Frog Kicks

Look great from behind with this move of the week. Along with tightening your bum and hamstrings it will also strengthen your lower back. Lie with your hips and lower abs centered over an exercise ball. Place your hands on the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Place your toes wider than your hips on the floor and then bend at your knees, bringing the soles of your feet together (toes pointing to the ceiling, knees are still wide). Engaging your abs and using your bum and back of your legs, press your toes as high towards the ceiling as you can getting a big squeeze through those muscles and then return to start. Do 15-20 reps, then hold this up as high as you can, squeezing for 15-20 counts and then do quick pulses at the top for 15-20 counts. Your butt should be burning.

Notes: Keep your arms and upper body relatively still – all the movement is coming from your waist down. Keep the knees wide and the feet together throughout the exercise. Give an extra squeeze when your feet are the highest. If you don’t have a ball you can use the end of a low table or ottoman (something you can lie across that your hips can drop and that you can still support yourself with your hands).

Easier: Do this movement with straight legs. Keep the legs wider than your hips and using your bum and hamstrings, lift both legs from the hip as high as you can then return toes to floor. If you don’t have a ball or are uncomfortable using one, do the exercise lying on the floor.

Harder: Increase the number of reps. Add ankle weights to your legs.