Assist Your Balance and Overall Abdominal Development With Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers require engagement of your core to support your back and maintain balance. This makes it a great and effective abdominal exercise.

Not only does the mountain climber work your core it also practically works your entire body. You will build strength in the arms, shoulders, core and legs, while also improving your cardiovascular system.

Mountain climbers are a dynamic exercise, this means they involve a constant, steady, smooth, and repetitive movement. Dynamic exercises are great for both joint lubrication and for increasing joint flexibility.

Mountain climbers charge up your heart and oxygen intake rates because your body has to work harder to provide your muscles with oxygen and fuel. This type of bodily stress develops your cardiovascular system, strengthens your heart and lungs, while also burning massive amounts of calories to support fat loss efforts.

The mountain climber is an effective exercise for incorporating into a circuit workout in between strength-training exercises because it will assist in keeping your heart rate up into the fat burning training zone.

Every repetition involves the need for flexion and extension of the hips and knees on both sides of your body, this in turn assists in loosening up your joints and improves your overall lower body mobility.

Improvements include; the range of motion through your hip and knee, boosts cardiovascular and athletic performance and reduces your susceptibility to injury.

Technique Breakdown - Mountain Climbers - Core and Hip Flexors

Start/Finish Position
Start in a standard pushup position.
Your weight will be supported by your hands and toes.
Flexing your knee and hip, bring one leg in until your knee is approximately under your hip.

Movement Phase 
Explosively reverse the positions of your legs. 
Extending your bent leg until your leg is straight and supported by the toe. 
Bringing your other foot up with your hip and knee flexed. 
Repeat for desired repetitions.

Breathing Directions
Breathe in during the downward motion.
Breathe out during the pushing motion.

Tips 
Explosion in each movement is the key to getting the greatest benefits this exercise has to offer.

Mountain climbers are great to use as a warm up exercise, timed or when ever you feel the need to raise your heart rate and get your blood pumping. Plus this is one of the bodyweight exercises that you can do anywhere.