Man wins £20,000 in contest 'like Squid Game' by using viral 'Asian squat'
How long do you think you could last in a squat with £20,000 on the line?
Well, Peter Pinnock went a full 68 minutes to beat out the competition and claim the gigantic prize pot.
The 28-year-old from London travelled to a sports hall in Leeds on May 23 where he encountered 22 other men, all called Peter, who'd gathered to compete in the contest that 'was a bit like Squid Game.'
The gathered competitors were told one rule, in fitting tribute to the former England footballer, the last Peter crouching would take home the loot.
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The first man fell after just six or seven minutes, and more would follow as the big red digital clock ticked upwards, going beyond what anyone expected.
In the end, Pinnock was the last one left crouching and a massive grin spread across his face, even if his legs were too numb to actually jump for joy.
He told LADbible: "It just seemed unreal. Stuff like this doesn't happen, it's a fantasy for this to happen and for me to get through it."
He was presented with a giant cheque for £20,000 by contest hosts Dabble - stumbling before he could even hold it - and explained that he employed an ancient squatting technique that went viral on social media in 2026 to secure his triumph.
Peter Pinnock's technique to win £20,000
Like a professional athlete finely tuning his body's intake ahead of a massive game, Peter timed out his meals and drinks ahead of the contest to ensure he was in the best possible condition to outlast his rivals.
With no bathroom breaks, he also made sure to relieve himself before things got underway to make certain he literally didn't pee the money away.
But what actually got him the prize was his use of the 'Asian squat.'
"It was a deep one, sitting on my calves," Peter told LADbible of his squatting technique. "I felt that was the most viable way to last.
"I think they call it a Chinese squat. I saw on TikTok, in China, a lot of them squat like that just in public if they're waiting for something. They just squat.
"I saw on someone's Instagram page, they reposted the challenge, and one of the comments said: 'A Chinese guy would have beat me.' Apparently that's quite a part of their youth culture, crouching like that."
Clips of people from countries like China and Japan using the posture to rest as they milled about, waited for a train or even ate their lunch went viral in 2026, with Westerners trying it themselves with varying success.
Peter began to lose feeling in his feet after around 30 minutes, so he had to wiggle them to keep the blood flowing, while allowing his mind to 'zone out' as he remained in the straining pose long enough to win.
What he is spending the money on
Though he has treated himself to a couple of polo shirts for the summer, Peter, who's an actor and also runs a company renting out kit like cameras and lights to productions, wants to ensure he puts the cash to good use, investing in his career rather than wasting it.
"I'm trying to be strategic with it. I don't want to blow it all away," he said. "You hear those stories of people winning the lottery, but they're not managing the money well and they blow completely through it.
"I don't want that to be me."
Peter is putting a portion of the cash towards the development of a dark comedy play which will follow the trial and tribulations of three creatives as they strive to make it big in their chosen industry.
"I definitely want to make more," he added. "Use it as a stepping stone to get where I want in my acting and business ventures."
Topics: Money, Squid Game, Social Media
Daniel Murphy