TRX Mountain Climber

Setup

Feet in the foot cradles at mid-calf, hands under shoulders in a strong plank.

Execution

1. 1Drive one knee toward the chest while keeping the plank line stable
2. 2Extend that leg back and immediately drive the other knee in
3. 3Keep the hips low and stable throughout — avoid bouncing
4. 4Maintain a controlled but brisk tempo

Key cues

• Hips stay low and stable — this is a core drill, not just a leg drill
• Drive knees straight toward the chest, not out to the side
• Shoulders stay stacked over the wrists
• Breathe rhythmically with the movement

Common faults

• Hips bouncing up and down excessively
• Losing the plank line as fatigue sets in
• Rushing so fast that control is lost
• Straps swinging side to side

Tweaks

• Add the crossing mountain climber variant (knee to opposite elbow) for oblique emphasis
• Slow the tempo for a strength-focused version
• Use as a conditioning finisher with short work/rest intervals

Muscles

Notes

TRX-specific. Angle = intensity: the more horizontal the body relative to the floor, the harder pressing/pulling/plank-style TRX moves become. For pulling movements (rows, face pulls), walking feet toward the anchor and leaning back further increases load. For pressing movements (push-ups, chest press), walking feet away from the anchor and standing more upright decreases load; moving feet closer to directly under the anchor point increases load. Foot position in the straps (heel vs. midfoot vs. toe) also changes leverage and load for lower-body moves. Tempo is the main intensity lever here rather than angle — faster reps raise the conditioning demand, slower reps raise the strict-strength/control demand.

Sources

• Suspension Trainer Ab Exercises — Sundried (Mountain Climbers among core moves list)
• How a Suspension Trainer Can Make Your Core Workout More Challenging — Cleveland Clinic

Attribution: TRX Training