Squats 101: Pilates Expert Tells You How to Air Squat Correctly

When it comes to bodyweight exercises, nothing tones your glutes and legs quite like an air squat. While most people liken it to sitting on a chair, this seemingly simple move requires the correct posture. 

So, we spoke to fitness and pilates expert Shalini Bhargava, director at JG's Fitness Centre about the correct way to perform an air squat.

Common mistakes    

Don't initiate movement from the knee: "Most people begin getting into the squat position from the knee instead of the hip. This tends to strain the knee joint, leading to injuries."
 
Don't round your back: "The second mistake while initiating a squat is to push the chest forward and down instead of hinging at the hip. This leads to rounding of the back which is not desirable."
 
Don't strain your knees: "The third mistake is when the knees go beyond the toes while squatting, which again, puts too much strain on the knees. Your pressure should be on the heels of your feet and not your knees or toes."

Correct way

·         Stand with the barbell being on your upper-back, and your feet being shoulder-width apart.

·         Post this you must squat down by gradually pushing your knees to the side while moving hips in the backward direction.

·         Break parallel by squatting down till the time your hips are positioned lower than your knees.

·         Squat back up while you keep your knees out and torso up and ensure to stand with your hips and knees being locked at the top.

The key is to imagine sitting on a chair hip-first and maintaining that position.