Exercise guide
Bosu Ball Mountain Climber
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
- Waist
The Bosu Ball Mountain Climber adds an element of instability to the traditional mountain climber, significantly increasing the demand on the core, shoulders, and stabilizing muscles.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Place the Bosu ball flat side up (dome side down) on the floor.
- Grip the handles or the outer edges of the platform with your hands directly under your shoulders.
- Step your feet back into a high plank position, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Engage your core and glutes to stabilize the unstable platform.
How to do it
- Drive your right knee toward your chest as far as possible without rounding your lower back.
- Exhale sharply as you bring the knee in, focusing on the abdominal contraction.
- Quickly switch legs, extending the right leg back while simultaneously driving the left knee forward.
- Continue alternating legs in a fluid, 'running' motion while keeping the Bosu ball as still as possible.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips level and avoid letting them bounce or pike upward.
- Maintain a neutral neck by looking at the space between your hands.
- Keep your shoulders stacked directly over your wrists throughout the movement.
- Ensure the Bosu platform remains parallel to the floor to maximize stability work.
Pro tips
- Actively push the Bosu ball away from you to engage the serratus anterior and improve shoulder stability.
- Focus on a 'quiet' upper body; the only things moving should be your legs and hips.
Make it harder
- Perform cross-body mountain climbers by driving your knee toward the opposite elbow to increase oblique engagement.
- Slow down the tempo to a 'marching' pace, holding the knee-to-chest position for 2 seconds to maximize time under tension.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the bosu ball mountain climber work?
- The bosu ball mountain climber primarily targets the abs, deltoids, and obliques, and also works the erector spinae and hip flexors as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the bosu ball mountain climber?
- The bosu ball mountain climber uses bosu ball.
- Is the bosu ball mountain climber good for beginners?
- The bosu ball mountain climber is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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