All Exercises

Frog planche

Master the Frog planche, an advanced bodyweight skill that builds immense core, shoulder, and arm strength.

Advanced
Compound
Static
1 min per set2 min rest

Description

Frog planche is an advanced bodyweight exercise that engages your shoulder, arm, and core muscles. It involves balancing your body on your hands while keeping your knees on your elbows.

How to Do Frog planche

  1. 1
    Setup

    Begin in a deep squat position with your hands placed flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward or slightly outward.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Lean your torso forward, bending your elbows slightly, and place your knees high up on the outside of your upper arms or triceps, just above your elbows.

  3. 3

    Shift your body weight further forward, maintaining a rounded upper back and protracted scapulae, and slowly lift your feet off the ground.

  4. 4

    Bring your heels towards your glutes, engaging your core and arms to hold this tucked position, keeping your gaze slightly forward or down.

Tips

  • Focus on actively protracting your scapulae (pushing your shoulder blades away from your spine) to create a strong, stable base and protect your shoulders.
  • Maintain a slight forward lean and rounded upper back throughout the hold; this helps shift your center of gravity and makes balancing easier.
  • Actively squeeze your knees into your elbows and your heels towards your glutes to create a compact, stable shape and maximize core engagement.
  • Practice against a wall initially if needed, placing your feet gently against it for support as you get accustomed to the lean and balance required.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Sagging hips or an arched lower back compromises core engagement; fix this by actively tucking your pelvis and rounding your upper back.
  • ×Letting elbows flare out too wide reduces stability and puts undue stress on wrists; fix this by keeping elbows relatively close to your body, pointing backward.
  • ×Failing to lean forward enough makes it impossible to lift your feet; fix this by consciously shifting your weight over your hands until your shoulders are well past your wrists.

Variations

Related Exercises

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