Prisoner Squat

oec:prisoner-squat

A bodyweight squat performed with hands behind the head to encourage an upright posture and thoracic extension.

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Also called: Prisoner Bodyweight Squat, Hands-Behind-Head Squat

How to do it

Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes angled slightly outward.
Place your fingers lightly behind your head or behind your ears with your elbows pulled back wide.
Engage your upper back to keep your chest lifted and posture upright.

Initiate the descent by breaking simultaneously at the hips and knees, sitting down and back.
Lower yourself until your hip crease drops to or just below the top of your knees, ensuring your knees track in line with your toes.
Maintain active thoracic extension, keeping your elbows flared wide rather than letting them fold forward.
Drive through your midfoot and heel to push the floor away, extending your hips and knees fully at the top.

Inhale as you descend into the squat; exhale forcefully as you drive out of the hole to the top.

Pulling on the back of the neck with the hands, causing cervical spine flexion.: Rest fingertips lightly against the temples or behind the ears without interlacing fingers tightly or yanking forward.
Elbows collapsing forward during the descent.: Actively squeeze the shoulder blades together throughout the entire range of motion to keep elbows pointing out to the sides.
Excessive forward torso lean or rounding of the back.: Brace the core, keep the chest up, and sink between your hips rather than hinging excessively forward.

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.