Just one exercise "one of the simplest" according to author and fitness coach Kirk Charles, it takes no more than 3 minutes, and requires no equipment or gym.
It is also suitable for adults of both sexes, with low levels of physical activity, to improve the functions of the heart and blood vessels, and its impressive results appear on the body in general, and on the abdomen in particular, after a month of perseverance.
It is a “mountain climber” exercise so named because the movement in it simulates climbing a mountain, and it is one of the basic exercises that build “the muscles of the shoulders, arms and stomach area, and almost all the muscles of the body, such as the deltoid muscle, biceps, triceps, chest, oblique muscles, abdomen, quads, hamstrings, hips," according to the website "onlymyhealth."
It's also a great option for burning calories, increasing your heart rate, and then "strengthening the abdominal muscles that run along the sides of your heart," New York-based personal trainer Myriam Fried tells Insider.
Research indicates that "like most (cardio) exercises, it raises more activity in the abdominal muscles, than traditional abdominal exercises."
In late 2021, a YouTuber posted his personal experience with a mountaineer exercise;
Where he regularly performed his 30 days, for only 3 minutes per day, in conjunction with a healthy diet, and found that his weight decreased more than 30 pounds (about 14 kilograms) on the 30th day.
8 Tips That Make Mountain Climbers Workout Better Than Abdominal Workouts
"What people don't realize is that you can't reduce fat just by doing a large number of abdominal exercises," says Fried, and recommends instead "thinking of the heart as the foundation of everything."
Therefore, mountain climbers can be "more effective than abdominal exercises" as an exercise that increases heart rate and helps build whole-body strength, if done correctly, with the following cautions:
Make sure to focus firmly on the plank position.
Place your hands shoulder width apart on the floor, below your shoulders.
Squeeze the abdominal and buttock muscles, align the head and neck with the spine, and focus your gaze on the point directly in front of your hands.
Keep your hips lower than your shoulders, without dropping them toward the floor.
Keep your toes flat on the floor toward the back.
Ensure that the body is taut in a straight, inclined line, extending from the head to the ankles, and the back is flat, not curved or arched.
Start slowly, before running to the fastest, and breathe in during the exercise, alternating between inhale and exhale with each movement.
Avoid common mistakes, such as swinging the hips, or swinging the arms in front of the shoulders.
7 Benefits of Regular Mountaineering Exercise
"If you're looking for a consistent muscle workout, you'll find that a mountain climber is a great option, when your feet are pushing hard and fast, your heart rate is up, and you're sweating," says fitness expert Ebenezer Samuel.
The "Only My Health" website summarized the benefits of practicing mountain climber exercise, as follows:
Useful to strengthen your heart.
Reduces body fat and helps in weight loss.
Very useful for increasing your stamina.
Effective in developing chest muscles for men.
Helps increase agility.
Helps strengthen the upper body, such as the shoulders, hands and chest.
It improves blood flow in the body and makes it flexible.
5 types of mountain climber exercise
Certified American trainer, Amber Reese, has designed a set of 5 different forms of mountain climber exercise, each of which can be done for 3 minutes, or all of them can be done.
Basic mountain climber
Start in a "high plank" position and the wrists under the shoulders, so that the body forms a straight line, push the right knee toward the chest, then return to the starting position, and push the left knee toward the chest, then repeat as quickly as possible, for 30 seconds, 4 rounds, with 15 One second rest between each round.
Mountaineer with "Down Dog"
Get into a raised plank position, and press into the floor with your palms and fingers wide apart;
Then raise your hips until your body is dome-shaped, keeping your legs straight.
And start pushing the left knee toward the chest, then come back and push the right knee toward the chest, and repeat for the same number and duration as before.
Mountain climber with "blanc jack"
Get into a raised plank position, then raise your body as you jump with both feet apart, before bringing them together again.
Then push the right knee toward the chest, and return and push the left knee, then take the plank position and jump with both feet again, and repeat the same number and duration as before.
Mountaineer with "Cross Buddy"
Start by placing the "high plank" and the wrists under the shoulders, so that the body forms a straight line, and push the right knee toward the left elbow, then go back as you were, and push the left knee toward the right elbow, then repeat the same number and duration as before.
4 times mountaineer with 1 time 'Burbie'
Begin with a burpee, pushing your hips back and bending your knees, landing in a squat position, then place your hands on the floor and push your feet back at the same time as you lower your torso to the floor.
Place your hands on the floor next to your chest, and press as you push your feet back along with your hands.
Lift your hands off the ground and jump firmly into the air, then slowly descend into a squat position, then take a raised plank position, and do a mountain climber 4 times.