Exercise guide
Frog Hops
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Waist
Frog Hops are a high-intensity plyometric movement that builds explosive lower-body power and cardiovascular endurance by combining a deep squat with a forward jump.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
- Squat down deeply until your hips are lower than your knees, keeping your weight centered.
- Place your fingertips or palms on the floor directly between your feet while keeping your chest up.
How to do it
- Exhale and explode upward and forward, jumping as high and as far as possible while swinging your arms forward for momentum.
- Inhale as you land softly on the balls of your feet, immediately absorbing the impact by sinking back into the deep squat.
- Touch the floor again to reset your depth and immediately transition into the next jump.
- Maintain a quick, rhythmic tempo to maximize the plyometric effect.
Form checklist
- Keep your back flat and chest proud; avoid rounding your spine to reach the floor.
- Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not collapse inward upon landing.
- Land as quietly as possible to ensure your muscles, rather than your joints, are absorbing the force.
- Maintain a wide stance to allow for a full range of motion in the hips.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'triple extension'—simultaneously snapping your hips, knees, and ankles into full extension at the peak of the jump.
- Minimize your time on the ground; think of the floor as being hot to improve your reactive power.
Make it harder
- Hold a light medicine ball at chest height to add external resistance and increase core demand.
- Perform the hops uphill to increase the concentric demand on the glutes and quads.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the frog hops work?
- The frog hops primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the frog hops?
- The frog hops requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the frog hops good for beginners?
- The frog hops is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Mixed Grip DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell SnatchAdvanced · adductors, calves, deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and quadriceps