Sprawl Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
2. Engage your core and keep your chest upright with your arms relaxed at your sides.
3. Maintain a neutral spine and distribute your weight evenly across your feet.

How to do it

1. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to place your hands flat on the floor directly under your shoulders.
2. Jump both feet back into a high plank position, briefly dropping the hips toward the floor while keeping the core braced (the sprawl).
3. Quickly jump your feet forward, landing them outside of your hands in a deep squat position with your chest up.
4. Drive through your heels to return to a full standing position, exhaling as you rise.
5. Maintain a fast but controlled tempo, focusing on fluid transitions between the sprawl and the squat.

Form checklist

• Keep your back flat and avoid rounding the spine when reaching for the floor.
• Ensure your hips do not sag excessively or touch the ground during the sprawl phase.
• Land with flat feet when jumping forward to protect your knees and maintain balance.
• Keep your gaze forward and chest lifted as you transition from the floor to the squat.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'snapping' your hips forward during the jump-in to maximize recruitment of the lower abdominals and hip flexors.
• Keep your hands wide and fingers spread to create a stable base and reduce wrist strain during the impact phase.

Make it harder

• Add a vertical jump at the top of the movement to increase plyometric intensity.
• Hold a pair of light dumbbells to increase the resistance during the squat and standing phases.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the sprawl squat work?

The sprawl squat primarily targets the glutes and quadriceps, and also works the adductors, erector spinae, hamstrings, and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the sprawl squat?

The sprawl squat requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the sprawl squat good for beginners?

The sprawl squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Burpee Over The DumbbellIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Burpee ShuffleIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Burpee Single Leg JumpIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Burpee Two Star JumpsAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps