Mountain Climber Burpee

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your core engaged.
2. Keep your chest upright and your arms relaxed at your sides.
3. Position yourself with enough space to jump back into a full plank.

How to do it

1. Squat down and place your hands firmly on the floor, then jump your feet back into a high plank position.
2. Perform four rapid mountain climbers by driving each knee toward your chest in an alternating fashion while maintaining a flat back.
3. Jump your feet forward toward your hands, landing in a squat position with your weight on your heels.
4. Explode upward into a vertical jump, reaching your arms overhead, and land softly to immediately begin the next repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your hands directly under your shoulders during the plank phase.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid letting your hips sag or pike during mountain climbers.
• Land with soft knees to absorb the impact of the jump.
• Engage your glutes and core throughout the entire movement to protect your lower back.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'quiet' feet during the mountain climber phase to ensure maximum core tension and control.
• Exhale forcefully during the knee drives and the vertical jump to maintain power and rhythm.
• Minimize the transition time between the plank and the jump to keep your heart rate in the target zone.

Make it harder

• Add a full push-up after jumping into the plank but before starting the mountain climbers.
• Increase the intensity by performing 8 to 10 mountain climbers per burpee cycle.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the mountain climber burpee work?

The mountain climber burpee primarily targets the abs, calves, deltoids, hamstrings, and pectorals, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the mountain climber burpee?

The mountain climber burpee requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the mountain climber burpee good for beginners?

The mountain climber burpee is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Alternate Front Kick In Place With Arm CirclesBeginner · abs, calves, deltoids, and pectorals
• Bear Plank Floating MarchIntermediate · abs, calves, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques
• Knee Tap Sky ReachIntermediate · abs, calves, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals
• Right Cross Hook Kick KickboxingAdvanced · abs, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, pectorals, and quadriceps