How to do a Balance Trainer Mountain Climber
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Balance Trainer Mountain Climber
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
This intense cardio and core exercise uses a BOSU balance trainer to amplify the challenge of traditional mountain climbers. The added instability requires greater core engagement and balance, enhancing cardiovascular fitness and muscle endurance.
- Position your palms on the outside of the Balance Trainer, flat surface up, to support your bodyweight.
- Extend your right knee and hip to support your weight on your hands and your right toes.
- Flex the left knee to position your thigh under your chest with your left foot flat on the ground.
- Begin by exploding your left leg back while simultaneously bringing your right leg under your chest allowing your hips to flex upward.
- Return back to the starting position and repeat.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Balance Trainer Mountain Climber standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
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Alternatives & Variations to Balance Trainer Mountain Climber
1. Leg Extension
99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 783 TIMESLeg Extensions are an isolation exercise that target the quads. Due to a severe lack of isolation movements for the lower body, this is a great option for specifically targeting your quadriceps. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds some stability to the movement. This can help your focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. The downside to this exercise is that it places a lot of tension on your knee. Keep your weights light, and focus on pausing near the end of your range of motion.
2. Mountain Climber
74.9 mSCORESWAPPED 665 TIMESMountain Climber is a compound movement that involves holding a high plank or push up position, and alternating bringing your legs forward toward your chest. Holding a high plank position will already recruit your core to keep your back straight. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, as well as increase the intensity of the exercise itself.
3. Leg Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 565 TIMESLeg Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The exercise itself is fairly similar to a standard squat, with some key differences. The biggest of these differences is the added stability from supporting your back on the Leg Press Machine. The end result of these changes is a more stable movement that further emphasizes your quadriceps. Leg Press is an excellent exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass or strength in their quads.
4. Air Squats
92.1 mSCORESWAPPED 485 TIMESAir Squats are a bodyweight variation of Squats. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. Without any added resistance this is easily one of the most beginner friendly exercises out there. It’s a great way to start building strength, and working your way towards more advanced variations.
5. Dumbbell Squat
94.1 mSCORESWAPPED 332 TIMESDumbbell Squat is a variation of the more standard Squat. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The advantage of using dumbbells rather than a barbell is that you have more freedom in your range of motion which can make this a more accessible variation for anyone with mobility limitations. With that freedom comes a bit more instability with this exercise though, which can help you further improve your squat for, and build the strength needed for heavier, or more complex variations.
6. Dumbbell Lunge
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 279 TIMESDumbbell Lunge is a variation on the more standard Lunge. Similar to other Lunge variations, Dumbbell Lunge is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads. The exercise itself is the same as a standard lunge except for the added weight from holding dumbbells in each hand. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their lunges a bit more challenging without adding more complexity to the movement.
7. Dumbbell Squat To Shoulder Press
98.1 mSCORESWAPPED 263 TIMESDumbbell Squat to Shoulder Press is a combination of a Dumbbell Squat and a Shoulder Press. Both pieces of this exercise are compound movements that primarily target the quads and shoulders respectively. Combining these two movements is more than just the sum of its parts. It’s a very functional movement that has tons of practical applications, especially for sports. It’s also a great starting point for anyone looking to build the strength and conditioning needed for more explosive exercises like Thrusters, or eventually Olympic lifts.
8. Dumbbell Sumo Squat
81 mSCORESWAPPED 253 TIMESA squat exercise performed with dumbbells, in a wide-legged stance to target the legs and glutes.
9. Machine Leg Press
95.1 mSCORESWAPPED 248 TIMESMachine Leg Press is a variation on the more standard Leg Press. Like the Leg Press, this is a compound exercise that primarily recruits the quadriceps. This is a great exercise for building strength and muscle mass in your quads. The use of a machine doesn’t change anything significant about this exercise, although your positioning may change depending on the machine you’re using.
10. Back Squat
99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 207 TIMESBack Squat is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common lower body exercises. It’s a great compound exercise that can help build strength and muscle mass in your leg, especially your quadriceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking lower body strength in general.