Paused Air Squat
An air squat with a still pause at the bottom of each rep.
This page is a working draft. A coach has not reviewed it, so read it as a starting point, not as checked instruction.
- Pattern
- Squat
- Modality
- Calisthenics
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Mechanic
- Unknown
- Force
- Unknown
- Laterality
- Bilateral
- Impact
- Low
- Trains where
- Gym, Home
- At home
- Yes
How to do it
Set up
- Stand with your feet at a comfortable squat width and your toes slightly turned out.
Do the rep
- Bend the knees and hips and sit down between the feet.
- Hold still at the bottom for two to three seconds, without a bounce.
- Push through the whole foot and stand up tall.
What counts as a rep
A rep counts when you hold still below the top of the knee for the full pause and return to a full stand.
One rep starts standing, lowers until the hip crease is below the top of the knee, holds still for two to three seconds, and ends with the hips and knees fully extended.
Breathing
Breathe in as you lower, breathe steadily in the pause, and exhale as you stand.
Cues
- Stay tight in the pause.
- No bounce.
- Count the pause.
Common mistakes
Bouncing out of the bottom
What you seeThe hips rebound up as soon as they reach depth.
FixCount the pause and start to stand only after it ends.
The pause removes the bounce and makes the legs work harder.
Relaxing in the pause
What you seeThe back rounds or the knees move in during the pause.
FixKeep the chest up and the knees over the toes for the full pause.
A tight position in the pause keeps the joints in a safe line.
Stop the set if
- Stop if you feel sharp pain.
- Stop if your heels lift or you cannot stand without losing balance.
- End the set when you cannot hold the full pause at depth.
General educational content, not individual coaching or medical advice.
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