How to do a Cross Body Mountain Climber
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Cross Body Mountain Climber
Instructions for Proper Form
Cross Body Mountain Climber is a compound bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the core. It involves holding a plank position and driving your knees toward the opposite elbow, adding a twist to each rep. This variation increases the engagement of your obliques compared to the standard Mountain Climber, and enhances stability and coordination.
- Place your palms on the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Extend your arms and elevate your torso and legs to create a rigid straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- Bend one knee up towards the opposite elbow keeping a low position.
- Return the knee to the starting position and repeat the movement with the opposite leg.
Sets & Reps Calculator
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Alternatives & Variations to Cross Body Mountain Climber
1. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 178 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
2. Mountain Climber
74.9 mSCORESWAPPED 154 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. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 152 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
4. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 133 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
5. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 126 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
6. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 124 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
7. Dead Bug
92.4 mSCORESWAPPED 100 TIMESDead Bugs are a bodyweight core exercise that requires you to lay on your back, and alternate extending your arms and legs out away from your body. The position you’re in on the ground keeps your core engaged, while extending your arms and legs away from you forces you to further recruit your core to continue to stabilize yourself.
8. Alternating Heel Touch
78.2 mSCORESWAPPED 98 TIMESAlternating Heel Touch is a bodyweight, core exercise that involves laying on the ground and reaching towards your heel on either side. By raising your shoulder blades off the ground, you’re already engaging your core, while reaching towards either side helps to engage your obliques.
9. Scissor Kick
94.2 mSCORESWAPPED 82 TIMESScissor Kicks are a bodyweight, core exercise that involve raising your feet off the ground, and kicking your legs up and down. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already working your core. By continually alternating which leg is raised, you’re constantly forced to keep your core engaged for stability as well as to keep each leg raised.
10. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 81 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine