Exercise guide
Deep Prisoner Squat
- Beginner
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
The Deep Prisoner Squat is a bodyweight movement that builds lower body strength and hip mobility while the hand position forces thoracic extension and improved posture. By squatting below parallel, you maximize recruitment of the glutes and hamstrings compared to a standard squat.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
- Place your hands behind your head, interlocking your fingers or touching your fingertips to your ears.
- Pull your elbows back as far as possible to retract your shoulder blades and open up your chest.
- Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine with your gaze fixed forward.
How to do it
- Inhale as you lower your hips back and down, keeping your chest upright and elbows pinned back.
- Continue the descent until your hips are below your knee joints, ensuring your heels remain flat on the floor.
- Exhale as you drive through your mid-foot and heels to return to a full standing position.
- Maintain a controlled tempo: 2 seconds down, a brief pause at the bottom, and 1 second to rise.
Form checklist
- Keep your elbows pulled back to prevent your torso from leaning too far forward.
- Ensure your knees track in the same direction as your toes and do not cave inward.
- Maintain a proud chest and avoid rounding your upper or lower back.
- Keep your weight distributed across your entire foot, focusing on the heels and mid-foot.
Pro tips
- Actively pull your shoulder blades together to turn this into an upper-back postural exercise as well as a leg movement.
- At the bottom of the movement, think about 'spreading the floor' with your feet to increase glute activation.
Make it harder
- Add a 3-second isometric pause at the bottom of each rep to increase time under tension and stability.
- Perform '1.5 reps' by squatting to full depth, rising halfway, returning to the bottom, and then standing all the way up.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the deep prisoner squat work?
- The deep prisoner squat primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the deep prisoner squat?
- The deep prisoner squat requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the deep prisoner squat good for beginners?
- Yes. The deep prisoner squat is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.
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- Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps