Prisoner Get Up
Rise from kneeling without using your hands! A core & leg workout in one. Great for building strength & coordination.
The Prisoner Get Up is a compound exercise that mainly works the core and quads, with help from the glutes & hips. No equipment needed: it uses just your bodyweight.
Prisoner Get Up Muscles Worked
Primary
Abdominals (rectus abdominis); Quads (quadriceps femoris)
Secondary
Glutes (gluteus maximus); Obliques
Prisoner Get Up Variations and Alternatives
How to do the Prisoner Get Up
Instructions:
Start by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the sides, as if you are a "prisoner", which is where the exercise gets its name.
Lower into a squat position by bending at the knees and pushing your hips back, ensuring your chest remains up and your back straight.
Continue lowering down until you are in a kneeling position, with one knee touching the ground followed by the other.
Pause briefly in the kneeling position before stepping forward with one foot, returning to a squat position.
Drive through your heels to stand back up to the starting position.
Repeat the movement, alternating the leading leg when stepping forward from the kneeling position.
Perform the desired number of repetitions, maintaining the hand position behind your head throughout the exercise.
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Prisoner Get Up FAQs
What muscles does the Prisoner Get Up work?
The Prisoner Get Up mainly works the core and quads, with help from the glutes & hips. The main muscles are the rectus abdominis and quadriceps femoris.
What equipment do you need for the Prisoner Get Up?
None. The Prisoner Get Up is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it anywhere.
Is the Prisoner Get Up a compound exercise?
Yes. It's a compound movement, meaning it trains several muscle groups at once rather than isolating one.
What workout day should the Prisoner Get Up go on?
It belongs on leg day in a push/pull/legs routine.
What are some Prisoner Get Up variations and alternatives?
Similar exercises include the High-Knee Prisoner, Sit-Up Stand, Somersault Stand Up and Bodyweight Squat to Front-Leg.
Training calculators
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