The Low-Impact Exercise You Should Be Doing To Strengthen Your Glutes

Frogs are pretty dang cute, but to avoid weirdness in social situations, the words "frog" and "sexy" probably should not be used in the same sentence. As with most things in life, there are a few exceptions. The first is when a college girl is describing her Halloween costume ("I'm going as, like, a sexy frog"), and the second is when you're talking about how sexy your booty looks after incorporating frog pumps into your daily workout routine.

Frog pumps — not to be confused with the more common frog jumps — are one of the fitness world's best-kept secrets ... but not for long! The low-impact move, deemed the "best butt" exercise by Women's Health, requires no equipment, is easy to learn, and is sure to bring the burn. Let's dive in and examine the many benefits of frog pumps and go over how you can achieve the perfect froggy form.

Frog pumps are a very close cousin to the beloved glute bridge, but with a touch of amphibian flair. While glute bridge formation has you keep the soles of your feet planted firmly on the floor, frog pumps require your soles to be pressed together with your legs open and your knees pointing in opposite directions. While those of us on the shy side might not love the idea of hip thrusting with a man-spread at the gym, one of the great things about frog pumps is that it's a bodyweight exercise that requires no equipment, so you can skip the gym and do it at home.

When speaking with Byrdie, Kelly Collins — a STRIDE instructor leading treadmill-based fitness classes — labeled frog pumps as an "activation exercise" that allows you to really focus on the glutes, while some other targeted bum exercises might leave you wanting.

But your buns aren't the only muscles that will burn after a few sets. Katelyn DiGiorgio, vice president of training and technique for Pure Barre, explained to Byrdie that frog pumps also strengthen the hamstrings, isometrically engage the ab muscles, and utilize the hip joints' full range of motion, offering a hip stretch like no other. While Women's Health points out that strong glutes are a cornerstone of good posture, DiGiorgio notes that this kind of hip extension strengthens the muscle groups that support a strong back and impeccable posture.

Conceptually, the proper frog pump form is fairly simple. You can use a mat if you prefer, but the floor works just as well. Lie flat on your back with the soles of your feet pressed together, and with your knees wide in butterfly formation, scoot your heels as close to your butt as you can (per Shape). Pull your belly button in toward your spine to the core, and make sure your lower back is pressed firmly into the mat. With your chin tucked and your shoulders rooted to the ground, lift your hips toward the sky by tightening the glutes and pressing into the floor with the outer edges of your feet. Take a brief pause at the top before lowering down with control.

While frog pumps are low impact and fairly accessible regardless of your fitness level, Katelyn DiGiorgio doesn't recommend frog pumps for people with impaired hip and knee mobility, stressing that if it doesn't feel right, try something else (per Byrdie). Kelly Collins adds that those who have issues with lower back pain might be better off opting for lunges or squats to achieve a booty burn, rather than risking lower back strain.