crouch

(noun) the act of bending low with the limbs close to the body.

(verb) bend one's back forward from the waist on down. Synonyms: stoop, bend, bow. Examples: "He crouched down." "She bowed before the queen." "The young man stooped to pick up the girl's purse."

(verb) sit on one's heels. Synonyms: squat, scrunch, scrunch up, hunker, hunker down. Examples: "In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting." "The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm."