← EXERCISE LIBRARYMobility
Deep Squat Hold with Pry
Bottom-position squat hold using the elbows against the knees to open the hips. Builds tolerance for the deep squat and range at the ankle, hip and adductors at the same time.
- 01Stand with the feet a little wider than shoulder width and the toes turned out slightly.
- 02Sit down into the deepest squat you can hold with the heels flat, holding a rail or doorframe if you need it.
- 03Bring the elbows inside the knees and press the palms together at chest height.
- 04Push the elbows gently out against the inside of the knees and hold that pressure for three breaths.
- 05Rock slowly side to side and forward and back for thirty to sixty seconds, then stand up under control.
- 01Keep the whole foot on the ground, including the heel.
- 02Chest tall, do not let the ribs drop between the thighs.
- 03Press out with the elbows and let the hips sink another inch.
- 01Heels lifting to reach depth — the ankle range gets skipped and the load shifts onto the forefoot.
- 02Rounding the low back to sit lower — depth comes from the spine instead of the hips and ankles.
- 03Holding the breath in the bottom — the position stays tense and the range never opens up.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.