The Barre Move That’ll Set Your Butt And Legs On Fire

HEX / Getty Images

Barre classes are notorious for tiny moves that push your legs and booty to the limit. But even though every pulse brings you a littttle closer to the point of exhaustion, they also make your muscles stronger by the second. Take plié squat pulses, for example. You wouldn’t expect such a tiny movement to burn so good, but oh, it does.

This move is a mainstay at NYC-based barre studio Physique 57, according to co-founder and chief creative officer Tanya Becker. “We love this move because it is a full-body exercise—it really works your thighs, glutes, and core simultaneously,” she says. (They call it Wide Incline Chair in their classes.) “Your glutes and legs are your primary working muscles in this movement, so they take on the majority of the heat.”

And, because you’re strengthening those larger muscle groups, you increase your metabolic rate, she says—this means your body burns more calories at rest because lean muscle mass takes more energy for your body to maintain. Of course, you need to do more than just this move to see full-body results, but it’s definitely worth incorporating into your routine.

You can do this move a couple of ways—if you’re standing in front of a barre or chair and able to hold onto it for balance, you can raise both heels off the ground (just make sure you’re not using the barre or chair to actually support yourself). Or, work one side at a time by raising just one heel off the ground and keeping the other flat. Balancing will be easier this way, but the move itself? Not so much. Here’s how to do it!

Plié Squat Pulse With One Foot Raised

Whitney Thielman

• Start standing in a wide squat. Keep your toes slightly turned out, too. 
• Bend your knees into a slight squat and lift your left heel so you’re on your toes. Keep your right foot flat on the ground. 
• Lower your butt a few inches toward the ground while keeping your chest up and spine straight. Continue pulsing up and down. “Make sure your knees and shins stay still and stable over your heels as you begin to pulse,” says Becker. And engage your core, too!
• Start with 10-20 seconds of pulsing, then add more seconds as you get the form down. “I recommend pulsing to the point where you feel a lot of heat or burn and then begin to feel your legs shake,” says Becker. (Killer, but worth it.) If you only have one heel lifted, make sure you work the other side, too. Do this for 3 sets, resting for 10-20 seconds in between.

You may also like: 13 Incredible Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do At Home

Related:

• 6 Different Workouts That Target Your Lower Body
• 9 Low-Impact Workout Moves You Can Do At Home
• This Butt And Hips Exercise Will Also Help Prevent Knee Pain

The post The Barre Move That’ll Set Your Butt And Legs On Fire appeared first on SELF.