How to do the Air Squat, step by step
- Stand about shoulder-width, toes turned out slightly.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees.
- Keep your chest up and your back neutral.
- Go lower until your hip crease is below your knee.
- Drive up through your whole foot to standing and open your hips fully.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Heels come upspread your weight across your whole foot.
- Knees cave inactively push your knees out over your toes.
- Not deep enoughget your hips below knee height or squat to a box target.
How to scale the Air Squat
If you can't do the movement cleanly yet or the workout is too heavy, use one of these variations:
- Squat to a box
- Squat holding on to a rack
- Reduced depth, building up gradually
Benchmarks with Air Squat
- Cindy20 min AMRAP: 5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats
- Chelsea30 min EMOM: 5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats
- Murph1 mile Run, 100 Pull-ups, 200 Push-ups, 300 Squats, 1 mile Run (Rx with a 9 kg vest)
- Angie100 Pull-ups, 100 Push-ups, 100 Sit-ups, 100 Air Squats
- Barbara5 rounds: 20 Pull-ups, 30 Push-ups, 40 Sit-ups, 50 Air Squats, 3 min rest between rounds (time includes rest)
- Candy5 RFT: 20 Pull-ups, 40 Push-ups, 60 Air Squats
- LuceWith a 9 kg vest, 3 RFT: 1000 m Run, 10 Muscle-ups, 100 Air Squats
- Garrett3 RFT: 75 Air Squats, 25 Ring Handstand Push-ups, 25 L-Pull-ups
- Jason100 Squats, 5 Muscle-ups, 75 Squats, 10 Muscle-ups, 50 Squats, 15 Muscle-ups, 25 Squats, 20 Muscle-ups
- Loredo6 RFT: 24 Squats, 24 Push-ups, 24 Walking Lunge Steps, 400 m Run
These descriptions are general guidance and don't replace a coach. Have someone at your box show you new movements, and stop if anything hurts.