As a runner (though one who’s carrying a long-term mystery hip issue that has restricted me in recent months), I do a lot of squats to ensure my glutes (maximus, medius and minimus), quads (the muscles along the fronts of your thighs), hamstrings (at the back of your thighs) and adductors (along the inner thighs) remain strong.
I’ve also done several variations for Tom’s Guide — wall squats, squats with curtsy lunges, the dreaded single-leg seated squat and sumo squats. But I had never done a prisoner squat, far less a prisoner squat with a weight. Naturally, I accepted the challenge. After all, I reasoned, it’s just a squat (which I can do) with a weight (which I have). If only life was that easy. Here’s what I learned fast.
What is a prisoner squat?
The basic prisoner squat is fairly simple: you place your hands behind your head, draw your elbows back and perform a normal squat. (It’s so named for the hand position, but I do not recall officers telling someone to put their hands behind their hand and do squats.)
For the weighted version, you hold a dumbbell or kettlebell behind your head as you do the move. The arm position engages your shoulders and upper back and opens the chest, while the weight simply makes the move harder to perform. Your core is involved, too, as you will need to use these muscles to keep your torso upright. All told, this is an exercise designed to hit a lot of muscles.
How to do prisoner squats
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Holding the weight, place your hands behind your head, draw your elbows back and lift your chest.
- Lower into a squat (as if you’re sitting down).
- Maintain a flat back (no leaning one way or the other) and ensure your knees remain in line with your toes.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground — you can go a little lower if you wish, and if your knees, hips and achilles tendons permit — pause, then drive up through your feet to return to the start position.
- Do not allow your heels to leave the ground. That’s one.
- Start off with three sets of 10.
I’ve been doing these challenges for a long time, and if there is one thing I have learned and tried to pass on, it is this: Have patience. This one really tried my patience.
1. What am I weighting for?
On day one, I started with a 12lb dumbbell, holding it behind my head with a hand on either end of the weight. I performed the squats with no trouble, but found that holding the weight meant my elbows were not drawn back as far as they would have been if I were doing the move with no weight.
Also, the weight sat on the back of my neck, so my head came forward slightly. This didn’t feel right. I then tried the move with an 18lb steel-shot-filled kettlebell, holding it first by the horns of the handle and then by the bell itself.
This didn’t feel comfortable, either. I did three sets of 15, but finished up a little nonplussed. The extra weight alone added to the challenge of the squat, but the position of the dumbbell or kettlebell felt unnatural. When I held it away from my neck, my elbows crept into view, as if they were preparing to overtake my head. This was especially the case with the kettlebell, which is a bulkier piece of equipment.
2. I kept trying with the weight, and it got better
I upped the reps on day two, enjoying the usual effort that comes with squats, which are great for building strength. I was still not at all sure about the benefit of placing the weight behind my head. On day three, I tried the move in the gym, but used a sandbag. This worked superbly.
The position of the handles on the wide bag allowed me to keep my elbows pinned back, shoulder blades drawing together. This lifted my chest, a key part of the move, and meant I performed the exercise with good form.
For that reason alone, I felt good afterwards. It’s also worth noting that the sandbag sat across my upper back, which seemed natural. But part of the appeal of the challenges I have done for Tom’s Guide is that they can be done in your front room or in the garden. How many of us have a sandbag at home?
This move could also be done with a barbell, but the same question arises. That said, the barbell squat is an exceptionally effective exercise, so if you have the opportunity, give it a try.
3. Lesson learned
I ended the week with three sets of 25 using the kettlebell — only because it was the heavier weight — but I remained unmoved by this move. I kept thinking that this was simply a weighted squat with the weight in a strange position, one that did not feel comfortable for me, at least when doing the move with a dumbbell or kettlebell.
With a sandbag or a barbell, it’s a winner. If you want to add weight to your squat at home, try the sumo squat or goblet squat with a kettlebell or a dumbbell. Or, if you fancy keeping your chest open to engage your upper body, try the front rack squat, where you rest the dumbbells on your shoulders.
No exercise is going to suit everyone, so I have no problem giving this one a miss in the future. I also have no qualms about suggesting you try it — it might become part of leg day. Whatever happens, make sure you add squats of some kind to your exercise regimen, and when you’ve mastered them, add a little weight.
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