Wednesday, September 8, 2009

There are many ways to work the inner thighs & I certainly have posted about them in the past here. BUT, I was reading Muscle & Fitness Hers, the Sep/Oct 2009 issue & they had a variation on the plie squat that they called a sumo squat that works that inner thigh a bit differently than the plie squat. In fact, there are lots of great new ways to exercise in that issue so check it out!

In my past, I have known the plie squat as a squat with the legs turned out at approximately 45 degrees, maybe a bit more depending on how your body feels when you actually do the exercise. The sumo squat was known to me as a similar squat but with the legs out at a much wider stance but toes in a similar position. As I Googled both, I can't tell you how many different ways I saw how to do the same so called exercise. I am sticking with the two I am showing you here.

I typically do a plie squat as shown in this video. Turn the sound up because they have good advice on form! As always with me, I adjust my feet, & toes based on how it feels when I actually execute the exercise.

Muscle & Fitness Hers had this interesting take on a sumo squat that I have not seen before in all my years which has you turning your toes out to 90 degrees as seen in this picture above. So sorry about that pic. I think I have made it clear that I am not good at all that stuff! Anyway, I think you really have to know your body & make sure that this is not going to bother any of your joints or knees. Also, as I did it, I did feel that it may not work for some with hips that just don't "work this way". Personally, I really liked it & it definitely felt different than my normal plie squat. I intend to use both in my leg/inner thigh work!

Now, as great as both these exercises are for the inner thigh, they also work the legs, butt & of course the core as we hold our body in proper form to execute both forms of this squat. Start with no weight to get the feel & then add weight from there. Also, don't lock out the knees at the top position!

Hope some of you are able to do this move because I found it a nice change from my plie squat!