5 Mountain Climber Variations That Work for Every Fitness Level and Goal
The bodyweight exercise doesn't have to be dreadful. If you want to minimize the cardio challenge or need to improve your form, try these mountain climber variations.
Welcome to Modify This Move, the ongoing series where you'll find everything you need to amend a standard exercise to meet your goals, your body, and your mood. Each story breaks down how to perform a foundational fitness move, then offers various modifications based on your current fitness or energy level, present or prior injuries, or the muscles you want to target most. So check your ego at that door and ensure every workout meets you where you're at today.
Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, there’s no denying that mountain climbers have a lot to offer for your health and fitness routine. The exercise requires no equipment, gets your heart racing, and challenges practically every muscle group in your body — including the shoulders, back, core, and legs, says Sal Nakhlawi, a certified functional strength coach and weightlifting coach in New York City. In turn, mountain climbers provide a highly effective and efficient workout.
If you firmly position yourself in the Mountain Climber Hater camp, there’s good news: You can nab all of the exercise’s perks without feeling mentally overwhelmed or physically exhausted by swapping the traditional move with a variation.
Folks who find the cardio exercise too challenging or notice slip-ups in their form can use a scaled-down mountain climber variation that allows them to focus on — and perfect — their technique without the distracting dynamic movement. And individuals itching to target particular muscle groups or further test their cardiovascular system can practice mountain climber variations that are designed to help them meet their specific fitness goals. Regardless of your reason, there’s no shame in tweaking the mountain climber so it works best for your fitness level, abilities, and aspirations.
Ready to give the bodyweight exercise a shot? Follow the instructions below to master traditional mountain climbers, then watch as Nakhlawi demonstrates how to mix up the exercise with five different mountain climber variations that can work for all abilities and fitness goals.
How to Do Mountain Climbers
A. Start in a table-top position on the floor with hands stacked directly under shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly under hips, and feet hip-width apart.
B. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten legs to come into a high plank position on palms. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists, fingers spread apart, and weight resting on balls of feet. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. This is the starting position.
C. Maintaining a flat back and gazing between hands, engage core, lift left foot off the floor, and quickly drive left knee to chest.
D. Return left foot to the starting position and repeat with right leg. Quickly alternate driving knees in toward chest as if jogging.
5 Mountain Climber Variations
If you test out the classic mountain climber exercise and it leaves you aching, breathless, or even bored — signs it may not be the best fit for you — you’ve got options. To ensure you get exactly what you want and need out of the full-body exercise, consider utilizing a mountain climber variation.
Here, you'll find mountain climber variations that scale the exercise up or down, plus options that target different muscles within your core or challenge your cardiovascular system. As you test them out, continue checking in with your body and mind, and don't be afraid to try a different mountain climber variation if it doesn't feel right.
Mountain Climber Variation to Scale Down: High Plank
If you were to nix the knee drives from your mountain climbers, you’d be left in a high plank position — which makes it the perfect exercise to master first if you’re a total fitness beginner, says Nakhlawi. Practicing this mountain climber variation will help you build a stable base before you add in movement, she explains. Once you’re able to hold the high plank for 45 to 60 seconds with good form, consider scaling up to traditional mountain climbers, she suggests.
A. Start in a table-top position on the floor with hands stacked directly under shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly under hips, and feet hip-width apart.
B. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten legs to come into a high plank position on palms. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists, fingers spread apart, and weight resting on balls of feet. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Hold this position.
Mountain Climber Variation to Level Up: Alternating Tempo Mountain Climbers
While tackling this mountain climber variation, you’ll switch up the speed of your movement, first moving with lightning-fast feet then slowing down to a more gentle pace, says Nakhlawi. By intermittently easing up your pace, you’ll increase the time your muscles spend under tension (read: contracting against an external resistance), which makes the exercise even more challenging, she explains.
A. Start in a table-top position on the floor with hands stacked directly under shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly under hips, and feet hip-width apart.
B. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten legs to come into a high plank position on palms. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists, fingers spread apart, and weight resting on balls of feet. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. This is the starting position.
C. Maintaining a flat back and gazing between hands, engage core, lift right foot off the floor, and slowly drive right knee to chest. Return right foot to the starting position and repeat with left leg.
D. Then, lift right foot off the floor and quickly drive right knee to chest. Return right foot to the starting position and repeat with left leg. Continue driving knees to chest, alternating paces.
Mountain Climber Variation to Target the Obliques: Cross-Body Mountain Climbers
Rather than driving your knees straight to your chest, you’ll propel them to your opposite elbow during this mountain climber variation. In turn, the exercise more heavily targets your obliques — core muscles along the sides of your abdomen that are responsible for rotating your trunk (read: twisting to the left and right), says Nakhlawi.
A. Start in a table-top position on the floor with hands stacked directly under shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly under hips, and feet hip-width apart.
B. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten legs to come into a high plank position on palms. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists, fingers spread apart, and weight resting on balls of feet. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. This is the starting position.
C. Maintaining a flat back and gazing between hands, engage core, lift right foot off the floor, and quickly drive right knee to left elbow.
D. Return right foot to the starting position and repeat, with left leg driving toward right elbow. Quickly alternate driving knees in toward opposite elbows.
Mountain Climber Variation for Cardio: Fast Mountain Climbers
Pick up the pace of your mountain climbers, and you’re sure to feel your cardiovascular system working overtime, says Nakhlawi. Just remember to maintain proper form as you power through your reps, ensuring your body creates a straight line from your head to your heel, she adds.
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A. Start in a table-top position on the floor with hands stacked directly under shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly under hips, and feet hip-width apart.
B. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten legs to come into a high plank position on palms. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists, fingers spread apart, and weight resting on balls of feet. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. This is the starting position.
C. Maintaining a flat back and gazing between hands, engage core, lift right foot off the floor, and quickly drive right knee to chest.
D. Return right foot to the starting position and repeat with left leg. Quickly alternate driving knees in toward chest as if running.
Mountain Climber Variation to Build Core Strength: Slow Mountain Climbers
If you’re craving a break from cardio, add this mountain climber variation to your rotation. Slowing down the pace and moving in a controlled manner makes the exercise less winding, says Nakhlawi. Plus, it helps you build strength throughout your core, as the turtle-like speed increases the amount of time your muscles spend contracting (aka time under tension).
A. Start in a table-top position on the floor with hands stacked directly under shoulders, knees bent and stacked directly under hips, and feet hip-width apart.
B. Lift both knees off the floor and straighten legs to come into a high plank position on palms. Shoulders should be stacked over wrists, fingers spread apart, and weight resting on balls of feet. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. This is the starting position.
C. Maintaining a flat back and gazing between hands, engage core, lift right foot off the floor, and slowly drive right knee to chest.
D. Return right foot to the starting position and repeat with left leg. Slowly alternate driving knees in toward chest.
Photography and art: Jenna Brillhart
Model and fitness expert: Sal Nakhlawi
Wardrobe: SET Active
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