How to do Balance Trainer Braced Frog Kicks
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Balance Trainer Braced Frog Kicks
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Balance Trainer Braced Frog Kicks is a bodyweight core exercise that involves sitting on a Balance Trainer and extending your legs out away from yourself. By raising, and extending your legs, you’re already engaging your core, but by sitting on a balance training, you add more instability to the movement.
- Sit on the Balance Trainer with hands on the sides of the dome. Pull both knees toward the chest in a v-sit position. Slowly extend both legs while simultaneously lowering the torso into a supine position. Pull the knees back in and tuck back up to the starting position. Maintain a braced core throughout the exercise and avoid arching the lower back in the extended position.
Common Form Mistakes
Dropping Your Heels
Don’t allow your heels to drop between reps. Keep them elevated throughout the entire exercise. You would be able to perform more reps by giving yourself some time to rest between reps, however it will make this exercise less effective. Focus on keeping your core engaged, and your legs elevated.
Sets & Reps Calculator
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Alternatives & Variations to Balance Trainer Braced Frog Kicks
1. Balance Trainer Crunch
39.4 mSCORESWAPPED 79 TIMESBalance Trainer Crunch is a more difficult variation on the standard Crunch. Similar to other crunches, this is a bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. By using a Balance Trainer, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better activation of your core.
2. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 50 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
3. Jackknife Sit-Up
60.8 mSCORESWAPPED 46 TIMESJackknife Sit-Up is a combination of a Sit Up and a Leg Pull-In. Like the other two exercises, this is a bodyweight core exercise that offers the benefits of both. It’s very similar to a Cocoon Crunch, however, you’ll be raising your entire torso off the ground, rather than just your shoulder blades. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to add some extra challenge to their core workout.
4. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 40 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
5. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 34 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
6. Vertical Knee Raise
92 mSCORESWAPPED 32 TIMESVertical Knee Raise is a bodyweight core exercise that involves suspending yourself, and then engaging your core to raise your knees towards your chest. By keeping your torso upright, and raising your knees, this exercise is a bit better for building functional, real world strength.
7. Exercise Ball Crunch
79.2 mSCORESWAPPED 30 TIMESExercise Ball Crunch is a weighted variation of the standard Crunch. By holding a medicine ball, you can add more weight to this usually bodyweight exercise. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their crunches more challenging.
8. Cable Crunch
88.8 mSCORESWAPPED 26 TIMESCable Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Unlike Crunches, this is a weighted exercise that does not have you laying on your back. Instead of using your bodyweight for resistance, you use a cable machine. This gives you more control over your resistance, as well as more control over the direction that resistance is coming from.
9. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 25 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.