Squatting is one of the best ways to strengthen your lower body, core, and posture.
Generally, when people talk about squats, they are thinking squats with weights. However, I don’t recommend squatting using weights or any heavy lifting for that matter. Weighted squats aren’t exactly fun to do, and pose a severe risk of injury to your back, knees, and groin.
Air squats, without weights, are a fantastic way to use your body as your gym and build your leg and butt muscles without risking to pull muscles, damage your joints, or throw out your back. Beware! All of the above can happen to anyone, no matter how young or fit you may think you are. Be careful with those heavily weighted bodybuilding squats.
You may get away with this type of training for a while and feel great. You may even get away with it for several years, but rest assured, sooner or later, it’s going to catch up with you, and you may suffer long term injury.
Goodbye Weights and Hello Bodyweight!
Long gone are the days where I will challenge myself alone or training with someone in a gym. That’s what we used to do in our twenties and thirties because that was the “the thing to do”, and I didn’t know any better.
If you survived that era in one piece and you can still use your body effectively without experiencing nasty joint pain, then
Why only Air Squats and what are their benefits:
- Build strong legs and butt muscles
- Strengthen core
- Improve posture
- Burn fat
- Build stamina
- Strengthens your heart
- Improves cardiovascular system
- Builds mental strength
- Builds knee strength
- Improves emotional strength
- Increase testosterone levels
- Supports muscle growth in your entire body
- Builds mental strength
Additional bonuses I discovered along the way.
- I can squat anywhere and anytime
- Fun to challenge yourself to beat maximum reps
- You build more “core animal strength” (raw strength)
- More fun working out with your bodyweight
- Almost zero risks of injury
Besides squatting, there are several other bodyweight exercises you can do for your lower body, with almost no risk of injury. I’ll add these here for reference. I’ll talk about them in the next couple of days.
Alternatives:
- Wall-sit
- Lunges
- Downhill
- Frog Jumps
How many squats?
Aim to eventually reach the Mastery Level, which is:
For men and women 50 reps times 3 sets, two or three times per week.
Wrapping Up.
Don’t underestimate the power of air squats. If you perform them using correct form and add reps, over time, you will build super strong legs and lower body strength. Then, you can add or alter with the alternative lower body exercises.
You will be surprised how far you can go with this technique. Your body is your gym, don’t ever forget that!
One more thing; Safety and Heart Health.
Please make air squats a part of your strength training workout routine, and combine them with other bodyweight exercises. I recommend you complete a full bodyweight session (push-ups, planks, squats, and pullups, or other exercises) no more than two to three times per week.
Please don’t overtrain, as that would hurt your heart. Plus, your muscles need rest and time to rebuild again, stronger.
Thanks for reading, and please let me know your comments and questions.
Rob Hourmont
Former Olympic Athlete, Writer & certified Health Coach
“It is my mission to educate people on how to lose weight, how to build a healthy, strong heart, body, and mind, supporting a longer life.”
