Frog Jumps Are An Important Move Missing From Your Workout
Frog jumps are a challenging cardio workout that can help elevate your heart rate and engage your muscles (via Byrdie). As the name suggests, frog jumps are a type of plyometric exercise that involves making a jumping or hopping motion, like that of a frog. To perform a frog jump, stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower yourself into a squat position until your hands can touch or almost touch the ground. Then, push yourself back up off the floor with your feet and leap into the air, with your arms still reaching for the ground.
Frog jumps are a high-impact exercise that require a strong core, however, you might want to avoid doing them if you have a recent injury. You also want to be mindful of your form and any added pressure you put on your joints when performing the exercise to avoid injuring yourself in the process. "If you do have any pain in the hips, knees, ankles, and feet, only bend to a position that won't cause pain, and don't push it further," workout instructor at Bande, Mindy Lai, told Byrdie.
Benefits of frog jumps
At the same time, frog jumps can greatly benefit your body, especially when it comes to the tendons and ligaments in your joints. That's because frog jumps aim to help condition your joints. "Frog hops, or crawls, work to open the hips and ankles, while strengthening your legs and lower back," Will Torres, trainer, and founder of Willspace Movement, told Well+Good.
As a result, frog jumps are actually a great way to increase your mobility and flexibility. That's because the squatting and reaching motions involved in the exercise can help open up your hip flexors and stretch your spine. For best results, Torres recommends performing up to three sets of 10 frog jumps in a row to stretch and massage the area around your spine, and help make your hip flexors nice, and nimble. In addition, frog jumps can also help work your core and improve lower body strength.