Cómo Hacer Escalada: A Hinge Health Guía

¿Entrenamiento cardiovascular y de fuerza para todo el cuerpo en un solo ejercicio? Sí. Eso es lo que los alpinistas pueden hacer por ti. 

Los escaladores de montaña son como una tabla en movimiento: comienzas en una posición de flexión elevada y saltas los pies hacia adelante, uno a la vez, hacia tu pecho. Es ese movimiento el que te brinda un excelente entrenamiento cardiovascular que quema calorías y promueve la salud del corazón. Los escaladores de montañas también trabajan los músculos principales de su cuerpo que soportan innumerables actividades, desde subir escalones e impulsarse de una silla hasta jugar a buscar con su perro. 

Siga leyendo para aprender cómo hacer escaladores de montaña y cómo modificarlos para satisfacer sus necesidades. Además, obtenga consejos adicionales deHinge Health fisioterapeuta.

Músculos trabajados con los alpinistas 

Aquí hay un resumen de los principales grupos musculares que trabajan los escaladores de montaña. Lo que nos encanta de este movimiento es que fortalece todo tu cuerpo, por lo que es lo más parecido a un ejercicio de una sola vez. 

• Los pectorales (también conocidos como músculos del pecho) mueven y rotan los brazos en la articulación del hombro. 

• Deltoides. Estos músculos cubren los hombros y trabajan con los músculos del manguito rotador para estabilizar las articulaciones del hombro y permitirle mover libremente los brazos. 

• Tríceps. Estos son los músculos de la parte posterior de la parte superior de los brazos. Son importantes para ayudarte a impulsar tu cuerpo hacia arriba.  

• Flexores de la cadera. Estos músculos te ayudan a flexionar la cadera (de ahí su nombre) cuando caminas y realizas otras actividades que requieren levantar las piernas. 

• Glúteos. Los tres músculos diferentes de los glúteos (el glúteo mayor, el glúteo menor y el glúteo medio) te ayudan a extender y levantar las piernas hacia los lados. 

• Cuádriceps. Este poderoso músculo del muslo es uno de los músculos más grandes del cuerpo. Puedes agradecerles por permitirte caminar, correr, saltar, agacharte y, bueno, la lista continúa.

• Recto abdominal. Esta capa de músculo, a menudo llamada músculo "six-pack", se extiende por la parte delantera del abdomen y le permite hacer cosas como flexionarse hacia adelante en la cintura.

• Abdomen transverso. Ubicado debajo del recto abdominal, este músculo corre paralelo a la pelvis y se envuelve alrededor de la sección media hasta la espalda, actuando como un corsé, manteniendo el centro (núcleo) apretado y fuerte, y protegiendo los órganos internos. 

• Erector de la columna. Estos músculos corren a lo largo de ambos lados de la columna vertebral y ayudan con la extensión, rotación y estabilización de la espalda. Son algunos de los músculos más poderosos de la espalda.

Cómo hacer alpinistas: ejercicios y modificaciones

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