Legs
Prisoner Squat
A bodyweight squat with your hands behind your head. With your arms out of the way, your legs do all the work and your upper back has to keep your chest tall.
- Works
- Quads, glutes, hamstrings, upper back, core
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Load
- Bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes turned out a little. Rest your fingertips lightly behind your head with your elbows wide.
- 2Sit your hips back and down, bending your knees, until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
- 3Keep your chest up and your elbows back the whole way down.
- 4Push through your whole foot to stand back up.
Cues
- Elbows wide and back.
- Fingertips rest lightly. Don't pull on your head.
- Knees track over your toes.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on your neck. Your hands just rest behind your head. Keep your chin level.
- Elbows folding forward. That rounds your upper back. Squeeze your shoulder blades and keep your elbows in line with your ears.
- Heels lifting. Sit back more and push through your heels and midfoot.
Easier
Squat down to a chair or bench and stand back up, or cross your arms over your chest.
Harder
Take 3 seconds on the way down and pause for 1 second at the bottom.
Try it: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
Why is it called a prisoner squat?
Because your hands go behind your head, the pose a prisoner is told to take. Holding them there keeps your arms from helping and makes your upper back work to keep your chest tall.
