Appears in642 Workouts*

Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber

Elevate your core workout! Mountain Climbers meet medicine ball for an intense, stability-challenging exercise. Feel the burn!

The Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber mainly works the core, with help from the back and chest. You'll need: medicine ball.

Mr. Grey
JustGains_XY
@JustGains_XY

Required Equipment

Medicine Ball
Medicine Ball

Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber Muscles Worked

Primary

Abdominals (rectus abdominis); Obliques

Secondary

Boxer Muscle (serratus anterior); Upper Chest (pectoralis major, clavicular head)

How to do the Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber

  1. Start in a high plank position with both hands on a medicine ball beneath your chest. Your arms should be straight, and your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.

  2. Engage your core, ensuring your back is flat and not arched or sagging.

  3. Start the movement by driving one knee in towards your chest, with the toe just off the ground.

  4. Return that leg back to the starting position while simultaneously driving the opposite knee in towards your chest.

  5. Continue alternating legs at a rapid pace, like running in place while maintaining your hands on the medicine ball.

  6. Breathe steadily throughout the exercise, and keep the core engaged to prevent the hips from bouncing up and down.

The medicine ball adds an element of instability to the mountain climber, requiring additional work from the core muscles to stabilize the body throughout the movement. It can be performed as a timed exercise (e.g., 30-60 seconds) or in sets of a certain number of repetitions per leg.

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Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber FAQs

What muscles does the Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber work?

The Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber mainly works the core, with help from the back and chest. The main muscles are the rectus abdominis and obliques.

What equipment do you need for the Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber?

Medicine ball.

What are some Medicine-Ball Mountain-Climber variations and alternatives?

Similar exercises include the BOSU™ Ball Mountain-Climber, Mountain-Climber Bridge, Against-Wall Cross Mountain-Climber and Medicine-Ball Crunch.

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