Mountain Climbers

A beginner plyometrics exercise for the quads, done with just your bodyweight.

Main muscles: Quads
Also works: Chest, Hamstrings and Shoulders
Equipment: Bodyweight
Level: Beginner
Type: Compound
Movement: Pull

How to do the Mountain Climbers

Begin in a pushup position, with your weight supported by your hands and toes. Flexing the knee and hip, bring one leg until the knee is approximately under the hip. This will be your starting position.
Explosively reverse the positions of your legs, extending the bent leg until the leg is straight and supported by the toe, and bringing the other foot up with the hip and knee flexed. Repeat in an alternating fashion for 20-30 seconds.

Sets and reps

Conditioning	3–5 rounds of 20–40 seconds, rest as long as the work
Power	3–5 sets of 3–5 fast reps, full rest

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the Mountain Climbers

Questions

What muscles does the Mountain Climbers work?

Mainly the quads, with the chest, hamstrings and shoulders helping.

Is the Mountain Climbers good for beginners?

Yes. It's rated a beginner exercise: start light and learn the movement before adding weight.

What can I do instead of the Mountain Climbers?

Good alternatives that train the quads: Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound, Double Leg Butt Kick, Fast Skipping or Lateral Bound.

How many sets and reps of the Mountain Climbers should I do?

Conditioning: 3–5 rounds of 20–40 seconds, rest as long as the work. Power: 3–5 sets of 3–5 fast reps, full rest.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).