Mountain Climber Cross Kick

1. Start in a high plank with hands under shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels.
2. Brace your core and press the floor away so your upper back does not sag.
3. Exhale and drive your right knee across your body toward your left elbow.
4. Return the right foot to the plank position with control.
5. Repeat with the left knee driving toward the right elbow.
6. Keep your hips level and roughly at shoulder height; do not let them pike or sag as you switch legs.
7. Continue alternating at a steady rhythm, breathing with each knee drive, for time or reps.

Common Mistakes

• Hips piking up: lifting the hips to make room for the knee removes the core demand; keep the plank line and let hip mobility do the work.
• Straight knee drive: pulling the knee to the same-side chest is a regular mountain climber; the knee must cross toward the opposite elbow to load the obliques.
• Bouncing shoulders behind the hands: drifting backward unloads the shoulders and shortens the crunch; keep shoulders stacked over wrists.
• Speed over position: sprinting the feet while the torso wobbles trains nothing; earn speed only after the plank stays rigid.