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Murder your midsection with mountain climbers! The mountain climber is a high intensity exercise that delivers a profound impact on your core. That’s because they challenge your cardiovascular endurance, upper body strength, core strength, your balance, and your leg power. This is truly a full-body exercise that gets your heart rate screaming, and it may even leave you a bit breathless.
How To Do Mountain Climbers:
- Begin in a plank position. Your weight will supported by your hands and toes.
- Your arms should be locked into position with your hands directly under your shoulders at about shoulder width.
- Bend your right knee and pull it forward toward but slightly inside of your right hand/arm. Try to bring your knee all the way up to chest under your chin.
- Explosively reverse the motion and begin bringing your left knee forward as soon as your right toe is back in place. This should be a fluid motion that requires no pause. You’ll be in continuous motion throughout the exercise.
- Repeat in an alternating fashion for 20-30 seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De3Gl-nC7IQ
Trainer Tips:
Look at the floor for this exercise to ensure that you have a neutral spine. It’s important to keep your back flat and your butt down. Your body should NOT form a mountain.
- You should not drag your toes or ski on the balls of your feet. Nor should you hop.
- Remember to breathe!
A small change can help you work your obliques. Instead of bringing your knee straight forward, push your left knee toward your right arm and your right knee toward your left arm to target your obliques.
Sample Exercise Plan:
Add this abdominal routine to the end of any (or all) of your workouts!
- Mountain Climbers 3 sets for 20-30 seconds each (45-60 seconds rest between sets)
- Inch Worms 2 sets of 10
- Planks 3 sets for 1 minute each (45-60 seconds rest between sets)
- Stability ball crunch 3 sets of 12-15
- Barbell rollouts 2 sets of 12-15
- Incline bench sit ups 3 sets of 10-12
- Reverse crunches 3 sets of 12-15
