Julie Lohre demonstrates the Plie Squat with Plate
What is a Plie Squat?
A Plié Squat is an exercise that strengthens the legs, glutes, and calves and increases the range of motion in your hips.
Plié Squats originated from the ballet position Plié, which keeps the back straight while also bending the knees and pointing the toes outward.
What muscles does the Plie Squat work?
When learning how to do the Plié Squat, otherwise sometimes referred to as a sumo squat, the toes are turned outwards in a wide stance position. This lower body move targets the thighs (toning the inner thighs,) hamstrings, and the glutes (the strongest and most powerful muscles in your butt.)
How To Do Plié Squats
1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and toes turned out into a 45 degree angle.
2. Bend knees and lower your torso, keeping your back straight and abs tight.
3. Squeeze your glutes and come to standing position.
If you would like to amp up your workout, feel free to add weights to increase the intensity of the plié squats and work the upper body for additional muscle gain.
Plié Squat Pulses Variation
The Plie Pulse Squat is a variation of the plie squat and is simply working the lower half of the exercise, keeping tension on the muscles in the legs to create an added level of difficulty.