What is Shrimp Squat?
A Shrimp Squat is a single-leg calisthenics exercise where you lower your body while holding the rear foot; it targets the quadriceps, glutes and calves. Difficulty: medium — requires balance, hip mobility and controlled strength.
How to Do Shrimp Squat
- Set stance: Stand tall on one foot, feet hip-shoulder width, slight bend in knee, keep shoulders back and gaze forward to stabilize.
- Grab rear foot: Kick the other foot behind you and grasp the top of that foot with the same-side hand; keep knees close and chest upright.
- Begin descent: Slowly hinge at the hip and bend the standing knee, lowering your chest and pelvis while maintaining a neutral spine and control.
- Control depth: Lower only as far as you can control; avoid knee collapse, keep weight over midfoot, and stop if you feel sharp pain.
- Drive up: Drive through the standing foot to extend hip and knee, pull the rear foot forward, and return to standing with controlled motion.
- Use regressions: Use assistance if needed: hold a support, perform box-assisted or TRX-assisted reps, or reduce range until balance and strength improve.
Muscle Groups
Quadriceps, Calves, Glutes
Description
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.Kick your leg behind you and grab the top of your foot as if you were performing a quadriceps stretch. Your knees should be next to each other.
Begin the downward movement by slowly bending the hip, knee, and ankle of your standing leg. Keep your arm extended as you lower to the bottom position. Maintain a neutral spine and lower only as far as you can control your pelvis position.
Begin the upward movement by pushing your foot into the ground to initiate standing up.
Repeat 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 Shrimp Squat?
Shrimp squats build unilateral leg strength with emphasis on quadriceps, glutes and calves. They improve single-leg balance, ankle mobility and hip stability, help correct imbalances, and carry over to athletic moves like jumping and single-leg power.
What common mistakes should I avoid when doing Shrimp Squats?
Common mistakes include knee valgus (knee caving), rounding the spine, shifting weight to the toes, descending too quickly, and forcing depth without control. Use slower tempo, midfoot pressure, knee-tracking cues, and support to reinforce safe technique.
How can I progress or modify the Shrimp Squat?
Regress with support, box-assisted reps, or reduced depth. Progress by increasing depth safely, adding slow eccentric reps, holding weight, or advancing to pistol squats and weighted single-leg variations once balance and strength are reliable.