Comment faire de l'escalade en montagne : A Hinge Health Guide

Cardio et musculation du corps entier en un seul exercice? Oui. C'est ce que les alpinistes peuvent faire pour vous. 

Vous commencez en position de pompes surélevées et vous avancez vos pieds, l'un après l'autre, vers votre poitrine. C'est ce mouvement qui vous donne un excellent entraînement cardio qui brûle des calories et favorise la santé du cœur. Les alpinistes font également travailler les principaux muscles de votre corps qui vous permettent de réaliser d'innombrables activités, qu'il s'agisse de monter des marches, de vous lever d'une chaise ou de jouer à la balle avec votre chien. 

Lisez la suite pour savoir comment faire des escaliers de montagne et comment les modifier pour qu'ils répondent à vos besoins. De plus, obtenez des conseils supplémentaires de la part de Hinge Health physiothérapeute.

Muscles travaillés avec le Mountain Climbers 

Voici un aperçu des principaux groupes de muscles que les alpinistes font travailler. Ce que nous aimons dans ce mouvement, c'est qu'il renforce l'ensemble de votre corps - il s'agit donc d'un exercice qui se rapproche le plus possible d'un exercice unique. 

• Les pectoraux (alias les muscles de la poitrine) bougent et font tourner tes bras au niveau de l'articulation de l'épaule. 

• Deltoïdes. Ces muscles coiffent vos épaules et travaillent avec les muscles de la coiffe des rotateurs pour stabiliser les articulations de vos épaules et vous permettre de bouger librement vos bras. 

• Triceps. Il s'agit des muscles situés à l'arrière des bras. Ils sont importants pour vous aider à pousser votre corps vers le haut.  

• Les fléchisseurs de la hanche. Ces muscles t'aident à fléchir la hanche (d'où leur nom) lorsque tu marches et fais d'autres activités qui nécessitent de lever les jambes. 

• Fessiers. Les trois muscles fessiers (le grand fessier, le petit fessier et le moyen fessier) vous aident à étendre et à soulever vos jambes sur les côtés. 

• Quadriceps. Ce puissant muscle de la cuisse est l'un des plus gros muscles de votre corps. Vous pouvez les remercier de vous avoir permis de marcher, de courir, de sauter, de vous accroupir et - bien sûr, la liste est longue.

• Le muscle droit de l'abdomen. Ce muscle - souvent appelé le muscle "six-pack" - s'étend à l'avant de votre abdomen et vous permet d'effectuer des mouvements tels que la flexion de la taille vers l'avant.

• Le transverse de l'abdomen. Situé sous le grand droit de l'abdomen, ce muscle est parallèle au bassin et entoure le milieu du corps jusqu'au dos. Il agit comme un corset, maintient votre tronc bien tendu et fort et protège vos organes internes. 

• Erector spinae. Ces muscles s'étendent de part et d'autre de la colonne vertébrale et contribuent à l'extension, à la rotation et à la stabilisation du dos. Ils font partie des muscles les plus puissants de votre dos.

Comment faire du Mountain Climbers : Exercices et modifications

To do mountain climbers:

• Start on your hands and knees with your arms straight and hands placed directly under your shoulders. 

• Extend your legs back behind you, supporting your body on your hands and toes. Your body should form a straight line from the back of your head to your heels (like a regular, raised push-up position or plank). 

• From here, hop one foot toward your chest, and then quickly switch legs, as if you’re running. Try not to let your hips hike up as you move. 

• Maintain that plank position as you continue to alternate legs. 

As you do each rep, you might feel your core, shoulder, and arm muscles working, as well as your butt, thighs, and hips.

Everyone is different, which is why you may need to modify this exercise to meet your needs.

To make mountain climbers easier:  

• Start on your hands and knees. Start on your hands and knees, rather than a raised push-up position. Then bring your knees, one at a time, toward your chest, returning your knee to the floor between each repetition. 

• Step, instead of jump. Rather than jumping to switch legs, step one foot forward, then step it back, and repeat with the other leg. 

• Elevate your hands. Place your hands on an elevated surface, like a sturdy bench or step. This reduces the load on your arms and core, making the exercise less intense than starting from the floor.

• Reduce your range of motion. Instead of bringing your knee all the way to your chest, only bring it halfway or as far as is comfortable. 

To make mountain climbers harder: 

• Use a resistance band. Place a looped resistance band just above your knees, then move one leg toward your chest to stretch the band. 

• Pick up the pace. Do the movement at a faster pace to increase the cardio intensity. This will also challenge your core and legs to move quickly and efficiently.

• Do cross-body mountain climbers. Instead of driving your knee straight toward your chest, bring it across your body toward your opposite elbow. This engages your obliques and adds an extra core twist to the movement.

• Add a push-up. Every few knee drives, add a push-up. This engages your chest, shoulders, and triceps while keeping your core working as you transition between movements.

• Add a plank jack. In between knee drives, perform a plank jack by jumping your feet out to the sides and then back in, keeping your hands grounded in a plank position. This increases both cardio and core engagement.

• Elevate your feet. Place your feet on a slightly elevated surface, such as a low step or bench, with your hands on the ground. The incline shifts more weight onto your arms and core, making it more challenging to keep stable while moving.

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

Benefits of Mountain Climbers

Here are some of the perks of this do-it-all move:

• Strengthens all of your major muscle groups, especially your core. 

• Builds balance and stability. Mountain climbers are a functional movement that may reduce the risk of falls and injury. 

• Encourages a comfortable posture. Forget what you’ve heard for so long about needing to stand up straight. “Perfect” posture is a myth. But working your core can help you find positions that feel good and are more ergonomic — taking some of the strain off of your muscles and joints in places like your legs, back, and upper body.

• Makes pushing and pulling movements easier. This could be any activity from pushing your grandkid’s stroller to weeding your garden. 

• Reduces back pain. Although lack of core strength isn’t necessarily a cause of back pain, studies show that strengthening your core can help lessen back pain. 

Common ‘Mistakes’ When Practicing Mountain Climbers

Many people believe that exercises like mountain climbers need to be done in a specific way to avoid injury, but there’s actually flexibility in how movements can be performed. Rather than focusing on achieving a “perfect” form, it’s helpful to find what feels best for your body and goals. Mountain climbers are a dynamic exercise that can be adapted to suit individual needs and fitness levels. 

Here are a few common adjustments to keep in mind, which can help you feel stronger and more comfortable in this movement. 

• Bouncing on your toes. Some people find themselves bouncing on their toes as they drive their knees forward. This can add extra impact, especially for beginners, which might make it harder to keep the movement controlled. To adjust, focus on moving with smooth, intentional steps, almost as if you’re gliding your knees forward rather than bouncing. This engages your core and minimizes strain on your ankles.

• Weight shifting backward. Shifting your weight backward can reduce some of the pressure on your arms and core, but it can also make it tougher to maintain balance and stability. A helpful adjustment here is to keep your shoulders directly over your wrists and imagine pressing slightly forward. This keeps your core engaged and distributes your weight more evenly, making each knee drive smoother.

• Rounding your back. Some rounding in your back is natural, especially as you start to fatigue. If you feel your back rounding excessively, try focusing on drawing your shoulders down and back, which supports a neutral spine position. Engaging your core helps to keep your torso steady, which can help you feel stronger and less strained throughout the movement.

How Hinge Health Can Help You 

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program. 

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app, when and where it works for you.  

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you. 

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References

1. Cho, H., Kim, E., & Kim, J. (2014). Effects of the CORE Exercise Program on Pain and Active Range of Motion in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 26(8):1237–1240. doi:10.1589/jpts.26.1237

2. Quad Muscles: Function and Anatomy. (2022). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22816-quad-muscles

3. Smrcina, Z., et al. (2022). A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Core Stability Exercises in Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, vol. 17, no. 5, 1. doi:10.26603/001c.37251

4. Da Silva-Grigoletto, M. E., et al. (2019). Functional Training Induces Greater Variety and Magnitude of Training Improvements than Traditional Resistance Training in Elderly Women. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 789–797. PMCID: PMC6873136

5. Sherrington, C., et al. (2020). Evidence on Physical Activity and Falls Prevention for People Aged 65+ Years: Systematic Review to Inform the WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, vol. 17, no. 1. doi:10.1186/s12966-020-01041-3