Core · Bodyweight
Mountain Climber Cross Kick
How to do the mountain climber cross kick, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and body straight. Drive one knee across your body toward the opposite elbow, then return it and switch, alternating cross-body knee drives at a steady running pace while keeping your hips low and level.
- 1Feel your obliques and abs crunch as each knee crosses over
- 2Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists
- 3Feel your core stabilize your hips and spine
Common mistakes
- Don't let your hips pike up or sag down
- Avoid swinging with momentum; drive each knee with control
- Don't round your shoulders or hold your breath
Muscles worked
The mountain climber cross kick mainly works the lower abs and obliques, with the upper abs, quads, glutes, hip flexors, hamstrings, calves, and front delts assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- TricepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the mountain climber cross kick for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.