Glutes
Frog Pump
A short, quick glute bridge with the soles of your feet together and your knees out wide. The frog position takes most of the work off your hamstrings, so you feel it right in your glutes.
- Works
- Glutes, core
- Equipment
- One dumbbell
- Load
- Heavy
How to do it
- 1Lie on your back with a dumbbell resting across your hips, held in place with both hands.
- 2Press the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall out wide. Pull your heels in close to your hips.
- 3Push through the outside edges of your feet and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips.
- 4Lower until your hips lightly touch the floor, then go straight into the next rep.
Cues
- Knees stay wide the whole set.
- Tuck your chin and keep your ribs down.
- Squeeze hard at the top of every rep, even when you speed up.
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back. The range is short. Stop when your glutes are fully squeezed, not when your back starts to arch.
- Heels too far from your hips. Pull your feet in close. That's what keeps the work in your glutes.
- Bouncing through the reps. Quick is fine, but every rep needs a real squeeze at the top.
Easier
Skip the dumbbell, or use a lighter one.
Harder
Hold the top for 2 seconds on each rep, or finish each set with 10 small pulses at the top.
Try it: 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What are frog pumps good for?
Feeling your glutes work. With your feet together and your knees out, your hamstrings and lower back help less, so it makes a good finisher or a way to wake up your glutes before bigger lifts.
