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Mountain Climbers strength standards

What is a good Mountain Climbers?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Mountain Climbers is about 40 reps. Advanced starts around 71 reps. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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How Many Mountain Climbers Should You Be Able to Do?

Mountain Climbers rep targets for a 180 lb man, by training level:

Beginner< 1
Novice14 reps
Intermediate40 reps
Advanced71 reps
Elite107 reps

Mountain Climbers Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 < 1 14 48 91 142
120 < 1 14 47 88 135
130 < 1 15 45 85 130
140 < 1 15 44 82 124
150 < 1 15 43 79 119
160 < 1 14 42 76 115
170 < 1 14 41 74 111
180 < 1 14 40 71 107
190 < 1 14 39 69 103
200 < 1 13 37 67 100
210 < 1 13 36 65 97
220 < 1 13 35 63 94
230 < 1 12 34 61 91
240 < 1 12 33 59 88
250 < 1 12 33 58 86
260 < 1 11 32 56 83
270 < 1 11 31 55 81
280 < 1 11 30 53 79
290 < 1 10 29 52 77
300 < 1 10 28 50 75
310 < 1 10 28 49 73

The Mountain Climbers standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Mountain Climbers Standards by Age

How the Mountain Climbers standards change with age, in reps. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 < 1 8 31 61 95
20 < 1 12 40 74 113
25 < 1 14 42 77 117
30 < 1 14 42 77 117
35 < 1 14 42 77 117
40 < 1 14 42 77 117
45 < 1 11 38 71 109
50 < 1 9 34 65 101
55 < 1 7 29 58 91
60 < 1 4 24 50 80
65 < 1 1 19 43 70
70 < 1 < 1 14 35 59
75 < 1 < 1 10 28 50
80 < 1 < 1 6 22 42
85 < 1 < 1 3 17 34
90 < 1 < 1 < 1 12 28

The Mountain Climbers standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Mountain Climbers Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male doing 40 Mountain Climbers is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Mountain Climbers Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are working toward your first full-range reps. Incline or knee versions are the normal starting point.

Novice

You can do a few full-range reps in a row with control. Adding one rep to your best set every week or two is steady progress here.

Intermediate

You can do a solid set of clean reps without swinging, bouncing or cutting the range short. Two or three sessions a week with planned sets keep the number climbing.

Advanced

Long sets with strict form are routine for you. Many lifters at this level add load with a weight vest or belt to keep progressing.

Elite

Rep counts this high for your bodyweight take years of focused training. Weighted or harder variations are usually the next challenge.

How to Progress Your Mountain Climbers

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Mountain Climbers to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Your First Full Reps
  • Start from an incline, hands on a bench or wall, where you can do 8 to 12 clean reps.
  • Lower the incline step by step as those reps get easy.
  • End each set one or two reps before your form breaks.
Novice → Intermediate Build Rep Volume
  • Train the movement 2 to 3 times a week with several sets, not one all-out set.
  • Add one rep to one set each session, and keep the full range.
  • Test your max reps every 3 to 4 weeks, not every session.
Intermediate → Advanced Add Load or Harder Variations
  • Once you can do 12 to 15 strict reps, add weight and train in the 5 to 8 rep range.
  • Slow the lowering phase or pause at the bottom.
  • Keep one high-rep day a week so your max set keeps growing.
Advanced → Elite Peak Your Max Set
  • Run 4 to 6 week blocks that build volume, then ease off the week before a max test.
  • Track your best set and your weighted reps: both show progress.
  • Your bodyweight changes your rep count directly, so compare tests at a similar weight.

How to Perform Mountain Climbers

Mountain Climbers demonstration
Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Core, Legs, Arms
Equipment None
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
  2. Engage your core and bring your right knee towards your chest.
  3. Quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee towards your chest as you extend your right leg back to the starting position.
  4. Continue to alternate legs quickly, mimicking a running motion while maintaining a plank position.
  5. Keep your hips low and your core engaged throughout the exercise.
  6. Breathe steadily, exhaling as you bring each knee towards your chest.

Tips

  • Maintain a straight line from head to heels to prevent sagging hips.
  • Keep your core engaged to stabilize your body.
  • Start slow to master the form, then increase speed for a more intense workout.
  • Avoid bouncing your hips to ensure maximum core engagement.
  • Use a mat to cushion your hands and wrists.

Read the complete Mountain Climbers guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Mountain Climbers Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Mountain Climbers table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Mountain Climbers itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A good Mountain Climbers number depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier in Mountain Climbers after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Mountain Climbers table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.