How To Do Air Squats?

If you have looked at the noble air squat, then no doubt have you considered what the proper form might be. You might have experienced injuries from doing an improper squat, so you’ll probably be wondering what the best squat is for your particular exercise regime.

Very often you can witness gains at the start of your exercise regime, but very soon you might see yourself plateauing, which means that you have noticed no additional muscle mass. Well, if you listen to the experts from this list that we’ve compiled, then you should have no trouble upping your air squats and gaining definition.

Air squats are great for improving the stability of your legs, which will certainly help you if you are practicing other sports such as running or pole vaulting. This will also improve your balance, which is great if you are looking to get into gymnastics.

So how can you do air squats properly? What are the benefits of doing these squats and how can you effectively incorporate them into your exercise routine? Who should avoid doing these types of squats? How can you maintain the proper form and make sure that you have plenty of tension in the right places?

Well, if you are desperate to up your squat game or you are recovering from an injury, then we would recommend that you keep reading. We have compiled a handy how-to guide that will help you to get that great squat and maintain decent muscle mass. We’ll also cover who should avoid these air squats.

What Are Air Squats?

Air squats are a very simple exercise to do, all you need for these exercises in the way of equipment are just two sets of legs and a solid spine. One of the best things about this exercise is that you need no equipment at all. However, you can do these squats with an additional weight if you want to give yourself a challenge.

You’ll need to keep your feet at shoulder-width apart, so you can have an even distribution of weight underneath you. Once you have this solid footing, all you have to do is sink to your knees, keeping your lumbar region very straight and your core tight.

When you drop to your knees, make sure that your head is looking straight forward and you are not at all curving your upper spine. Make sure that when you are squatting that you’ll need to keep your knees and your hips at a more or less equal level. You should also try and keep your heels completely flat on the floor.

How To Maintain Proper Form

When doing an air squat, there will be a few things that you have to bear in mind. Make sure that you do some stretches before you attempt this exercise, as it can get quite intense and really do you some damage to your rear and the glutes.

Here are a few things that you should keep in mind when you are doing these types of squat:

• You should make sure that your knees never go past your toes – if this happens then you will be overextending yourself, which might lead to injury and underdeveloped glutes.
• No part of your spine should be rounded – if you curve your spine too much, then you might experience significant pain.
• Only your lower body should move – if you extend any part of your upper body, then you are putting less tension on your glutes, which will cause stunted development in your lower region.
• Ensure that your head is completely level – you should make sure that your eyes are completely facing whatever is in front of you. If you hunch your body, then you might experience cramping or pain.
• Joint pain – if you are experiencing any pain in your knees, then this is probably due to incorrect form. You should try and exert your glutes as much as possible.
• Straight feet – make sure that your feet are directly in front of you, as this will certainly help you to maintain correct form, establish a solid base underneath you and not cause you injury.

Why Air Squats Are Good For You

This will help you to maintain the general balance in your lower body. If you have been doing air squats for a while, then you might notice that your balance has become noticeably better, that it is easier to run upstairs and you are far more agile than you were before.

You can also transition from air squats to weighted squats if you have been doing them for a while. We would recommend that you do air squats first before attempting to do the weighted versions.

Avoiding Air Squats

If you are suffering from lower back pain, then we would suggest that you avoid doing air squats as this will cause you further discomfort as the vertebrae at the bottom of the spine press together. You can be sure that you might exacerbate these injuries if you are doing multiple squats.

If you are having shooting pains down your buttocks and thighs when you are doing your air squats, then it might be time to give them a rest. You should also try to warm up your glutes by stretching them before you commit to your air squats.

Our Final Say

We hope that our tips to help you commit to properly formed air squats have helped you to build the muscle definition in your legs. We would recommend that you consult your doctor before doing these exercises, especially if you have pre-existing injuries.