10 Best Frog Sit-ups Alternatives for Home Workouts
If Frog Sit-ups bother your neck or load your hip flexors, use other bodyweight moves that isolate the abs. Try Hollow Body Hold, Dead Bug, Reverse Crunch, V-ups, and Bicycle Crunches. For example, brace your core and posteriorly tilt the pelvis during a Hollow Hold to maximize rectus abdominis tension and reduce lumbar flexion.
Original Exercise: Frog Sit-ups
How to Perform Frog Sit-ups
- Lie with your back flat on the floor (or exercise mat) and your legs extended in front of you.
- Now bend at the knees and place your outer thighs by the floor (or mat) as you make the soles of your feet touch each other.
- Now try pushing both soles and bringing them up as near you as possible while you keep the outer thighs on the floor (or at least almost touching it). Tip: In this position your legs should create a diamond shape.
- Now, cross your arms in front of you by touching the opposite shoulders. This will be your starting position.
- As you exhale flatten your lower back to the floor while curling the torso upwards. Tip: This will be like performing the first 1/4 movement of a sit up. Hold at the top position for a second.
- As you inhale, slowly lower back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Pull
- Movement type: Isolation
Best Frog Sit-ups Alternatives
1. Arms Overhead Full Sit-up (male)
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is upright.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Decline Sit-up
92.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent.
- Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward towards your knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Cocoons
92.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Exercise Ball Crunch
91.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on an exercise ball with your lower back curvature pressed against the spherical surface of the ball. Your feet should be bent at the knee and pressed firmly against the floor. The upper torso should be hanging off the top of the ball. The arms should either be kept alongside the body or crossed on top of your chest as these positions avoid neck strains (as opposed to the hands behind the back of the head position).
- Lower your torso into a stretch position keeping the neck stationary at all times. This will be your starting position.
- With the hips stationary, flex the waist by contracting the abdominals and curl the shoulders and trunk upward until you feel a nice contraction on your abdominals. The arms should simply slide up the side of your legs if you have them at the side or just stay on top of your chest if you have them crossed. The lower back should always stay in contact with the ball. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
- As you inhale, go back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Bent-Knee Hip Raise
91% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lay flat on the floor with your arms next to your sides.
- Now bend your knees at around a 75 degree angle and lift your feet off the floor by around 2 inches.
- Using your lower abs, bring your knees in towards you as you maintain the 75 degree angle bend in your legs. Continue this movement until you raise your hips off of the floor by rolling your pelvis backward. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: At the end of the movement your knees will be over your chest.
- Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement for a second and then return to the starting position slowly as you breathe in. Tip: Maintain a controlled motion at all times.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
6. Decline Reverse Crunch
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on your back on a decline bench and hold on to the top of the bench with both hands. Don't let your body slip down from this position.
- Hold your legs parallel to the floor using your abs to hold them there while keeping your knees and feet together. Tip: Your legs should be fully extended with a slight bend on the knee. This will be your starting position.
- While exhaling, move your legs towards the torso as you roll your pelvis backwards and you raise your hips off the bench. At the end of this movement your knees will be touching your chest.
- Hold the contraction for a second and move your legs back to the starting position while inhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
7. Butt-ups
90.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands by your sides, palms facing down.
- Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
- At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs and pause for a moment.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
8. Crunch Floor
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engage your abs and lift your shoulders off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Crunch (hands Overhead)
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms straight above your head.
- Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Decline Crunch
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body towards your knees, curling your torso.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Frog Sit-ups Alternative
You may replace Frog Sit-ups for several reasons: neck strain from poor head support, excessive hip flexor activation that steals from the abs, limited mobility, or simple preference. Frog Sit-ups rely on spinal flexion and hip flexion; substitutes let you emphasize anti-extension (Dead Bug, Hollow Hold) or controlled spinal curl (Reverse Crunch). Choose alternatives to reduce lumbar shear, manage load on the hip flexors, or address form breakdown. Use cues like "draw ribs down" and "maintain a neutral pelvis" to shift activation to the rectus abdominis and obliques while protecting the lower back.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on your goal, tolerance, and movement pattern. For abdominal endurance and anti-extension work, use Hollow Body Hold—cue a posterior pelvic tilt and keep ribs down. For controlled segmental movement and low lumbar load, choose Dead Bug and extend limbs slowly while maintaining a braced core. If you want spinal flexion with minimal hip flexor drive, use Reverse Crunch with a tucked pelvis. Prioritize exercises that let you feel the abs working (squeeze at peak) and that you can perform with consistent technique.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Frog Sit-ups work?
Frog Sit-ups primarily target the rectus abdominis while engaging the hip flexors and to a lesser degree the obliques. Poor technique shifts load to the iliopsoas and lumbar spine, so cue spinal curl rather than pulling with the hips.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Frog Sit-ups?
The Hollow Body Hold is the top bodyweight substitute because it emphasizes anti-extension and continuous tension on the rectus abdominis. Cue a posterior pelvic tilt, flatten your lower back to the floor, and keep legs off the ground to maintain abdominal activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Frog Sit-ups?
Yes. You can build abdominal strength and size using other isolation and anti-extension moves like Reverse Crunches, V-ups, and weighted progressions when available. Focus on progressive overload, time under tension, and strict technique—brace your core and control both concentric and eccentric phases.
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