Plank Hold & Mountain Climber Rally | Friends

Quick Intro

Plank Hold & Mountain Climber Rally puts both partners on the floor in a plank. One holds a still forearm plank. The other is in a high plank on the hands, driving the knees in toward the chest one after the other at a steady pace, counting out loud. When the holder’s plank breaks, the mountain climber count is their score, and the two swap.

The still plank is covered at Plank and the mountain climber at Mountain Climbers. Unlike the squat pairing, both jobs here are hard on the core and shoulders, so rounds tend to be shorter.

What You’ll Need

Floor space for two people in a plank, side by side.
A mat each if the floor is hard.
A metronome or interval app, if you want help keeping the pace.

How It Works

Agree how to count and how fast. A simple method: count one rep each time the right knee comes in, at a pace of about one rep per second.
The holder sets up in a forearm plank. The worker sets up beside them in a high plank, hands under the shoulders.
Once the holder is set, the worker starts and counts each rep out loud.
When the holder’s hips sag or lift, or a knee touches down, the round ends. The count is the holder’s score.
Swap jobs, with a short rest in between.
Give each person the same number of turns in the plank, then compare totals.

Keeping the Count Honest

Because the worker’s count measures how long the hold lasted, the pace has to stay the same in every round. Speeding up adds to the holder’s score; slowing down takes from it. A metronome set to the agreed pace keeps both rounds equal.

The worker’s own form matters too. Mountain climbers done with the hips piked high are easier and faster, but they are not the drill. Keep the hips level with the shoulders, and drive each knee in under the body. The worker may count and encourage. They may not touch the holder.

What Counts

The plank breaks when the holder’s hips sag toward the floor or lift into a peak, or a knee touches down.

A mountain climber counts when the knee comes in under the chest and goes back out, on the agreed beat, with the hips level.

Side by side in your planks, each person can see the other’s hips from the corner of the eye. The worker watches the holder; if you have a third person, they can watch both.

Making It Fair

No handicap is needed. Both partners hold and both work, so the format balances itself across the rounds.

Staying Safe

The holder can stop at any time, before a full break, and the count so far stands.
Shoulders and wrists take a lot here. The worker carries their weight on the hands while driving the legs. If a wrist or shoulder aches, slow down or stop.
Keep the worker’s hips level as fatigue sets in. Piking up is the common way mountain climbers fall apart, and it strains the shoulders.
Rest between rounds. Going from a mountain climber round straight into a plank hold means the second plank starts tired.

Common Mistakes

Counting both knees. Decide whether one rep is one knee or both, and keep it the same, or the scores will not compare.
Bouncing on the toes. Mountain climbers turned into a jog in place lose the core work. Keep the movement in the hips.
The holder watching the worker. Turning the head to watch twists the plank. Listen to the count.

Fitting It Into a Session

This is a hard pairing for the core, shoulders and lungs. It suits the middle or late part of a session, but not right after another plank or push-up game. One or two rounds each is plenty.

Plank Hold & Squat Rally uses the same plank hold with squats, which is easier for the worker.
Mountain Climber Rep Race is a head-to-head mountain climber race.
Plank Hold Duel is a plank contest with both partners holding.
Mirror Games include a mirrored mountain climber game.

FAQ

How fast should the mountain climbers be?

A pace you could hold for a few minutes, such as one right-knee drive per second. Faster is not better here, since the count is meant to measure the hold.

Can the holder do a high plank instead?

Yes, if both partners use the same plank for their holding rounds.

Why are our rounds so short?

Both jobs work the core and shoulders hard. Shorter rounds than in the squat pairing are normal.

Related to Plank, Mountain Climbers and Plank Hold & Squat Rally.