Squat Thrust
What Is the Squat Thrust?
Squat Thrust is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core and quadriceps and also engages the hip flexors, shoulders, chest, glutes and triceps. It is a beginner-level movement that links a high plank and a deep crouch: the hands stay planted on the floor while both feet hop forward toward the hands and back out again, rep after rep.
Its main job is conditioning. Because the whole body moves under its own weight with no setup, squat thrusts raise the heart rate quickly and show up in circuits, interval sessions, warm-ups and bodyweight finishers. In a study of 22 recreationally active young women, four weeks of 4-minute interval sessions, each made of eight 20-second bouts of one exercise rotating between burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers and squat thrusts, raised aerobic capacity by a similar amount to 30 minutes of treadmill running and also improved muscular endurance.
The squat thrust is where the Burpee came from. Physiologist Royal H. Burpee built his original fitness test around a four-count squat thrust in the late 1930s, and squat thrusts appeared in US Army fitness self-assessments in the 1940s. The modern burpee adds a jump at the top of every rep and often a push-up in the plank. The version shown here skips both and keeps the hands down between reps, which makes it the natural step before the full burpee.
Each rep has two halves. Pulling the feet in is a fast tuck driven by the abs and the hip flexors, including the rectus femoris at the front of the thigh, and the crouch it lands in loads the quadriceps and glutes as they absorb the hop. Kicking the feet back out extends the hips and knees, and the abs then have to catch the landing so the plank stays straight. Throughout, the shoulders, chest, triceps and serratus anterior hold the body up over the hands. Stepping the feet in and out one at a time removes the hop and lowers the intensity.
Squat thrusts suit beginners and anyone who wants conditioning work with no equipment, and they are a common substitute when burpees are too demanding. Before adding them, a client should be able to hold a steady Plank with level hips and sink comfortably into a deep Bodyweight Squat. The Mountain Climber trains the same plank-and-tuck pattern one leg at a time.
Muscles Worked
- Rectus Abdominis
- Primary
- Rectus Femoris
- Primary
- Deltoid
- High
- External Oblique
- High
- Gluteus Maximus
- Medium
- Pectoralis Major
- Medium
- Serratus Anterior
- Medium
- Vastus Lateralis
- Medium
Instructions
- Start in a high plank with your hands flat on the floor directly under your shoulders, arms straight and fingers spread.
- Set your feet together on the balls of the feet and form a straight line from head to heels, with your abs braced.
- Keeping your hands planted, hop both feet forward together so they land softly just behind your hands.
- Let your hips drop into a deep crouch with your knees tucked toward your chest and your shoulders over your hands.
- Shift your weight onto your hands and hop both feet straight back to the high plank.
- Land softly on the balls of your feet and keep your hips level with your shoulders as you land.
- Repeat for the set without lifting your hands, breathing steadily throughout.
Common Mistakes
Sagging Hips
Letting the hips drop as the feet land back in the plank arches the lower back and takes the work off the abs.
Piking the Hips
Landing with the hips high shortens the plank so the body never reaches a straight line from head to heels.
Hands Too Far Forward
Placing the hands ahead of the shoulders puts the wrists and shoulders in a weaker, more strained position.
Short Range of Motion
Bringing the feet only partway toward the hands cuts out the deep crouch and most of the leg work.
Heavy Landings
Letting the feet slap the floor instead of landing quietly on the balls of the feet adds needless impact on the knees, ankles and lower back.
Rushing Past Control
Chasing speed late in a set usually costs the plank position first, so slow down once form starts to slip.
Injuries
Squat Thrust is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The hands carry a large share of body weight with the wrists bent back, so the wrists and shoulders take the most strain, followed by the lower back when the hips sag as the feet land in the plank. The deep crouch also bends the knees fully, which some people with sore knees find uncomfortable.
Keep the hands directly under the shoulders with the fingers spread, brace the abs before every hop, and land softly on the balls of the feet. Warm up the wrists and shoulders first, and slow the pace as soon as the plank starts to sag or the feet start slapping the floor late in a set.
To regress, step the feet back and in one at a time instead of hopping, which also suits anyone who should not jump, or put the hands on a sturdy bench so less weight rests on the wrists and shoulders. A solid Plank builds the support strength the movement needs. To progress, move faster while keeping good form, lengthen the work intervals, or move on to the Burpee.
Stop if you feel sharp pain in the wrists, shoulders, lower back or knees, or if you can no longer keep the hips level with the shoulders. Skip the exercise during acute lower back pain, and use the hands-on-bench version while sore wrists settle.
- Primary Focus
- Full body
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Cardio
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the difference between a squat thrust and a burpee?
A Burpee adds a jump at the top of every rep and often a push-up in the plank. The squat thrust shown here skips both: the hands stay on the floor and only the feet move between the plank and the crouch, which makes it less demanding and a good lead-in to burpees.
- Q: Should I stand up between squat thrusts?
Both versions are common. The traditional four-count squat thrust stands up after each rep, while the version shown keeps the hands planted and moves straight from crouch to plank, which keeps the work continuous and puts more of it on the core and shoulders.
- Q: Can I do squat thrusts without jumping?
Yes. Step one foot back and then the other to reach the plank, then step them forward one at a time to the crouch, which keeps the same positions with no hop or landing impact.
- Q: How many squat thrusts should I do?
Squat thrusts are usually programmed for time, such as 20 to 40 seconds of work followed by equal or longer rest, or as sets of 10 to 20 controlled reps inside a circuit. End each set when the plank starts to sag rather than at a fixed number.
- Q: Are squat thrusts cardio or strength training?
They are mainly conditioning: the fast, continuous pace raises the heart rate and builds muscular endurance in the core, shoulders and legs. They do not load the muscles heavily enough to replace strength exercises such as squats and push-ups.