Plie squats: slender legs and appetizing buttocks

Benefits of plie squats

• Plie squats with dumbbells or kettlebells are very popular among girls, as this exercise allows you to give the buttocks a rounded shape without working with heavy weights and serious stress on the knee joints and spine.
• But don’t label it a “female exercise.” Many professional bodybuilders use this exercise to increase the size and depth of their inner thighs, and powerlifters use it as one of their lead-up exercises before heavy squats.
• Another undeniable advantage of plie squats is the ability to train at home, since dumbbells or kettlebells do not require much storage space.

Execution technique

Initial position:

1. Take the starting position with your feet as wide as possible and your toes pointing outward.
2. Fix your body position vertically, avoiding leaning forward and rounding your shoulders.
3. You can keep your hands in front of you or on your sides.

Movement:

1. As you inhale, make a downward movement at a count of 1,2,3 until your thigh reaches parallel to the floor (or a little deeper).
2. Hold the bottom position and feel the stretch and tension in your muscles.
3. As you inhale, return to the starting position on a count of 1, without completely straightening your knees in the joints.
4. Without pausing, move on to the next rep.

Attention!

Recommendations!

Execution options

Plie squat technique

At first glance, the plie squat seems simple, but just like any other exercise, it has several important features and rules of execution technique, failure to comply with which can lead to negative consequences, including injuries.

1. The dumbbell must be taken at the base (by the weight plate) with both hands, slightly bending them at the elbow joints;
2. Feet wider than shoulder-width apart (similar to the sumo style of deadlift), slightly bent at the knees, toes pointing outward;
3. As you inhale, perform a smooth, slow, controlled squat until you reach parallelism between your hips and the floor line, in this position you need to fixate for 1-2 seconds to feel the muscles, then, as you exhale, return to the starting position;
4. When performing a squat, the back should be straight, slightly arched in the lower back, the arms should remain motionless, the head should not tilt, and the gaze should always be directed forward.

Adviсe

• Choose the appropriate plie option: this exercise can be done without weights, with a dumbbell held at chest level, or with a kettlebell or dumbbell held in your arms downwards.
• Choose the width of your feet that suits you.
• Push your pelvis back as you move down.
• Try to go as low as possible.
• Hold at the bottom point for 1-2 seconds to give maximum stress to the muscles.
• During the entire approach, keep your shoulders back, your back straight, and maintain a slight arch in your lower back.

Execution options

The most common plie variation is the plie squat with a dumbbell, as it allows you to vary the weight over a wide range.

Plie technique with kettlebell

Also quite common is the option of plie squats with a kettlebell, primarily due to the convenience of the grip.

Plie in the Smith machine

In addition, there is a variant of plie squats in the Smith machine, which is more suitable for beginners who do not know how to control their body. The Smith machine is rightfully considered a safe alternative to free weights. It’s not for nothing that many professional fitness trainers recommend performing basic movements (deadlift, bench press, squats) on this machine in the first weeks of training, as it allows a beginner to concentrate on movement technique without being distracted by constant control of balance. However, you should not opt ​​only for plie squats in the Smith machine, since exercises with free weights allow you to use more muscle fibers, therefore, work out the target muscle group in more volume and detail.

Variant of plie with a barbell

Another version of the “plie” is the squat with a barbell, which is a more advanced exercise that requires a good level of training and the ability to control your body in all phases of movement, since this is the only variation of performing this exercise when the apparatus (we are talking about free weights), is located on the athlete’s shoulders, thereby increasing the axial load on the spine.

The technique of performing the exercise in all the above options remains unchanged.

Squats with dumbbells between legs on platforms

Plie squats can be performed standing on the floor or on some kind of height, which is usually used as weight plates from a barbell, step platform or cabinet.

Being on a hill allows you to perform a deeper squat, since in this case the floor will not limit the range of movement.

It is important to understand that this version of plie squats is best performed with a dumbbell or kettlebell, so that you can release the projectile at any time, for example, if pain suddenly occurs.

Plie squats are recommended to be performed at the beginning or end of a leg workout.

• At the beginning of a workout, it can act as a kind of warm-up movement;
• and at the end of the workout it allows you to stretch your leg muscles well, thanks to its range of motion.

Precautionary measures

A few recommendations will help you get good results and avoid health problems. The exercise is performed at the very beginning of the complex, but before moving on to active actions, a 5-minute warm-up is needed. Each movement is performed under mental control. Important:

1. Maintain balance while looking at a point in front of you.
2. Keep your back straight. If there are certain difficulties, it is better to work against a wall.
3. Do not lift your heels off the floor.
4. Watch the center of gravity.
5. Avoid sudden movements.
6. Keep the projectile close to the body.
7. Inhale in the eccentric phase, exhale as you rise;
8. Control the position of your knees.
9. At the point of climax, do not block them.

Common Mistake

The most common mistake in plie squats is leaning forward , which is especially common when performing this exercise with a barbell. In this case, part of the load moves from the legs (from the target muscle group) to the back. To correct this error, you must either use a dumbbell or kettlebell as an alternative to a barbell, or work with a lighter weight. Both options will help you understand the correct movement technique and focus specifically on the leg muscles.

Classic lunges

• Lunges forward
• back lunges

Forward lunges
Starting position: feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt or in front of you, gaze directed forward or down, shoulders down, neck extended, top of the head looking up.

We take a step forward (backward) with our right foot, while the back leg remains straight and the knee is lifted off the ground. The front leg is bent at the knee at an angle of 90 degrees or less. Repeat the same on your left leg.

Lunges can be done either without weights or with weights in the form of dumbbells or a barbell. During lunges with a barbell, the position of the body and barbell should be the same as in squats.

Lunges forward

Anatomy

The movement with which the plie exercise is performed is called multi-joint, because it contributes to the development of large muscles throughout the body.

It is the gluteal muscle that helps control human hip movements. That is, when it goes down, it rises from its original position.

If taken as a whole, then it is worth noting that the buttocks, calves, as well as the abdominal muscles provide coordination of human movements, ensure his normal functionality and vital activity.

Smith machine squats

The Smith machine is a bar with two hooks on the sides, respectively, mounted on two racks. During the exercise, the vector of movement of the bar is invariably directed along the racks. The technique of squats in the simulator is the same as in regular squats, but there are a number of nuances.

You need to stand under the bar so that you are exactly in the middle and there are no distortions. The placement of the hands on the bar should also be symmetrical. The elbows are directed slightly downwards, the shoulder blades are brought together. A slight emphasis on the bar with your shoulders. With the help of the Smith machine, it is possible to squat with the most precise angle radius: 90 degrees in the shin, 90 degrees in the pelvis. The squat technique here is clearer due to the directed vector of movement of the bar.

Also, in the Smith machine, squats on one leg are possible; for this, the second leg must be placed on the knee of the first leg.

Smith machine squat technique

Pros and cons of the exercise

Although squats with dumbbells between the legs are used mainly by girls, it has many positive qualities that will be equally useful for any person. These include:

• Intensive training of the leg muscles, especially the gluteal region and the inner thighs;
• Deep squats, especially when using stands, can improve blood circulation in the pelvic area. Due to this, blood microcirculation in the tissues of this area increases;
• Excellent stretches the tissues of the gluteal region, which allows you to work out the relief of this area well;
• Provides a slight isometric load on the core muscles.

The exercise cannot be called irreplaceable, but in terms of the effectiveness of working the target muscles, it is almost the best.

Technique

It may seem that plie with a dumbbell between the legs is a fairly simple exercise. But it is in simple exercises that the most mistakes are made.

It is worth describing the steps step by step, this will help minimize errors during the workflow.

Prepare yourself. Stand up straight and try to tense your abdominal muscles. Take a dumbbell (you should choose the minimum weight, gradually increasing it as your technique improves) at the base.

Place a weight, that is, a dumbbell, between your legs, thus taking the starting position.

As you lower yourself from the dumbbells, inhale while gradually bending your knees. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor. You should feel a strong stretch in your muscles, then rise as you exhale.

The body returns to its original position, the heel touches the floor. The exercise is done 10-12 times several approaches in a row.

Characteristic

The advantage of this exercise is that it pumps up the most important part of the body - the inner thigh. She is quite problematic, and her overall appearance depends on how fit she is.

It is the elasticity and toned body that shows the youth and attractiveness of a woman in relation to the male sex.

In addition to the fact that the inner part becomes much better, overall endurance increases, the buttocks acquire a more rounded, juicy shape, and the joints are deprived of unnecessary tension.

With the help of a correctly performed exercise of this nature, coordination of movements improves, and blood begins to circulate better.

This exercise is easy to perform not only in a professional gym, but also at home, without spending a lot of time or money on it.

Note! An interesting fact is that in the female half of the population most of the main strength is concentrated in the lower part, in the legs.

But don’t overdo it; performing exercises, especially with heavy weight, should be done within reasonable limits.