Can someone help us resolve a debate? My son says it is called this because it is a way of exercising and building muscle using your own weight for resistance--like a prisoner in a cell. My husband thinks it is because when a cop takes you prisoner, he has you put your hands behind your head, which is part of the form for properly executing a "prisoner squat." I've searched the internet and general searches just get me "how to" sites and videos and etymology searches don't seem to recognize the expression in their data bases. Help!! If none of you listeners know, I'll bet Grat and Martha can help me out (love the show!).
Oops--that should have been "Grant" and Martha.
kaseifert,
For future reference, you can edit your post if another post has not occurred.
Emmett
Added in edit:
I did a little searching and found this clip from Korea on 14
April 1947 where prisoners had to "kneel" down. Most were holding their hands up, but on the right side of the image from about 0:46 to 0:49 there is one man holding his hands nearer to his head like the more modern "prisoner squat" images show.
Cool-so this may be evidence of an early prisoner squat?! I was thinking this makes more sense than the whole law enforcement angle. Thanks!
The Revised Standard Version has:
Isa 10:4 Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away and his hand is stretched out still.
This may be an almost 3000 year old description of the 'prisioner squat'.
Emmett