Smith Frog Hip Thrust
- Zielmuskel
- —
- Equipment
- Smith machine
- Körperregion
- Hips
- Typ
- Strength
The Smith frog hip thrust is a hip-dominant strength exercise performed on a Smith machine with the soles of your feet pressed together and knees flared wide — the "frog" position. This foot placement shifts hip mechanics, increases the range of motion at the hip joint, and delivers a deep, focused stimulus through the hips that a standard hip thrust cannot fully replicate.
Smith Frog Hip Thrust: So führst du sie aus
- 1Position a flat bench perpendicular to a Smith machine and sit on the floor with your upper back resting against the long edge of the bench.
- 2Set the Smith bar to a height that allows it to sit comfortably across your hip crease when you are seated on the floor. Attach a barbell pad or place a folded mat over the bar to cushion the contact point.
- 3Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall out wide into the frog position, keeping your heels roughly beneath your knees.
- 4Rotate the bar to unrack it, letting it rest across your hip crease. Brace your core, tuck your chin slightly, and keep your ribcage down.
- 5Drive through your heels and the outer edges of your feet to thrust your hips upward until your torso and thighs form a straight line — hips fully extended at the top.
- 6Squeeze through the hips at the top for a brief pause, then lower your hips under control back toward the floor while maintaining the frog foot position throughout.
- 7Complete your reps, then rotate the bar to re-rack it securely before releasing tension.
Technik-Tipps
- Keep your upper back anchored firmly against the bench edge throughout every rep — any rolling or shifting reduces stability and power transfer.
- Actively push your knees outward during each thrust to maintain the frog position and preserve the hip range of motion the exercise is designed to exploit.
- Focus on achieving full hip extension at the top rather than hyperextending the lower back — the hips should rise, not the lumbar spine.
- Start with a lighter load than you use for standard hip thrusts; the frog position changes the leverage and can feel unfamiliar at first.
Häufige Fehler
- Letting the knees collapse inward during the thrust, which collapses the frog position and eliminates the increased range of motion the exercise targets.
- Hyperextending the lower back at the top of each rep instead of reaching true hip extension, which shifts stress away from the hips and onto the spine.
- Placing the feet too far from the body, which prevents the knees from flaring wide and reduces the hip mobility benefit of the frog stance.
- Bouncing out of the bottom rather than lowering under control, which removes tension from the hips and reduces the training stimulus.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the Smith frog hip thrust work?
The exercise primarily targets the muscles of the hips. The frog foot position alters hip mechanics to emphasize the hips through a greater range of motion than a conventional hip thrust, making it a highly focused hip exercise.
Why use a Smith machine instead of a free barbell?
The Smith machine keeps the bar on a fixed vertical path, so you can focus entirely on hip drive without having to stabilize a free barbell. This makes it easier to maintain consistent bar placement over the hip crease and to control the load safely.
How is the frog position different from a standard hip thrust?
In a standard hip thrust your feet are flat on the floor and pointing forward. The frog position — soles together, knees flared wide — changes the angle of the hip joint and increases the range of motion, shifting the stimulus to different portions of the hip musculature.
How close should my feet be to my body?
Position your feet so your heels sit roughly beneath your knees when in the frog position. Too far out limits how wide the knees can flare; too close can restrict comfortable range of motion. Adjust until you can achieve full hip extension without discomfort.
Is padding the bar necessary?
It is strongly recommended. The bar rests directly on the hip bones under load, and without padding this quickly becomes painful and can cause bruising. A barbell pad or a folded gym mat makes the exercise far more comfortable as weight increases.
