Table of Contents
What it is and how to do it
It is a highly training exercise that it involves the whole body, many muscle groups at the same time and, combined with good breathing, it really brings many benefits. In fact the name derives from the fact that it comes as of scale but a horizontal surface representing the floor. This simulation starts from a rhythm that has nothing to do with the rhythm of the climb and that stresses the whole body a lot. The body also remains in a horizontal position, one total energy line from the heels to the nape of the neck, a “triumph” of joint stabilization and balance.
It starts from plank position, then with the wrists below the level of the shoulders and the feet against the floor, with the toes pushing well. The abdominals are active, from the superficial rectus abdominis to the deep transverse and also the external and internal obliques. The back and shoulders do not give way. They bring the knees, alternately, to chest and this movement simulates a climb. The knees move towards the chest in a rhythmic way until the end of the exercise. It is absolutely necessary to avoid hyper-extending the elbows so as not to suffer injuries to the upper limbs. The same goes for the control you have to keep on knee movement, between the stage where they pull back and push forward. The gaze always remains downwards, at a central point between the two hands, in order to be sure of not giving problems to the neck and to keep it long and free.
The key to the whole exercise lies in the relationship with gravity which creates a useful resistance to activate all the muscles. Involved are the muscles of the abdomen, quadriceps, glutes, hip flexors. The balance in the plank requires a lot of work of the deltoids, pectorals, dorsal and lumbosacral muscles around the spine. You must find aharmonic performance through practice to combine the three phases of work well: from the plank with outstretched arms up to flex the knees towards the chest alternately and then return to the plank with outstretched arms and consequent return to an upright position. Basic: to breathe. It becomes easy in the first executions to go apnea instead it should be avoided with caution. Keep the long, deep breath.
How to include the Mountain Climber in training
This bodyweight exercise burns a lot of calories and has no particular risky contraindications once you understand the preparation and execution. The great work takes place on two fronts: the body is supported by the arms and the knees are moved rhythmically. A static and a dynamic part. The core is always active, throughout the execution.
Used as exercise for warming up, the mountain climber immediately activates the whole body as it is a multi-joint exercise. The breath is also quickly lengthened and blood is pumped throughout the body. Also at the end of the workout, the mountain climber counts as an “icing on the cake”, as it allows you to burn a lot of fat in the final phase. Within a work sheet, the Mountain climber becomes a real cornerstone for a important metabolic impact and also to develop coordination skills.
You should choose footwear that has one good grip on the ground to facilitate the agile movements of the legs in order to facilitate the search for balance that is totally achieved by the muscles of the abdomen. In fact, uncomfortable or tight or unsuitable shoes can destabilize the hips and arching your back creating unstable executions that make everything difficult and risky. If the exercise is part of a yoga or Pilates practice and you find yourself barefoot, make sure you have strong ankles and feet, paying attention to your toes.
Variants and benefits
The first way to create a variant is toincrease speed execution of the exercise, keeping the legs very light, making them move almost automatically, until they touch the ground for a very short time with the tip of the toes. To train a mountain climber in a functional way you have to dedicate yourself to the plank. Start with 30 seconds to continue to 1 minute. Add variations in which you detach the legs for 5 seconds alternately, in order to put a lot of stress on the muscles of the abdomen. Strengthen your wrists well before proceeding and also alternate with low plank standing on the elbows so as not to have problems of excessive load when you go in Mountain Climber.
For increase work you can tie your ankles to a machine with cables or use elastic bands; in many functional training programs the mountain climber joins TRX and Bosu (for the upper limbs). If you combine this exercise with the burpees, by varying the two executions, you get a very dense, very dense work dynamic and fortifying. You can add arm bends to greatly increase the workload or use anklets to increase the work of the lower limbs. The crossed Mountain Climber is also very training, where one knee alternately rises towards the chest on the opposite side and vice versa, intersecting the center line of the body.
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