Shrimp Squat

Single-leg squat with the rear foot held behind you, demanding knee-dominant strength and hip flexibility. Three sets of five per side touching the rear knee down before adding elevation.

DIFFICULTY
Advanced
EQUIPMENT
Bodyweight
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Quads · Glutes
ALSO WORKS
Hamstrings · Gluteus Medius · Lower back · Hip Flexors
HOW TO DO IT
  1. 01Stand tall and bend one knee, catching that ankle behind you with the same-side hand.
  2. 02Reach the free arm forward as a counterweight.
  3. 03Sit down on the standing leg, keeping the torso as upright as the balance allows.
  4. 04Lower until the trailing knee lightly touches the floor.
  5. 05Drive through the standing foot to stand, without letting the trailing foot touch down.
COACHING CUES
  1. 01Free arm forward, it is your counterweight.
  2. 02Touch the knee, do not crash it.
  3. 03Standing knee tracks over the middle of the foot.
COMMON MISTAKES
  1. 01Dropping the rear knee hard onto the floor, which is the eccentric failing and is how people bruise a knee cap.
  2. 02Collapsing the chest forward to reach depth, which shifts the work to the low back instead of the quad.
  3. 03Attempting it before a full-depth bodyweight squat is comfortable, which usually just trains a wobble.

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.

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