Plie squats with a dumbbell: technique in photos and videos

Such a popular exercise as squats is aimed largely at working the buttocks and thighs. At the same time, it has a lot of variations that help to emphasize one or another part of the lower extremities. For many people, especially girls, the problem is the inner thigh, which is quite difficult to work with. To improve the condition of this area, you can use the plie squat with a dumbbell, which originates from ballet and is considered very effective. Let's look at the features of this type of squat and how to do it correctly.

Plie squats: benefits and benefits

Plie squats with dumbbells are considered a very effective exercise for the buttocks and thighs, especially their inner surface. This exercise is especially good for women: it helps to tighten the torso, speed up the fat burning process, and at the same time not build muscle mass, since girls most often do not pursue such a goal. Squats work on the most problematic areas, and unlike the classic squat, they work more on fat burning.

The dumbbell plie differs from the classic squat not only in the distribution of the load, but also in the position of the legs. With regular squats, the feet are placed shoulder-width apart, but with pliés, you need to place your feet wide and spread them towards your toes - this ensures the effectiveness of the exercise. As you exercise, you may feel the muscles in your inner thighs stretch.

As for the advantages of this type of exercise, they are as follows:

Squats help work out the inner thigh, which is considered a very problematic area.
They develop the pelvic muscles well.
Thanks to this exercise, you can improve coordination; they have a beneficial effect on blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
Plie make the buttocks rounder.
The load on the joints with this type of exercise is less than with a classic squat.
You can use plie squats with a dumbbell rather than a barbell, which makes it possible to reduce the load on the spine.

Plie squats are not recommended for those just starting to play sports.
First, it is recommended to master classic squats, and only then move on to other variations. The plie squat with dumbbells is best combined with other exercises for the legs and buttocks. To make your workout more challenging, you can jump rope in between sets. This option is recommended for those who want to lose weight.

Women's Workout Routine for Express Results

If the following rules are observed, it is possible to simulate the shape of the buttocks and hips in a short time. To do this, you need to squat daily, starting with 10 times in 3 sets, increasing the repetitions by 2 times with each subsequent day. After 10-15 days, when the movements are consolidated in muscle memory, move on to working with apparatus. Another option is to supplement the plie with plyometric elements. Aerobatics - jumping up from the lowest point, maintaining balance on your fingers.

Experts recommend working out with weights according to the scheme. In the first week - training with 5 kg dumbbells. After 7 days, the weight is doubled. On the third seven-day period they take 12 kg. Then they reset and begin a new 3-week cycle: 8-11-12 kg. After completing the first course, progress is obvious.

If the goal is weight loss, multiple repetitions with moderate loads are relevant. 5-kilogram shells and 20 takes in 3 sessions are enough. When you need to increase volume, the weight is increased, the repetitions are reduced to 8. You can perform a superset with your own weight, then “finish off” tired muscles with a session with a barbell on your shoulders. Regardless of the principles of training, only a systematic approach and regularity give results.

Plie squats with dumbbells: technique

Plie squats with dumbbells, the technique of which will be discussed below, require a wide stance of the legs. This is the essence and effectiveness of the exercise. So, it is done as follows:

Spread your legs wider than your shoulders, keep your back straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles. Hold the dumbbell by the plate with both hands.
Bend your knees slightly. As you exhale, begin to squat by bending your buttocks back. In this case, the dumbbell is located between the legs.
Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Do the exercise at a slow pace.
Exhaling, gradually rise up.

First, it is better to use a light dumbbell , weighing up to four kg. Over time, the weight can be increased or the dumbbells can be replaced with kettlebells.

When squatting, make sure that your knees, while bent, do not extend beyond your toes.

According to another option, the exercise is done as follows:

Stand up, keep your back straight, allow a slight arch in your lower back, as if pulling your buttocks back.
Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, as you inhale, you need to smoothly lower down, and as you exhale, return to the starting position.

When determining the number of sets, repetitions, and tempo of an exercise, keep your goal in mind. If you want to burn fat, do squats 5 sets of 15-20 times . In this case, the weight should be minimal or medium, and the exercise should be performed at a fast pace.

If the training goal is precisely pumping up muscles, without losing weight, then the emphasis is not on the number of repetitions, but on the weight used, which should be quite large. In this case, the exercise should be performed more slowly, feeling the work of all muscles.

What muscles work?

The idea that plie only develops the legs is wrong. The exercise forces the muscles of the lower leg, abs, core and buttocks to work.

Most of the load falls on the legs. When exercising with a wide stance, the load shifts to the main gluteal muscle, which controls the work of the thighs and their inner part, which has a beneficial effect on the anti-cellulite effect. After the ankle, the work includes the calves, knee joints and the front of the thigh. The abdominal muscles and lower back are additionally loaded while maintaining correct posture.

Variations of the exercise

The plie squat with dumbbells for girls and not only can be performed in different versions, according to which you can modify the load :

You can perform plie with a dumbbell, holding the apparatus in straight hands in front of you below, or holding a pair of light dumbbells at your shoulders.
To ensure that the calf and soleus muscles are also involved in the exercise, you can stand on your toes at the bottom point of the movement
To make the exercise more comfortable, you can use a kettlebell, but do not overdo it with weight.
Advanced athletes whose flexibility is quite good can do it on a step platform to increase the amplitude of squats.

Plie squats can also be performed with a barbell or an empty bar. Beginners can perform it without any weights at all.

Errors

Rounding the back due to contraction of the pectoral muscles. A “hump” in the chest is allowed in the deadlift, but not in the squat. In gray hair, it entails a roll on the toes and a shift in the center of gravity;
Shifting the center of gravity forward or backward while sitting, moving to the heels or toes;
Rolling knees inward. Some bodybuilders believe that it is necessary to combat the movement of the knees outward, as this helps to pump up the adductor muscles, which are already under heavy load. However, a more anatomically correct option is to bring the knees outward and direct them towards the toes;
Switch to your toes as you lower, lifting your heels off. This error occurs either due to the fact that the athlete is not centered correctly, or due to the fact that he cannot sit correctly due to anthropometric characteristics, low mobility of the ankles, or long hips.

Contraindications and precautions

Despite all the benefits and effectiveness of exercises, not everyone can do them. Avoid them if you have recently suffered a knee or spinal injury, or if you suffer from a hernia or varicose veins. If you doubt whether plie squats can be performed in your case, it is better to consult a specialist. Also keep in mind that only those who have a certain level of training can cope with the exercise. First you need to work on your flexibility and master regular squats. Before you start your workout, do a warm-up.

In addition, when asking how to properly do plie squats with a dumbbell between your legs, consider the following recommendations:

While performing the exercise, keep your back straight. The dumbbell should be close to the body.

Perform the exercise smoothly, without sudden movements or jerks.
Turning your feet 45 degrees is a convention. Place your feet in a way that your body flexibility allows, while ensuring proper technique.
Inhalation is done in the eccentric part of the movement, and exhalation is done at maximum effort.
In this exercise, the arms should be in a stationary position and not “walk”.
Make sure that your knees do not extend beyond your feet.
If you find it difficult to maintain balance, at first you can perform the exercise with your back against the wall.
You should not bring your knees together, but spread them apart, that is, work like scissors.
Plie squats with dumbbells for girls are best performed in the first part of the workout, after a warm-up of 5-10 minutes.
If you perform the exercise correctly, you should feel a characteristic burning sensation in your quadriceps, buttocks and inner thighs.
Try not to lower your head down or look at your feet. You need to look straight. Beginners can perform the exercise in front of a mirror to monitor the technique and immediately correct certain inaccuracies.
As you reach the top of the movement, try not to lock or lock your knees.
The exercises can be supplemented with calf raises, which will help additionally work the calves.
To increase the depth of the squat and increase the load on the muscles of the buttocks, it is recommended to use step platforms, placing them under both legs.
The projectile cannot be pulled by hand; use it only as a weight.
Don't hesitate. You need to move vertically, maintaining a natural arch in the lower back and looking forward.

Plie squats are recommended to be used in combination with other squats. Remember that quality is more important than quantity, so it is better to first hone the ideal technique, and only then increase both the number of executions and the weights used. It is also important to give your muscles a rest, because they grow even at rest. Well, the plie squat with dumbbells, a video of which will help you avoid mistakes when performing it, will be a worthy addition to the training program.

Recommendations for men: how to do squats with a barbell

Exercise gives an anabolic boost to the development of all muscles of the body. By performing squats, not only the target muscles develop, but also the total body mass increases, including smaller muscle groups.
Squats increase the production of your own testosterone, a strength hormone that allows you to train with greater strength and load, also accelerating muscle growth.
Exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves blood circulation.
Strengthens the ligamentous apparatus.

Strengthens the buttocks and thighs, creating beautiful feminine shapes.
Strengthens the core muscles, improving posture and making gait more confident.
Opens the chest, prevents muscle tightness and slouching.
Strengthens the pelvic muscles.
Increases the overall endurance of the body.
Improves muscle tone and skin texture.
Increases the elasticity of muscles and ligaments, preventing injuries.
Burn subcutaneous fat.

The knees may extend beyond the toes if a person’s thigh is significantly longer than the lower leg. This is not harmful or dangerous, especially considering that with ordinary squats, for example, on a chair, they always go beyond the socks;
It is more important to press your heels to the floor and not lift them off during the exercise;
The arms should be relaxed, the dumbbell should not hang in bent arms;
The movement begins not with “pulling” the pelvis back, but with bending the knees. This is the only way to obtain an anatomically correct direction of movement.

When performing a squat with a barbell, the body experiences a high load due to the use of many muscles, and the largest muscles in the human body are the muscles concentrated in the legs.

Thanks to the involvement of most of the muscles in the work, metabolic processes are launched, which, in turn, affect the reduction of fat, since, firstly, the exercise is very energy-intensive, and secondly, subsequent recovery occurs in a large number of muscles at once.
An increase in the production of anabolic hormones, accordingly, increases the body's anabolism. This is the most effective exercise for gaining muscle mass.
Thanks to the involvement of stabilizer muscles, performance during other exercises improves.
After the release of testosterone into the blood, the mechanism of positive effects begins to start in a chain. The release of testosterone increases potency, regardless of age.
The respiratory and cardiovascular systems are also strengthened and developed. Squats have a positive effect on ligaments and joints, provided the exercise is performed correctly and the working weight is gradually increased.
Blood circulation improves.
Squats with a barbell develop coordination of movements and also improve mobility of the whole body, this occurs due to the development of stabilizer muscles and the involvement of a large number of muscles.
And, of course, barbell squats give the athlete an aesthetic appearance.

There is one more important point. Many people who come to the gym are unable to perform a squat with a barbell on their shoulders. They “fall” either forward or backward, and sometimes they cannot fully lower themselves. This is often due to lack of flexibility. Before performing squats, do simple exercises aimed at rotating the shoulder joints and hips, as well as stretching the muscles and Achilles tendons. Read more about warming up before training →

The exercise should be performed at the beginning of your workout. There are many schemes for squats with a barbell, but the most effective, which harmoniously develops strength and muscle volume, accelerates metabolic processes, is the five by five scheme.
The exercise should be performed, as mentioned just above in the article, by warming up and stretching the muscles and joints, after which you need to perform two warm-up approaches. The first one is with an empty neck. The warm-up set with an empty hyphae includes 15 to 20 repetitions. The second warm-up approach is performed with light weight. There should be no more than ten repetitions. The remaining approaches are performed with working weight. There are five working approaches, each of which has five repetitions.
If this version of the program does not suit you, you can perform the exercise according to the traditional scheme: four sets of eight to twelve repetitions. It is best to use the principle of two warm-up approaches and do short “weight stages” (10-15 kg).

How effective are they?

Simple squats, which we did back in school during physical education lessons, are the most effective in terms of forming a beautiful buttock shape. How are they useful?

The shape of the buttocks is influenced by the following factors:

shape of the pelvic bone,
volume of adipose tissue,
muscle condition.

Of course, you cannot change the size of your bones, but you can remove fat deposits and work your muscles with the power of squats! Remember that it is impossible to “pump up your butt” in ten days, as some people think. The first positive changes in this area will be noticeable after two months of regular training.

Be sure to include in your training other exercises that have shown maximum effectiveness for working the gluteal muscles:

Scissors
Bike
Stepping onto the platform
Different types of lunges

So are squats effective for your butt? They form slender legs, create beautiful, firm buttocks, and have a beneficial effect on overall health. These elementary exercises, accessible to everyone, can work real miracles.

But there is one important condition - when performing them, you need to use certain recommendations:

Maintain proper squat technique. This point is especially important for those who have never done gymnastic exercises. In this case, it would be better to consult an experienced instructor.
Prepare your muscles for the load. Do a warm-up, this will help avoid injuries, and your muscles will hurt less after training.
Motivation is one of the main components of your success. Set a goal for yourself, exercise with joy, then your training will be more effective!
Eat right. The basis of your diet should be certain foods - boiled chicken, fish, eggs, stewed and raw vegetables, for example, in the form of salads. Try not to eat anything fried, exclude salty and canned foods, sweets, and cookies. If you want something sweet, you can eat a spoonful of honey.

If after training your muscles hurt, you can do a light massage, take a bath with sea salt and rub well with a terry towel. Thus, you will improve blood circulation and metabolism, and the process of adaptation to stress will be more gentle.

Remember! System first! If you are short on time, do two or three exercises in several approaches; you don’t need to do the whole complex in a hurry or skip the lesson altogether.