Standing Mountain Climbers. Add some additional cardio to this move by performing it while standing:. You can also try slowing the move down to intensify the stretch similar to doing a plyo floor lunge. Mountain climbers of any variation rely heavily on your ability to assume and hold a proper plank position. This includes checking to be sure that:. To ensure the move is effective and safe, review the proper form for planking.
Performing a plank with poor form can put you at risk for injury and will greatly reduce the benefit of adding mountain climbers to your workout routine. Mountain climbers should be avoided if you have injuries or instabilities in your shoulders or pelvis. Mountain climbers are a great workout for your knees, but if you've had surgery or need to have surgery such as to repair a sports-related injury or replace a joint affected by arthritis , you'll want to talk to your doctor or physical therapist before working these movements into your routine.
If you've recently been pregnant or had certain types of abdominal surgery, you may have a condition called diastasis recti, where the muscles of your abdomen are separated.
Until this condition completely heals, you'll want to avoid this type of core workout. Mountain climbers can be easily adapted to your level, done as a stand-alone workout, or blended into your existing regimen.
The move can be:. Workouts that feature the mountain climber move include:. Once you've mastered planking and mountain climbers, you can try out other exercises that use your own weight for a full-body, strengthening workout:. Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Nahabedian MY.
Management strategies for diastasis recti. Semin Plast Surg. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFit. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Step-by-Step Instructions. Common Mistakes. Weldon explains that the faster you drive your legs the more mountain climbers become a cardio move, whereas slow and controlled reps make mountain climbers a core strengthening exercise. The workout: Now you know how to do the perfect mountain climber, let's put them into a workout.
This is a tabata workout, so 20 seconds of work should be followed by 10 seconds of complete rest. For the first 20 seconds you're going to be concentrating on cardio , so these mountain climbers should be performed with speed, but remember to maintain your technique.
The next 20 seconds will be focused on your core, so controlled mountain climbers are what you're after here. Keep alternating between the two versions for 6 minutes. That's your workout. Try adding in 2o seconds of these progressions and variations. Variety is the spice of life after all. Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Maintaining a flat back and gazing between hands, brace core, lift one foot off the floor, and quickly drive knee to chest. Return foot to start and repeat with the other leg.
Quickly alternate driving knees in toward chest as if running. The move may seem pretty tough to mess up, but there is one common mistake you should be careful not to make: As you're driving your knee to your chest, you might unknowingly start to lift your butt up into the air, losing your flat back, which can place more stress on your wrists, says Joi.
What's more, "when your butt is poked up more, it's not the same knee drive [as when your back is flat], so there's less engagement in your hip flexors, core, and glutes during the push-off," she explains. Be careful of making these mistakes in your indoor cycling class , too. Even though there are no kettlebells or fancy equipment involved, mountain climbers are a seriously tough exercise — and it's okay if you want to modify them to meet your fitness level and needs.
In fact, modifications are a great way to ease any painful pressure on the wrists, says Joi. Adding a slight elevation, such as by placing your hands on a box, step, or bench, to your mountain climbers will do the trick, too — and it'll help you maintain that flat back, says Joi. Also worth noting: If standard mountain climbers are too intense or you end up performing them in a downward dog position , bring your knees up to your chest at a slower rate and tap your toe to the ground, rather than quickly driving them up as fast as you can, she adds.
No matter which adjustment you decide to go with, know that "just because there is a modification doesn't mean you have to stick with it [throughout the round]," says Joi. If your rounds of mountain climbers barely get your heart rate up props to you , it's time to take things up a notch. One option: take your workout off the hard floor of the gym and bring it to the soft beach sand , which will further challenge your stabilizing muscles and make the push-off even more difficult for your lower body, says Joi.
Or, try a round of traveling mountain climbers, which will test your obliques and lower body. Keeping your hands in place, drive one knee up toward your chest, and instead of sending it straight back, drop it to the right. Continue to move to the right until you've traveled as far in that direction as possible or all the way around in a circle! To light your core on fire, Joi recommends switching up where you're bringing your knees.
Need a visual representation of how to do mountain climbers and all these switch-ups?
0コメント