Exercise of the Week: Renegade Climbers

Check out this combo exercise and try something new this week: Renegade Climbers combine two great exercises and is great for core and shoulders!

It’s time for another Move of the Week! It’s another great combination move, but this time it’s Renegade Climbers, a combination of renegade rows (aka plank rows) and mountain climbers. This exercise targets your core, shoulders, and upper back. Combination moves are great to add into your routine for something fun and new, plus they are perfect if need to maximize your time in the gym.

Tips for executing Renegade Climbers

1. Bring your knee as close to your elbow as you can without rounding your back too much. Some rounding will naturally occur, but don’t overdo it. If you find your back is rounding excessively, don’t bring your knee as high and focus on good form. Also think about putting your shoulder blades in your back pocket. This visualization can help maintain good posture during many exercises (except for Pilates roll-ups).
2. Keep your head and neck in a neutral position: don’t pick up your chin to look at the ceiling or drop your chin to your chest while doing any plank exercise. This is a surefire way to give yourself a neck ache!
3. Shoulders should be away from your ears. Here’s something good to remember that I have heard other instructors say: Your ears and your shoulders are NOT friends. Make sure your shoulders are down away from your ears and drawn together.
4. Keep your core stable: don’t let your low back sag or drop in the plank position. In other words, don’t pull a Jen Selter and over-arch your back…unless you plan on going to a back specialist. Just don’t do it.
5. In the plank position, don’t forget to engage your glutes and leg muscles, too. A plank is a total body exercise so you will use everything, including your legs, to maintain proper form.
6. Don’t hold your breath! This can spike blood pressure by increasing inter-abdominal pressure

You may need to avoid this exercise if…

• You have low back problems
• You have shoulder problems
• You have wrist problems
• You are pregnant (talk to your doctor about this)
• You have very high blood pressure

Okay, I am going to go on a little rant and rabbit trail here: DO NOT take fitness advice from Jen Selter. As for diet advice I have no idea, but her exercise form is terrible. My back hurts looking at her photos.

I rarely name names on my blog but wanted to address that since so many people think of her as a fitness “expert” (which she is not). I won’t get into it too much, but if you want to read some more about it, here’s a great post to read by Jen Sinkler, a true fitness expert.

Here’s my short video so you can see the Renegade Climbers in action:

And a little gif if you don’t have time to watch a short video: