Core · None
How to do
Mountain Climbers
Core work delivered under a cardio load. One of the lightest movements in the pool by effort weight, so Alea tends to draw it at high rep counts.
| Movement pattern | Core |
| Measured in | reps |
| Equipment | None |
| Effort weight in Alea | 0.9 per rep |
| Appears from | D7 exercise die upward |
How to do it
Setup
Start in a push-up position: hands under the shoulders, body in a straight line from heels to head, midsection braced. Weight forward slightly so the shoulders sit over the hands.
The movement
Drive one knee toward your chest, then return it as the other knee comes forward. Keep the pace brisk but keep the hips low and level. Alea counts one rep per knee drive, so a draw of twenty is twenty individual drives, not twenty pairs.
Common mistakes
- Hips rising into a pike, which is the body avoiding the core work
- Bouncing the hips up and down instead of keeping them level
- Hands drifting forward so the shoulders end up behind the wrists
- Going so fast that the knees stop actually reaching the chest
Too hard? Scale it down
Elevate your hands on a bench or a step. The incline reduces the load on the shoulders and core considerably while keeping the movement intact. Slowing the pace is equally valid.
Too easy? Scale it up
Slow them right down and hold each knee at the chest for a second, which turns a cardio movement into serious core work. Cross-body variations add an oblique element.
Where this sits in the Alea pool
Alea draws exercises from an ordered pool of twenty, and the die size slices from the top of that list. Mountain Climbers is number 7 of 20, so it enters the draw once your exercise die reaches D7. Below that, you will never roll it.
Its effort weight is 0.9 per rep, which the app uses when it builds 100-rep sessions and tailored workouts, so a session containing mountain climbers carries fewer total reps than one built from lighter movements.
Roll it now in your browser, or set your dice and let it come up on its own.
General information, not medical or fitness advice. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness, use the easier variation when in doubt, and see the full training disclaimer before starting.
Let the dice pick it for you
Alea draws mountain climbers at random alongside nineteen other bodyweight movements. Free, no account needed.
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Related
Mountain Climbers FAQ
Do mountain climbers count per leg?
Yes, in Alea one rep is one knee drive. A draw of twenty means twenty drives, roughly ten per side.
Are they cardio or core?
Both, which is why they sit in the Core category with a low effort weight. Fast pace makes them conditioning; slow and controlled makes them a genuine core exercise.
Why do my wrists hurt?
The same causes as push-ups: prolonged wrist extension under load. Spread the fingers, grip the floor, and warm the wrists up. Doing them on fists or handles removes the extension.