Mountain Climber Lunge

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders.
2. Engage your core and glutes to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
3. Position your feet hip-width apart with your weight on the balls of your feet.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you step your right foot forward, placing it flat on the floor just outside your right hand.
2. Inhale as you step the right foot back to the starting plank position with control.
3. Repeat the movement on the left side, stepping the left foot outside the left hand.
4. Maintain a steady, rhythmic tempo, alternating sides for the duration of the set.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips level and avoid letting them sag toward the floor or pike too high.
• Ensure the front foot lands flat on the floor, not just on the toes.
• Keep your shoulders stacked directly over your wrists throughout the entire movement.
• Maintain a neutral spine and look at a point on the floor slightly ahead of your hands.

Pro tips

• Focus on driving the knee toward the outside of the elbow to maximize oblique engagement.
• Actively push the floor away with your hands to keep the serratus anterior and deltoids fully engaged.
• Squeeze the glute of the trailing leg at the peak of the lunge to deepen the hip flexor stretch.

Make it harder

• Increase the pace to a 'running' tempo, jumping to switch feet simultaneously instead of stepping.
• Add a slight pause at the top of each lunge to emphasize hip mobility and isometric core control.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the mountain climber lunge work?

The mountain climber lunge primarily targets the abs, deltoids, glutes, obliques, and quadriceps, and also works the erector spinae, hip flexors, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the mountain climber lunge?

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

Is the mountain climber lunge good for beginners?

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

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