Core · Bodyweight
Mountain Climber Over Bench
How to do the mountain climber over bench, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up in a plank with your hands on a bench and your body in a straight line. Drive one knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs in a running motion, keeping your hips level and core engaged. Continue alternating at a steady pace.
- 1Feel your abs and hip flexors drive each knee toward your chest
- 2Keep your shoulders stacked over your hands and core tight
- 3Stay light and quick as you alternate legs
Common mistakes
- Don't let your hips sag or pike out of line
- Avoid bouncing your hips up with each knee drive
- Don't let your shoulders drift behind your hands
Muscles worked
The mountain climber over bench mainly works the lower abs and hip flexors, with the upper abs, quads, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and front delts assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- TricepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the mountain climber over bench 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.