Mountain climbers are a great full body exercise that can help burn calories and build strength. In just 1 minute of doing mountain climbers, the average person can burn around 10-15 calories. However, the exact amount of calories burned will vary from person to person based on factors like body weight, intensity level, fitness level, and more.
What Are Mountain Climbers?
Mountain climbers are a bodyweight exercise that mimic the motion of climbing a mountain. To do a mountain climber, start in a high plank position with hands under shoulders and legs extended behind you. Bring one knee up towards your chest, keeping your core engaged. Then switch legs, alternating knees as you move in a climbing motion.
Mountain climbers are considered a plyometric exercise, involving explosive movements that engage all the major muscle groups in the body. They target the shoulders, arms, chest, core, glutes, and legs. By incorporating speed and a range of motion, mountain climbers can help improve strength, endurance, balance, and coordination.
Calories Burned Per Minute
The average person who weighs around 150 pounds can expect to burn about 13 calories per minute doing mountain climbers. However, the exact amount burned can range from 10-15 calories per minute depending on various factors.
Body Weight
The heavier you are, the more calories you’ll burn per minute. A 200 pound person may burn around 17 calories per minute doing mountain climbers, while a lighter 120 pound person may only burn 9 calories. This is because it takes more energy for a heavier body to complete the exercise movements.
Intensity Level
The more intense the mountain climbers, the greater the calorie burn. Doing mountain climbers as fast as possible with a bigger range of motion will increase intensity and burn more calories per minute compared to going at a slower, more controlled pace.
Fitness Level
Those who are more physically fit and have higher endurance tend to burn more calories during mountain climbers. The exercise requires less effort for them compared to beginners, so they can push themselves harder and longer.
| Body Weight | Calories Burned Per Minute |
|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 9 calories |
| 150 lbs | 13 calories |
| 180 lbs | 15 calories |
| 200 lbs | 17 calories |
Factors That Increase Calorie Burn
Several factors can help increase the amount of calories burned per minute doing mountain climbers:
Total Time
The longer you can sustain mountain climbers, the greater the total calorie expenditure. Doing mountain climbers for 10 continuous minutes will burn more calories than 1-2 minutes.
Using Weights
Adding wrist or ankle weights when doing mountain climbers increases resistance, making your body work harder and burning more calories. Start with 1-3 lb weights and work up from there.
Uphill Climbing
Doing mountain climbers on an inclined surface like a squat rack or bench set at an incline angle can increase difficulty and calorie burn. The uphill climbing motion engages more muscles.
High Intensity Intervals
Alternating between intense bursts of mountain climbers and active rest periods boosts overall calorie expenditure through excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
Combined Exercises
Doing compound exercises like burpees and squat jumps right after mountain climbers sustains an elevated heart rate and calorie burn.
Calorie Burn Calculator
To estimate how many calories you can burn doing 1 minute of mountain climbers, you can use this simple calculator:
1. Enter your weight in pounds: _______
2. Intensity level:
– Light: 7 calories per minute
– Moderate: 13 calories per minute
– High: 20 calories per minute
3. Enter intensity level: _______
4. Calories burned per minute = Weight x Intensity Level
For example, a 150 pound person doing high intensity mountain climbers would burn about:
150 pounds x 20 calories per minute = 3000 calories per minute
This calculator provides a rough estimate, but keep in mind that the actual amount of calories burned may vary based on other individual factors.
Tips to Maximize Calorie Burn
Here are some tips to help maximize the amount of calories burned doing mountain climbers:
– Maintain proper form – Keep your core braced, back flat, and don’t let your hips sag. This engages more muscles.
– Increase pace – Do mountain climbers as quickly as you can while maintaining control. Faster movement burns more calories.
– Take shorter breaks – Limit rest time between intervals to keep heart rate elevated.
– Add resistance – Wearing a weight vest or ankle/wrist weights adds challenge.
– Do HIIT – Alternate mountain climbers with other high intensity exercises like burpees.
– Climb higher – Getting greater lift with each knee up to your chest uses more energy.
– Work longer – Sustain mountain climbers for longer durations to burn more calories overall.
Burn More Calories With a Mountain Climber Workout
While 1 minute of mountain climbers is a great calorie burner, you can burn even more fat by incorporating them into a full high intensity circuit workout.
For example:
AMRAP Full Body Burner
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
– 60 seconds mountain climbers
– 10 pushups
– 15 bodyweight squats
– 5 burpees
– 60 seconds high knees
– 15 second plank hold
This type of workout combines mountain climbers with other bodyweight exercises for a major calorie burn in a short time. The fast transitions keep your heart rate elevated and calories burning even after you finish the workout.
You can expect to burn around 300-400 calories completing multiple rounds of this circuit workout, depending on your effort level.
Other Exercises Similar to Mountain Climbers
Other exercises that mimic the motion of mountain climbers and burn comparable calories per minute include:
Speed Skaters
From a low squat, jump side to side, bringing one foot behind you while balancing on the other leg. Works glutes, quads, hamstrings. Burns up to 12 calories per minute.
Frog Jumps
Jump forward and back in a frog position – knees bent, hips back. Works glutes, quads, calves. Burns up to 15 calories per minute.
Jump Lunges
Jump and switch legs with each rep, landing in a lunge position. Works glutes, quads, hamstrings. Burns up to 13 calories per minute.
High Knees
Jog in place, bringing knees up to chest. Works abs, hips, glutes, quads. Burns 10-12 calories per minute.
Ski Jumps
Jump from side to side, swinging legs out in front. Works inner thighs, glutes, cardio. Burns 10-12 calories per minute.
Bottom Line
Mountain climbers are an excellent exercise for burning calories and strengthening the body. While calorie burn will vary, the average person can expect to burn around 10-15 calories per minute doing mountain climbers. Factors like body weight, intensity, fitness level, time duration, and use of added resistance impact calories burned. Maximize burn by maintaining proper form, increasing pace, doing HIIT, and pairing mountain climbers with other total body exercises.
