Squats / Prisoner Squats

The video above is for the normal squat. The squat I prefer you to learn is with the addition of the arms behind your head – the prisoner squat. That is described below.

The Starting Position

Start the Prisoner Squat by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Your arms behind your head, fingers interlinked, and elbows directly out to the sides.

The Motions

Lower your body by bending at the knees – as if you were about to sit on a chair behind you.

Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then return back up to the starting positions, by pushing through your heels. At the end of the motion, squeeze your buttocks and your legs to add extra intensity to the exercise.

The Technique

1. Keep your lower back flat, i.e. in neutral position, throughout the whole motion.
2. When you're at the bottom of the motion, make sure that your knees are in line with your feet, not ahead of them. You can make sure of that my sticking your bum out as if to sit down.
3. Keep your abs braced throughout the entire motion.
4. On your way up, make sure to push through your heels.
5. At the top of the movement, add a little buttock squeeze – this will add an extra benefit to the exercise ;o)

By keeping your arms behind your neck with this prisoner squat variation – you also get to use your torso a lot more as a stabilizing muscle – so you get more out of your exercise.