TikTokers recommend learning Frog Pose if you haven’t heard of it. Videos that claim it can cure everything from digestion problems to pain, mental health, and better sex have gone viral.
TikToker Olga Urbanovich (426.33K followers) uploaded a video on September 22, 2021, claiming that a one-minute daily Frog Pose position would improve your sexual life, strengthen pelvic muscles and stimulate digestion. Since then, the video has been viewed 14 million times.
Since then, other TikTokers have been raving about Frog Pose and posting their videos: #frogpose has now received 23.1 million views while #frogposechallenge is at 289.9 thousand. They claim that the benefits extend beyond Urbanovich’s list.
Vanessa Hammond, a TikToker with 36.9K followers, posted a video of the pose on March 15. The video received 1.5000 likes. She claimed that it helps to open up hips and increase flexibility.
Mariah McLean (5K Followers) posted on February 22 a Video with 14,700 views, claiming that the pose relieves stress and anxiety.
Victoria Sisco (223,9K followers) shared a video with 2,900 likes on February 10. She said that the Frog Pose helps to relieve lower Back Pain as well as knee pain. It also strengthens your back.
Do the poses provide any of these claimed benefits? Should you even try it?
What is Frog Pose
The frog pose is a restorative stretching pose, according to Monisha Bhatoe, MD. She is a physician specializing in integrative medicine in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and a certified yoga teacher by Yoga Medicine. The frog pose targets the hips, inner thighs, and adductor muscles.
You can get into the pose:
Get into a tabletop-like position on the floor, with your hands and knees supporting your weight. (Keep the back parallel to the ground).
Bring your weight forward on your hands and slowly slide your legs out to the sides.
Keep your knees bent and slowly draw your feet to the side so they are directly behind your knees. Rotate your feet so that your body weight rests on the inner arches.
You can stretch your groin by bending your elbows and lowering your arms.
What experts think about frog pose — and what benefits it can deliver
Frog pose can provide specific health benefits, Dr. Bhanote says. The improvements you will experience largely depend on your time spent in Frog Pose and your current body condition.
Bhanote explains that the frog pose helps to stretch the inner thighs and hips and improve flexibility. This is especially important around the hips, as they are the central area of the position. This pose also helps stretch the back muscles and relieve lower back pain.
While there haven’t been many studies on Frog Pose specifically, Research states that yoga is as effective in treating chronic lower back pain as physical therapy.
Bhanote says that Frog Pose can strengthen core and pelvic muscles. The study, published in May 2017 by the International Journal of Yoga, concluded that core muscles are engaged for poses that require trunk and pelvic movement. Bhanote adds that the Frog pose can help strengthen the core and pelvic muscles.
While studies haven’t yet examined explicitly whether the Frog pose helps reduce stress more than other yoga positions, Bhanote said there is evidence to suggest that regular yoga practice can help manage stress. Research has shown that 12 minutes of yogic meditation can reverse stress-related neural reactions.
Bhanote says that if you do yoga correctly, you will breathe deeply and slowly, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine on March 2017 concluded that breathing exercises in yoga could improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
What about the claim Frog pose helps with circulation? There needs to be more evidence, Bhanote said, that has specifically examined the Frog pose’s effect on circulation. However, research suggests that meditative exercises, like yoga, help lower blood pressure. A small study indicated that simple yoga poses performed at home could benefit blood pressure.
Bhanote warns that Frog Pose will not likely help with knee pain – and could even worsen it. She says that she has seen knee pain become worse with this pose.
She says that whether or not one minute of yoga a day will make a big difference, Bhanotes believes the more time spent on daily practice, the better it is for all these things. The more you practice yoga, the greater your benefits.
Frog Pose: Who should try it (and avoid it)
Bhanote says that the frog pose is a good one for many people. It will stretch the hips, groin, and inner thigh muscles. Don’t push yourself further in the pose if you feel any pain. She says practicing it consistently will increase flexibility and improve your ability to sit further back in the carriage.
Bhanote also says that if you are feeling pain or discomfort, stop and rest in the child’s position — hands and knees in a tabletop pose on the floor, lower your forehead towards the ground, and sit back with your heels.
If you are experiencing too much pressure on your knees, place a folded yoga mat under your ankles or knees or use a yoga pillow to support your head or chest. Bhanote recommends skipping this pose if you have knee pain or a history of knee injuries.
Bhanote says pregnant women should take care when doing the pose. It may be okay if someone has previous yoga experience, but you should check with your physician to make sure.
If you have an injury to your knee, ankle, hip, or lower back, it is best to avoid this pose or consult your doctor before attempting it.
The Bottom Line About Frog Pose
The frog pose has many health benefits. It can increase flexibility and range of motion in the hip muscles and joints. It’s a more advanced pose, which can be difficult for beginners. Try it slowly and gently. If you’re pregnant or have injuries to your lower back or body, avoid (or consult with your doctor) this exercise.
Bhanote cautions against this generalization. “Limited Research has been done on individual poses of yoga. It’s hard to say for sure if one pose will provide the same benefits to everyone.”