It’s called the “shrimp challenge,” but, unfortunately, there’s no food involved. Instead, it focuses on a difficult movement called the shrimp squat, and TikTok users have shared more than 69.8 million posts about it.
“Those who can perform the shrimp squat have excellent unilateral balance and coordination, as well as higher level hip and knee mobility. They likely have strong quads and glutes and a good understanding of their center of gravity,” physical therapist Jacob VanDenMeerendonk, DPT, told Well + Good.
If you think you have what it takes, here’s how to do the shrimp challenge:
- Start in a half-kneeling position with one leg bent in front of you at a 90-degree angle and your other leg kneeling on the floor behind you.
- Just like you would do a quad stretch, grab the foot of your back leg and lift it up to your bottom.
- With foot in hand, lean forward slightly and press into your front foot (preferably on the heel) coming to a standing position with the back foot staying bent behind you.
If you’re not up for it just yet, it’s the same movements as a Bulgarian split squat or reverse lunge without the workout bench for assistance. So if you need a little more time, practice in the gym.
With every challenge come a few risks, and the same goes for this mobility trend. Although fun, this movement places stress on the knees, ankles and feet.
“You’re placing your standing leg in a disadvantaged position in the bottom position of a squat, which then requires a great amount of strength to stand back up,” VanDenMeerendonk said.
Before jumping into this trend, make sure to stretch and that your muscles are warm to help prevent injury.
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