Frog Pump (Dumbbell)

A glute isolation exercise performed supine with feet pressed sole-to-sole and knees splayed outward in a frog position. A dumbbell rests on the hips as you drive the hips upward. The frog leg position deactivates the hamstrings, placing maximum demand on the glutes.

Instructions

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and the soles of your feet pressed together, knees splayed outward in a frog position.
2. Bring your feet in close to your glutes — ideally within a few inches — so your knees form a wide V shape.
3. Place a dumbbell horizontally across your hip crease and hold it in place with both hands.
4. Press through the outer edges of your feet and squeeze your glutes hard to drive your hips straight up toward the ceiling.
5. Rise until your torso is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
6. Hold the top position for one to two seconds, maximising the glute contraction.
7. Lower your hips back down slowly and under control until they nearly touch the floor.
8. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your heels pressed together and feet sole-to-sole throughout the movement — this is what differentiates the frog pump from a standard hip thrust and shifts the work away from the hamstrings.
• Drive through the outer edges of your feet rather than through the heels; this reinforces the hip-abducted position and keeps tension on the glutes.
• The adductors assist in holding the frog position, so you may feel them working alongside the glutes.
• Choose a dumbbell weight you can hold securely on the hip crease — a towel underneath can stop it sliding.
• Avoid arching your lower back excessively at the top; think of tilting your pelvis posteriorly to fully engage the glutes.
• For beginners, practise the bodyweight version (Frog Pump) to learn the position before adding load.
• Exhale as you thrust the hips up and inhale on the way down.