What is Kneeling Prisoner Squat?
The Kneeling Prisoner Squat is an easy bodyweight leg exercise that lowers from standing to a kneeling position with hands behind the head, targeting quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves. It builds lower-body strength and knee control; keep an upright chest and controlled descent.
How to Do Kneeling Prisoner Squat
- Set stance: Stand feet slightly wider than hip-width, toes forward. Place hands behind head, pull elbows back and lift the chest to maintain posture.
- Brace core: Engage your core and glutes, maintain a neutral spine and inhale. Keep shoulders down to protect the neck and lower back.
- Sit to kneel: Hinge at the hips and bend knees, lowering into a controlled seated position then gently drop to both knees while keeping torso upright.
- Pause and align: Pause briefly on your knees, check knee alignment over toes, keep weight balanced and maintain hands behind head and chest lifted.
- Stand up slowly: Drive through heels and hips to extend the knees and return to standing, maintaining core engagement and avoiding rapid or jerky movements.
Muscle Groups
Quadriceps, Hamstring, Calves, Glutes
Description
Stand with your legs slightly wider than hip-width apart, your feet parallel. Lift up arms and place both of your hands behind your head.Making sure your elbows are pulled back and your chest is lifted, bend from your hips and bend your knees, lowering down to a sitting position. Once in sitting position, get down on your knees while maintaining the same form for upper body. When you are on both knees, reverse the movement and straighten back up.
Continue for the required amount of repetitions.
Movement Group
Legs
Required Equipment
None (bodyweight only)
Progressions and Regressions
None
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of the Kneeling Prisoner Squat?
It strengthens quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves while improving knee control, hip mobility and bodyweight squat mechanics. No equipment is required, making it suitable for beginners to build strength and confidence before progressing.
What common mistakes should I avoid with Kneeling Prisoner Squats?
Rushing the descent, collapsing the chest, letting knees cave inward, and leaning excessively forward are common mistakes. Also avoid dropping onto your knees without control; slow tempo, core engagement and aligning knees over toes reduce risk.
How can I progress or modify the Kneeling Prisoner Squat?
Modify by using a padded mat or lowering range to reduce knee stress. Progress by increasing repetitions, slowing tempo, adding a pause at the kneeling position, or advancing to full prisoner squats and loaded variations once stability improves.