give out.
Easier and harder
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