Air squat, a variation of body weight squat, is an effective workout for beginners as well as seniors. In this article, you will find how to do air squats for beginners and seniors, air squat workout correct form – with tips and a video demonstrating the proper technique and movements of doing this great squat exercise.
This exercise does not require any equipment – no weights or bands and can be done anywhere – at home, park or gym.
Air squat is a proper way for beginners to practice the correct form for squats. Once you’ve learnt it, you can progress to weighted squats safely & with much lesser risk of injury.
It tones up and strengthens thigh muscles – hamstrings & quadriceps and also the muscles of buttocks–gluteus minimus & maximus. This is also an effective workout for women as it shapes up their butt and thighs.
How To Do Air Squats Correctly And Safely?
Like any other exercise, you should do it in it’s proper form so as to maximize its benefits and not to injure yourself.
Start Position: Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, your toes pointed slightly outward and your arms hanging loose by your sides or raised in front of you to balance. Engage your abdominal muscles and push out your chest a little by pulling your shoulder blades towards each other.
Movement: Bend your knees slowly, while pushing your butt and hips out and down behind you as if you are sitting down on a chair. Keep your weight over heels or balanced evenly over the front & back of your feet, making sure your knees don’t go beyond the toes. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or below that, as far as you can do comfortably. Try to keep your knees externally rotated, or tracking over your toes, but don’t allow them to move inward. While you lower body down, raise your arms up in front of you – parallel to the ground or slightly higher than that. Maintain your torso upright. While squeezing butt, straighten your legs, that is return back up to the start position. This completes one rep.
Do the desired number of reps and sets.
Watch this video to learn How to Do Squats For Beginners
Tips – Correct Squat Form
(i) Keep your weight on your heels.
(ii) Your knees should never go beyond your toes.
(iii) Keep your torso upright and your shoulders pulled back.
(iv) Look in front ahead of you so that your chest remains lifted.
Caution
(i) Knee Pain: If you feel joint pain in your knees while doing air squats, it could be because: either you are going too low or not using the proper form. For example the knee pain can come due to putting your weight more towards toes instead of the back of your heels. Another example is if your feet aren’t turned slightly outwards, this may also cause knee pain.
Tip: Don’t force to sink too low into an air squat, do what you can comfortably, and then slowly work your way up to increase the depth of your squats.
(ii) Back Pain: While doing air squats if you feel back pain, this may be because of carelessly leaning your chest forward too much, which put more strain on your lower back.
(iii) Individuals with sciatica nerve pain, a type that is felt from the lower back, upper buttocks, and down the thigh, should not try any type of squats without first checking with their physical therapist because squat exercise can compress the nerve and aggravate the symptoms.
