Jumping exercises are one of the most effective ways to build lower body power. Power plays a vital part in almost all sporting events. Jumping exercises are also a great way to condition your legs, making them more resistant to fatigue, and they also burn a ton of calories, so they’re useful for weight management.
There are lots of different jumping exercises to choose from, and yet many people limit themselves to the same old squat jumps, box jumps, and burpees.
Boring!
So, we’ve got another exercise for you to add to your jumping arsenal – frog jumps.
Don’t like the cutesy name fool you – this exercise is a certified beast and will whip your legs into shape in double-quick time!
Frog Jumps – Muscles Worked
Frog jumps are a compound exercise, meaning they involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together. In fact, it’s fair to say that the frog jump works every muscle in your lower body. However, the leading movers and shakers are:
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are actually four muscles that work together to extend your knees. Those four muscles are the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. These are the muscles you’ll probably feel most during frog jumps.
Hamstrings
Like the quadriceps, the hamstrings is a group of muscles. In this instance, it’s three: the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. These muscles flex your knees and extend your hips.
Gluteus maximus
The Gluteus maximus is the largest and most powerful muscle in your body and is basically your butt. Known as the glutes for short, this muscle works with your hamstrings to extend your hips. It’s very active during frog jumps.
Hip abductors
The hip abductors are located on the outside of your hips and thighs. They’re responsible for lifting your legs out, and away from the midline of your body, a movement called abduction. Your main abductor muscles are gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fascia latae. During frog jumps, the abductors mostly work as stabilizers, preventing your knees from caving in on take-off and landing.
Hip adductors
Located on the inside of your hips and thighs, the adductors are responsible for drawing your legs into the midline of your body. During frog jumps, the adductors primarily work as stabilizers, stopping your knees from falling outward on take-off and landing. The adductor muscles are longus, brevis, and magnus, meaning longest, shortest, and biggest/thickest.
Triceps surae
Triceps surae is the collective term for the muscles that make up your calves – the gastrocnemius and soleus. These muscles work to extend your ankles in a movement called dorsiflexion. The triceps surae is very active during frog jumps, making this an excellent calf exercise.
Core
Despite being a leg exercise, your body must use your core to stabilize your midsection and ensure the efficient transference of energy through your body. Core is the collective term for the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominus, pelvic floor, and diaphragm, amongst others. Not engaging your core will reduce your frog jump performance and could lead to injury.
How to Do Frog Jumps
Get more from frog jumps while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:
- Stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart, toes turned slightly outward. Brace your core and lift your chest so you’re in good posture.
- Squat down and touch the floor between your feet. Your arms should be straight, fingers extended, so you look a little like a frog sitting on a Lilly pad.
- In one motion, stand up powerfully and reach your arms forward and up. Leap up into the air as high as you time; touch the sky!
- Land on slightly bent legs, descend into another rep and repeat.
Tips:
- Wear shock-absorbing shoes or do this exercise on a padded floor to reduce the impact on your joints.
- Make sure you bend your knees and don’t just fold forward from your hips to touch the floor. The more upright you keep your torso, the more effective this exercise will be.
- Do this exercise by wearing a weighted vest. Start light, though. This is already a strenuous exercise. Five percent of your body weight should be sufficient.
- Instead of jumping straight up, you can also do this exercise while jumping forward. Go for distance instead of height.
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Broadly speaking, there are two ways to do frog jumps. Method one involves doing low reps. E.g., 3-5, and trying to jump as high as you can. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets to ensure you can give each rep maximum effort.
Alternatively, you can do more reps per set, not jump as high, and push your muscles and cardiovascular system to a high level of fatigue, e.g., 15-20 reps. Rest 30-90 seconds between sets so that you don’t recover completely.
Use the set/rep scheme that best matches your goals.
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Frog Jump Benefits
Not sure if frog jumps deserve a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!
An effective power exercise
Power is your ability to generate force quickly. You need power for most sports, especially those involving kicking, pushing, running, sprinting, punching, lifting, throwing, and jumping. Max-height frog jumps will increase your power output, so you perform better in your chosen sport.
A good conditioning exercise
High-rep, submaximal intensity frog jumps are an effective cardio and muscular endurance exercise. They’ll help improve your resistance to fatigue. Use them in circuit training or HIIT workouts to develop your fitness and stamina.
Burn a lot of calories
All jumping exercises burn a lot of calories, and frog jumps are no exception. They use a lot of muscles and involve big, explosive movements. Use frog jumps in your fat-burning workouts alongside other high-intensity conditioning exercises.
Relatively easy to learn
Compared to some other jumping exercises, frog jumps are not overly complicated and should be straightforward to learn. That doesn’t mean they’re easy; they’re actually pretty darn tough! But if you want a leg exercise that won’t tax your brain too much, frog jumps are a good choice.
Standardized squat depth
Frog jumps are only legit if you touch the floor with your outstretched fingers. No touch means no rep! This ensures that you always descend to the same depth, and that helps to keep you honest.
Fun, fun, fun!
C’mon – let’s be honest here; frog jumps are more fun than box jumps, squat jumps, and most other jumping exercises. Maybe it’s the name or the fact you know you look like a frog when you do them. Either way, doing frog jumps will put a smile on your face!
Drawbacks
While frog jumps are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a couple drawbacks to consider:
A high-impact exercise
Landing a frog jump will put a lot of stress on your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine. That shouldn’t be a problem if you are fit and healthy, but if you are overweight or injured, it could be more stress than your body can handle. This exercise is not a good fit for heavy exercisers or anyone with existing lower limb aches and pains.
Very intense
While low-rep, maximum-effort frog jumps are pretty manageable, high-rep sets could leave you reaching for the puke bucket, and will probably give you a wicked case of delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.
So, take it easy when you do this exercise for the first time, and leave a few reps in the tank. Otherwise, you could find your workout coming to a premature end.
Requires above-average mobility to perform correctly
Squatting down to touch the floor without rounding your lower back requires more hip mobility than many exercisers possess. A rounded back is a weak lower back and a poor position from which to initiate a jump. Some exercisers may need to reduce their range of motion or do regular squat jumps instead. You can do this by placing a yoga block or similar between your feet, and touching that instead of the floor.
7 Frog Jump Variations and Alternatives
Frog jumps are a highly effective lower body power and conditioning exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. There are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:
1. Squat Jump
The squat jump is a slightly less regimented version of the frog jump. You don’t reach down to touch the floor and control your squat depth using kinesthetic awareness or by watching your reflection in a mirror. Not squatting as deep also makes this exercise a little less intense, but the differences are marginal.
Steps:
- Stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart, toes turned slightly outward. Brace your core and lift your chest so you’re in good posture.
- Squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Swing your arms back and behind you as you descend.
- Using your arms for extra momentum, leap up and into the air as high as possible.
- Land on slightly bent knees and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, core.
Benefits:
- Use this exercise to train for power or conditioning as preferred.
- Not as strict or repetitive as frog jumps.
- Less mobility/flexibility required to perform correctly.
Tips:
- Do low-rep, maximum effort sets to develop muscle power, or high-rep, submaximal sets for conditioning and endurance.
- Make this exercise harder by holding dumbbells or wearing a weighted vest.
- Increase workout intensity and reduce impact and joint stress by doing this exercise on a thick exercise mat, e.g., a gymnastics crash mat.
Read more details on squat jump.
2. Split Squat Jumps
Frog jumps allow you to favor one leg or the other without knowing it. While small left-to-right strength imbalances are normal and to be expected, significant differences can be a problem. Split squat jumps will allow you to identify and fix any such imbalances and also increase your ankle, knee, and hip stability.
Steps:
- Stand with your feet together, arms by your side.
- Perform a small jump and drive your front leg forward and your rear leg backward.
- Descend into a lunge and then leap up and into the air, using your arms for assistance.
- Switch legs in mid-air, so you land with your feet reversed.
- Descend into another rep and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, core.
Benefits:
- An excellent exercise for athletes, especially runners.
- Good for developing better balance and hip mobility.
- Not as high-impact as frog jumps as you won’t be jumping as high.
Tips:
- You can also do this exercise without switching legs mid-air. Just keep one leg forward for your first set, and put your other leg forward for your second set.
- Make this exercise harder by holding dumbbells in your hands.
- Keep your stance quite short. A long a stance will reduce your power output.
3. Box Jump
One of the downsides of frog jumps is all that impact on landing. Too much impact can wreak havoc on your joints and hurt your feet, especially if you are a heavy exerciser or overweight. Box jumps take the shock out of landing, making them far more joint-friendly.
Steps:
- Set up your box. It should be sturdy, stable, and about knee height or slightly lower.
- Take one step back from your box. Your feet should be around shoulder-width apart.
- Drop down into a quarter-depth squat, swinging your arms behind you.
- Drive your feet into the floor, swing your arms forward for extra momentum, and jump up and onto your box.
- Land lightly on the top of your box, aiming for the middle. Bend your knees to absorb the landing.
- Step back down, reset your feet, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, core.
Benefits:
- More joint-friendly than frog jumps.
- Very scalable by using different height boxes.
- Like frog jumps, you can do this exercise for low reps and maximum height or higher reps and submaximal height to target power or endurance, respectively.
Tips:
- Aim to land on the box with your knees slightly bent and not your knees pulled up to your chin. This will give you a much better indicator of your jumping performance.
- Jump instead of step back down to shock load your muscles and trigger a plyometric training effect. However, this IS harder on your joints than regular box jumps.
- You can also do box jumps while wearing a weighted vest or holding dumbbells.
4. SUMO Deadlift High-pull
Do you want to do a jumping exercise that doesn’t involve any jumping? Believe it or not, such a thing exists. The sumo deadlift high-pull is a popular CrossFit exercise that feels like a jump, but your feet remain planted firmly on the floor.
Steps:
- Place your barbell on the floor.
- Stand with your toes under the bar. Your feet should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly outward.
- Hold the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip so your arms are inside your legs.
- Brace your core, straighten your arms, pull your shoulders down and back, and adopt a neutral spine. Your hips should be below shoulder height.
- Driving down through your heels and initially keeping your arms straight, powerfully extend your legs and lift the bar upward.
- As your hips and knees near lockout, shrug your shoulders and pull with your arms, bringing the bar up the front of your body and under your chin. Keep your elbows up and out.
- Lower the weight back to your hips and then place it back on the floor.
- That’s one rep – keep going!
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, biceps, trapezius, deltoids, core.
Benefits:
- A non-impact way to train your jumping muscles.
- Good for developing power or conditioning, depending on how it’s programmed.
- A full-body exercise that will burn lots of calories.
Tips:
- Set the bar up so it’s about mid-shin height at the start of each rep.
- Keep the bar close to your body throughout.
- Think about jumping at the start of each rep and only pulling with your arms to assist your legs.
- You can also do high pulls with a single kettlebell like this:
5. Standing Overhead Throws
The standing overhead throw is another non-impact exercise that works all your jumping muscles. However, this exercise is more posterior chain-dominant than frog jumps. Do this exercise outside, and make sure there is no one behind you before you start firing off your reps!
Steps:
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and a medicine ball or sandbag in your hands.
- Push your hips back and squat down, lowering your training implement between your knees.
- Extend your hips and knees powerfully and swing the weight up and back. Release it as it reaches its apex.
- Turn and retrieve the weight and then repeat.
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, biceps, trapezius, deltoids, core.
Benefits:
- A low-impact, joint-friendly alternative to jumping.
- A great way to increase posterior chain strength and power.
- A fun, satisfying exercise.
Tips:
- You can also do this exercise with a kettlebell, provided you are training on a grass field or sand.
- Sprint after your weight to turn this into a demanding conditioning drill.
- Take care not to round your lower back, as doing so could lead to injury.
6. CAT Squats
Frog jumps? CAT squats? It’s like Noah’s Ark over here! However, in this instance, CAT stands for Compensatory Acceleration Training and is a type of power workout that uses weights instead of jumping. CAT squats are an excellent exercise for powerlifters, sprinters, or jumpers looking to increase lower body power and speed.
Steps:
- Load up a barbell without about 50% of your back squat 1RM. Rest the bar across your upper back and adopt your regular squat stance. Brace your core.
- Descend quickly but under control until your knees are bent to around 90 degrees.
- Without pausing, turn your descent into an ascent, and come up as fast as possible.
- Repeat for 3-5 reps per set. Stop your set and workout when you feel you are unable to move the weight as quickly.
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, core.
Benefits:
- A great way to fire up your central nervous system before heavy barbell squats.
- Low impact – improve jumping power without taking your feet off the floor.
- An excellent assistance exercise for powerlifters.
Tips:
- Aim to turn your descent into an ascent as fast as possible. Do not pause at the bottom of your rep. Imagine you are squatting down onto a sharp spike or hot flame!
- You can also use this method with front squats and leg presses.
- Do not go too heavy too soon. If you cannot accelerate the weight maximally, it’s too heavy.
7. Tuck Jumps
So, frog jumps are too easy for you? Give this exercise a try! You’ll need to jump higher than before to give yourself time to pull your knees up to your chest. But be warned, this is a challenging workout, and it’s also very high impact, so not recommended for beginners.
Steps:
- Stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart. Brace your core.
- Bend your knees and descend into a half-depth squat.
- Rapidly extend your legs and leap into the air, using your arms for assistance.
- As you jump, bend your legs and pull your knees up and into your chest. Give your shins a quick hug if you’ve got the time.
- Quickly snap your legs back down and land on slightly bent knees.
- That’s your first rep – keep going!
Muscles targeted:
- Primary: Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, triceps surae.
- Secondary: Abductors, adductors, core.
Benefits:
- A challenging exercise that’s ideal for experienced exercisers.
- Teaches you to be more explosive and reactive, which is useful in many sports.
- Increases ankle strength and stability.
Tips:
- Wear shock-absorbing shoes or do this exercise on a forgiving surface, e.g., a sprung floor or rubberized running track.
- Warm up thoroughly before attempting this exercise.
- Tuck jumps are best left to advanced exercisers. They are unsuitable for beginners, the deconditioned, anyone with lower limb injuries, during pregnancy, the elderly, or people that are overweight.
Frog Jump FAQs
Do you have a question about frog jumps or jumping for power and conditioning in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. How many times a week should I do frog jumps?
Whether you do them for low reps with maximum effort or higher reps with less effort, frog jumps are an intense, high-impact exercise. As such, performing this exercise will take a lot out of your body, and it would be unwise to do them every day.
Instead, you’ll get better results and experience fewer injuries if you limit your frog jump workouts to three times a week, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This day-on/day-off schedule will allow adequate time for rest and recovery and give your joints a chance to recover too.
2. Which is better – low-rep or high-reps?
The way you perform an exercise will determine how it affects your body. This is the law of specificity, which states you get better at what you do most in training.
Low rep, maximum effort frog jumps, where you try to jump as high as possible, will develop your explosive jumping height. This could help you score a higher vertical jump, e.g., for basketball or volleyball.
To maintain the quality and effectiveness of your workout, you should limit yourself to around five reps per set, rest for 3-5 minutes between efforts, and end your workout when you notice that your jumps are beginning to lose height. Think quality over quantity.
Doing high-rep frog jumps means you won’t be able to jump as high, so they’re not so good for improving your jump height. However, they’ll fatigue your muscles and, combined with 30 to 90-second rests, will develop better endurance.
Because of these different effects, you should pick the format that best matches your goals. But, if you want to do both, perform 2-4 low rep/maximum height frog jumps first, and then do 1-2 sets of high reps as a finisher.
3. Are frog jumps good for building muscle?
To build muscle, an exercise should create muscle tension, produce plenty of metabolic stress, and induce some microtrauma or muscle tissue damage.
Because your muscles can relax while you are in the air, and are under tension for such a short time, frog jumps are NOT the most effective way to achieve these goals. Exercises like squats, leg presses, leg extensions, and leg curls are superior.
However, you can use frog jumps toward the end of your warm-up to fire up your lower body and central nervous system and make your subsequent workout more effective. Alternatively, you can do them as a finisher at the end of your workout.
But, as a standalone muscle builder, frog jumps are probably not your best choice.
4. What are plyometric exercises?
Plyometric exercises are movements where the target muscle is rapidly stretched before it contracts. Most jumping exercises are plyometric, as are many medicine ball throws and clap push-ups.
This rapid stretch and contract is called the stretch-shortening reflex, or SSR for short. Training your SSR will help you become more powerful. Power is the ability to generate force quickly.
Plyometric exercises are popular with athletes from all sports, especially track and field and Olympic weightlifting.
However, as effective as plyos can be, they can also be dangerous and should only be attempted by well-conditioned exercisers and after an appropriate warm-up.
5. Are frog jumps safe?
Frog jumps are a very high-impact and high-intensity exercise. As such, they put a lot of stress on your muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments. All this stress means they have the potential to cause injury, especially if you do them too often or are not yet sufficiently conditioned.
However, they probably aren’t any more dangerous than heavy squats or deadlifts or doing sprints or long-distance running.
But, if you are a beginner, have pre-existing joint issues, are pregnant, elderly, or are overweight, frog jumps are probably too intense, and you do something less demanding instead.
Frog Jumps – Wrapping Up
Jumping exercises aren’t for everyone. For some people, they’re unnecessarily intense, offer no real advantages or benefits, and can even be dangerous. However, if you CAN jump safely, it’s arguably one of the best ways to boost your lower body power, condition your legs, and improve athleticism. They’ll help you get leaner, too.
Frog jumps are one of many jumping exercises, and despite their friendly-sounding name, they’re pretty tough. Do them before squats to fire up your CNS, at the end of your leg workout as a finisher, or on their own for a no-frills but high-effect lower body training session. Go high for max effort and low reps, or do high-rep submaximal sets as preferred.
No matter how you use this exercise, you’ll soon appreciate how effective it can be.
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