Universal exercise "Frog" to strengthen the press: four in one

Exercise "Frog" - a kind of twisting that is done lying on the floor or on a training bench. It is often included in fitness complexes for strengthening and drying the abdominal muscles and easy stretching of the inner thighs.

There are several ways to perform “Frogs”: classic lying on your back, classic lying on your stomach, as well as their options.

Classic Frog on the back

The classic exercise "Frog" for the press is performed lying on his back.

1. Bend your knees and connect your feet. In this position, let the knees go down, but do not strain them. This is the starting position.
2. Lift your upper body as far as possible and tighten your abs. Pay attention to several important nuances:
   • The loin is firmly pressed to the floor. This is facilitated by the position of the legs. Knees are relaxed.
   • The neck is not tense.
   • Do not stretch your chin forward. The movement of the body occurs only due to the contraction of the abdominal muscles.
3. At the highest point, linger on two counts.
4. When going down, do not relax your abs. They must be constantly tense during the exercise. At the lowest point, the shoulders only touch the floor.

Hands can be in any position that provides balance and the exact technique of performing the Frog: behind the head with elbows extended, behind the head - elbows forward (photo 1) or crossed on the chest.

Repeat 15-20 times.

Not many people know that this particular classic exercise is part of the so-called "Bruce Lee complex." It not only strengthens the muscles, but also dries them, making them embossed. Therefore, this kind of exercise "Frog" is popular among women who need not muscle mass, but a flat stomach with a beautiful, but non-convex relief. The number of approaches in this case increases from one to three to four. The break between sets is 30 seconds.

Complicated Option

In this variety the exercise “Frog” for the press (photo 2) looks a bit different.

1. Sitting on the floor, stretch your legs forward.
2. Spread your arms to the sides.
3. Bending your knees slightly, tear off your legs from the floor and lift them up at an angle of 45 degrees. The body is in a V-shaped position. This is the starting position.
4. Pull the knees, pressed to each other, to the chest and with your hands grab your legs over the legs.
5. Squeeze the abdominal muscles as much as possible and stay in this position for two counts.
6. Return to starting position.

To complicate the exercise, in the initial position, keep your legs spread apart.

If the abdominal muscles are weak, stretch your arms back and rest them on the floor. Keep them in this position throughout the set. This will relieve tension from the lower back (which tends to strain very much when the abdominal muscles can not cope with the load).

Repeat 10-15 times.

Classical "Frog" on the stomach

Less well-known is the exercise "Frog" on the stomach. How to do this option, many know, but under a different name - "Basket". Yogis know him as Dhanurasana, or bow pose. With its help, they stretch the muscles of the abdomen, strengthen the back, increase the flexibility of the spine and tighten the buttocks.

1. Starting position - lying on the stomach. Straight legs extended. Hands lie along the body.
2. Bend your knees and lift as much as possible.
3. With your hands, try to reach your ankles and grab them. If it doesn’t work, then simply raise your arms extended backward extremely upwards.
4. Tighten your gluteal muscles and stay in this position for two counts. (Photo 3).
5. When going down, do not relax the abs. Keep him constantly alert.

Repeat 5-10 times.

Exercise "Frog" on the stomach - a lightweight version

The previous exercise may be beyond the reach of beginners. Then you can make a lightweight version of “Frogs” on the stomach to strengthen the muscles of the whole body. In yoga, it is called Naukasana (boat pose) and is considered a good method of rejuvenating the body and improving digestion.

1. Lie on your stomach. Straight legs are extended and lie on the floor, arms are extended forward and are also on the floor.
2. Raise your legs and arms extended forward as far as possible. Tighten your whole body.
3. Stay in this position for two counts. (Photo 4).
4. Lower your arms and legs to the floor, but do not relax your stomach.

Repeat 10-15 times.

This type of “Frog” is also done to compensate for the tension of the abs muscles.

The indicated number of repetitions is a minimum for each of the options. In order for any exercise "Frog" to be effective, the number of times you need to increase by 5 every two weeks.