Bodyweight Frog Hip Thrust
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Hips
- Type
- Strength
The bodyweight frog hip thrust is a hip-extension exercise that targets the glutes, with the hamstrings assisting and the hip abductors and external rotators recruited by the wide "frog" foot position. You press the soles of your feet together with your knees splayed out and drive your hips up using body weight only, making it an accessible way to build glute strength at home with no equipment.
How to do the Bodyweight Frog Hip Thrust
- 1Sit on the floor and lean your upper back against the edge of a low bench, or simply lie flat on the floor if you have no bench.
- 2Press the soles of your feet together and draw your heels in toward your hips, letting your knees fall open to the sides into the frog position.
- 3Tilt your pelvis under (posterior pelvic tilt), pull your ribs down, and tuck your chin so your neck stays neutral.
- 4Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to drive your hips straight up until your thighs and torso form a flat line.
- 5Push your knees outward at the top so you feel the glutes working, and hold the squeeze for a one-second pause.
- 6Lower your hips under control back toward the floor without fully resting, keeping tension on the glutes.
- 7Repeat for your target reps, then set your hips down and release.
Form tips
- Keep your heels drawn in close to your hips throughout the set — the closer the heels, the more the glutes do the work.
- Drive through the outer edges of your feet and actively press your knees apart to bias the glutes over the quads.
- Move from a posterior pelvic tilt rather than arching your lower back, so the hips do the extending instead of the spine.
- Pause and squeeze hard at the top for a full second before lowering — tension matters more than speed with body weight.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back to push the hips higher, which shifts the work into the spine and can cause low-back strain instead of loading the glutes.
- Letting the knees drift back together, which closes the frog position and turns the lift into a standard thrust that loses the abductor and glute emphasis.
- Flaring the ribs and over-extending at the top, which tilts the pelvis the wrong way and reduces glute contraction.
- Rushing the reps and bouncing the hips off the floor, which removes tension and lets momentum replace muscular effort.
- Tipping the head back instead of tucking the chin, which strains the neck and breaks the flat torso line at lockout.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the bodyweight frog hip thrust work?
It mainly works the glutes through hip extension, with the hamstrings assisting. The wide frog foot position — soles together, knees open — also brings in the hip abductors and external rotators.
Do I need any equipment for the frog hip thrust?
No. It uses body weight only. You can rest your upper back on a low bench for a longer range of motion, or do it lying flat on the floor with no equipment at all.
Why do I press the soles of my feet together?
Pressing the soles together and letting the knees fall open puts the hips in external rotation, which biases the glutes and recruits the hip abductors more than a standard feet-flat hip thrust.
Is the bodyweight frog hip thrust good for beginners?
Yes. Because it loads only your body weight and keeps your back supported on the floor or a bench, it is a safe, low-impact way for beginners to learn to drive the hips up and feel the glutes working.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Since there is no external load, aim higher — about 3 to 4 sets of 15 to 25 reps, pausing and squeezing at the top of each rep to keep the glutes under tension.
