Mastering the Air Squat

The Air Squat

A Part of Fierce Play’s Grounded Gymnastics Series 

The air squat, also called a body weight squat, is a movement that focuses on the athlete’s ability to sit back and lower themselves into a position slightly lower than if he/she were sitting into a chair. The movement requires good hip, ankle, and torso control to get the hip crease below the knees. The air squat is an important movement that increases strength in the legs and butt (glute muscles).  Athletes will immediately feel leg muscles activated as they perform the movement, with the bulk of the exercise focusing on the use of the quadriceps and glutes, but also an activation of abdominals and back muscles as they keep the torso properly engaged.

Watch the video clip below for a full explanation of technique, tips and tricks for performing the movement with efficiency, as well as precautions for staying safe.

MOVEMENT BASICS:

  1. Knees Over Toes: Feet should be just about shoulder-width apart and your knees should drive out and over your toes as you drop into the squat. Focusing on keeping your knees over your toes actually prevents your knees from caving inward as you drop your weight down, which can put strain on the ACL and meniscus inside the knee. A great way to achieve knees over toes is to think about driving your knees outward slightly, versus straight ahead, as you dip into your squat. This will prevent knees from caving in toward each other.
  2. Weight in Your Heels: For the air squat to engage muscles properly and keep your joints safe, you need to keep your weight in your heels. If you’re leaning forward and have your weight in your toes, it creates an unstable or wobbly knee, putting unnecessary pressure on the joints and ligaments. So, sit your butt back into the movement and put your hands forward to counterbalance your weight. We promise – you won’t fall over!
  3. Keep Chest Upright: It may be tempting to hunch over your legs as you drop into your air squat, but work to keep your chest upright with your eyes looking ahead and not down. This prevents strain on the lower back, helps you keep your weight in your heels, while also increasing core strength
  4. Hip Crease Below Knees: If you’re just starting out and learning to perform the air squat, you may have limited mobility (range of motion) and will only be able to get your hips to just above the knee line, versus having your hips drop below the knee line. This is still technically considered a squat, but the ideal air squat requires you to have your hip crease drop below the knees for full range of motion and engagement of the back of your legs (glute and hamstring muscles). When you don’t drop below parallel, your bodyweight shifts into your knees while engaging the front of your legs (quadriceps muscles), which increases the risk of the knee caving in and putting unnecessary strain on the meniscus and ACL.

TIPS + TRICKS:

  1. Use a Box: If you’re struggling to get your hips down below parallel or feel unstable, grab a 12” box or object around that height, and try dropping back into the squat until your butt touches the box, and then stand back up. Over time you will increase in strength and can begin to move toward completing the air squat without a box behind you.
  2. Pick One Thing to Work On: If you are struggling with more than one of the movement basics listed above, pick one thing to work on and focus your energy there. The ideal place to start if multiple things are going wrong is safety concerns. So, start by following this sequence of improvements: keep the weight in your heels; keep your back flat and chest upright; push knees outward over the toes; move toward dropping your bodyweight below parallel. As you improve in each movement basic, you can work toward the next issue you may be facing, until you’re able to successfully complete an air squat while achieving all movement basics.
  3. Scale: If you’re unsure about completing the air squat with proper form, talk with your coach about ways to scale down the movement and focus on perfecting the technique. It’s great to push yourself to the next level, so long as you stay safe and prevent injury!

 

QUESTIONS: Ready to get started, or curious to learn more about how Fierce Play can help you meet your health and wellness goals? Contact us for more information. Also feel free to check out more of our videos series to learn how to perform the basics with solid form and efficiency. 

GROUNDED GYMNASTICS SERIES: Technique at Every Stage

Fierce Play’s Grounded Gymnastics Series focuses on proper technique, as well as tips & tricks, to master some of the foundational movements that will be integrated into many of the workouts you will perform. Start your next workout with the confidence and skills to do the movement safely and effectively.

GETTING STARTED IS EASY!

Simply fill out the form below and then schedule Your FREE No-Sweat intro Consultation on the next page.

Shortly after we will be in touch with you to confirm your intro session.

We are excited to meet you!

COACH NAME

COACH

I am fully dedicated to helping every single one of you finally reach your goals.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

MARK MANCUSO

COACH

Mark Mancuso started his fitness journey while enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Like most individuals, at first, he only focused on bodybuilding type workouts. Mark learned quickly that focusing just on the aesthetics of the body would get you only so far. In 2013, Mark found out about Crossfit and fell in love with everything that it stood for.

In June of 2015, Mark was Honorably Discharged from the Marine Corps and returned from his duty station in Okinawa, Japan to his home in Maple Grove, MN. Not having any formal coaching in Crossfit he was on a mission to find a Crossfit Box to call home. Fierce Play welcomed him with open arms, and he hasn’t looked back. Mark obtained his Level One Crossfit certification in November 2015 and plans to add additional certifications in the future. He also intends to compete in a variety of Crossfit competitions as opportunities arise.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

JEFFREY BIRTHLER

Owner & Head Coach

Jeff Birthler has a contagious passion for fitness. He graduated and obtained a personal training certificate from the National Personal Training Institute in 2010. On his way, he discovered and fell in love with CrossFit. Jeff hasn’t stopped learning, and still seeks a well-rounded education within the health domain, going beyond physical facets. He has trained clients at several corporate gyms, including Fitness 19 and LA Fitness, as he established a plan for his own gym.

Fierce Play was established in 2012 in a 500 sq. ft. garage. After a few moves and upgrades, it now has a permanent, 4800 sq. ft. location in Maple Grove. Jeff calls it “home”.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

NPTI (National Personal Training Institute) CPT Diploma January 5, 2012

CrossFit Level 1 Certificate

CrossFit Level 2 Certificate

CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certificate

CrossFit Power Lifting Certificate

CrossFit Mobility Certificate

CrossFit Gymnastics Certificate

USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Certification

 

MEMBERSHIP HOLD REQUEST

To Request a membership hold, please fill out the form below. Warning, by filling out this form your membership will not be put on hold. This form is simply a way to let us know you would like to request a membership hold. We will then review your request, then reach out to you to confirm.

MEMBERSHIP CANCELLATION REQUEST

Please fill out the form below and one of our team members will review your request. Warning. The submission of this form does not cancel your membership. We will review your request, then reach out to confirm.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We Would Love To Meet You!

Simply fill out the form below
& one of our amazing
coaches will be in touch asap! We are excited to meet you!

ARE YOU LOOKING TO DROP-IN?

We Would Love To Meet You!
WARNING!
Class Sizes Are Limited.

If you would like to reserve a spot... Simply fill out the form below letting us know what day you might come by & one of our amazing coaches will reach out to you to reserve your class.

OUR DROP-IN RATES

$25 - Must contact prior Fierce Play to get signed up for Class

OUR Information:

Location:

11650 96th Ave N, Suite B Maple Grove, MN 55369

PHONE:

GIVE US A CALL
+1(612)688-4899

OUR PRICING IS SIMPLE

We Want To Offer You
The PERFECT Membership For YouR NEEDS.

Simply fill out the form below
& one of our amazing coaches
will send you our current
membership information.