Assessment
Try the Squat Alternative: Pliés
A simple exercise you can do anywhere strengthens legs and glutes
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Quick Win
This ballet move targets quadriceps, inner and outer thighs, hamstrings and glutes, which help you stand, walk and sit.
Try This Today
- Stand with your heels together, turning your feet outward at about a 45-degree angle, with your arms relaxed at your sides.
- With abdominals tightened and back straight, inhale and slowly sink down, bending your knees only as far as you can go while keeping your heels firmly on the floor. Your knees should move in the same direction as your feet are facing.
- Exhale as you raise your body to starting position while pressing your heels into the ground. Repeat 20 times.
Why
Ballet-inspired pliés moves may be a good alternative to traditional squats. In a study of 30 young adults, reported in 2016 in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, pliés were found to be more effective at building muscle strength and enhancing balance than squats. As you age, your muscles lose tone and strength, including the inner and outer thighs, hamstrings and glutes. These muscles are key to maintaining good mobility, helping you stand, walk and sit. Pliés are a good way to strengthen these key muscles and help with stability of the knees and ankles.
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