Mountain Climber Slide with Towels
Compound exercise, Body weightOverview
Main muscles
- Abdomen: Straight abdominal muscle
(Musculus rectus abdominis) - Abdomen: External oblique abdominal muscle
(Musculus obliquus externus abdominis) - Abdomen: Transverse abdominal muscle
(Musculus transversus abdominis)
Training plans
Mountain Climber Slide with Towels is a suitable substitute for similar exercises in Conditioning and full-body or as a supplement to various training plans.
Mountain Climber Slide with Towels: Basics and alternatives
Involved main muscle groups:
Mountain Climber Slide with Towels
Sliding mountain climbers adapt a classic bodyweight exercise with folded towels under your feet. From a high plank, you’ll slide one knee forward while your other leg extends behind you. Your hands stay planted and your core steadies your body as your feet glide along the floor.
In Spiderman planks, you’re on your forearms and bring each knee out to the side. A front plank is a static forearm hold. For the sliding version, you’ll need a floor where the towels glide smoothly and your hands don’t slip.
Correct execution
Test a small folded towel beneath each forefoot before starting. Clear the path and check that the material won’t catch on the surface or damage it. Place your hands under your shoulders, extend your legs and press through your palms into a steady high plank.
Slide one knee forward under your torso, keeping its towel on the floor, then slide that foot back and switch legs. Go one leg at a time at first; once your shoulders and hips stay steady, you can alternate more smoothly. Your knee doesn’t have to reach your chest, and a shorter slide is enough if going farther makes your back round sharply or your hips rise. Keep breathing, and when you’re done, lower your knees and stop the towels before you take your hands off the floor.
Fold both towels to about the same size and thickness so your feet slide evenly. Place the front of each foot in the middle of its flat towel (your heels can stay lifted), and keep loose fabric away from your legs so it doesn’t catch or overlap the other towel.
Test the return slide as well as the forward slide: you need to be able to stop your foot in the plank position before it slides too far and pulls your hips down. If the floor is too slippery for that, switch surfaces or do ordinary mountain climbers. If the towels barely slide, find a surface where they glide easily so you don’t have to pull harder.
Video tutorial
Step-by-step instructions
Place a separate folded towel under each forefoot on a suitable clear floor.
Set your hands beneath your shoulders.
Extend your legs into a high plank.
Slide one knee forward under your torso while keeping its towel on the floor.
Slide that leg back without letting your hips sag.
Alternate legs at a pace that keeps your shoulders and pelvis steady.
Bring your knees down and stop the towels before you take your hands off the floor.
Common mistakes
Hopping off the towels turns the movement into an ordinary running mountain climber. Keep your feet on the towels and slide them with control.
If your hips bounce as you speed up, slow down or move one leg at a time. Stop and reposition a towel that bunches or catches; pulling harder can jerk your knee forward.
Keep your hands on a grippy area separate from the sliding towels. If a towel slips beneath a palm, lower your knees and move it away so your hand can grip the floor securely.