Sumo Squat: How to Do It, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and More

The sumo squat is a popular lower-body exercise that targets the inner thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. It is a variation of the traditional squat that involves a wider stance and toes pointing outward. The sumo squat can help you improve your strength, stability, balance, and mobility.

It can also help you sculpt your legs and booty. In this article, we will show you how to do a sumo squat with proper form, what the benefits and muscles worked by this exercise, and what variations and tips to make it more challenging and effective.

The sumo squat is a popular lower-body exercise that targets the inner thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.

It is a variation of the traditional squat that involves a wider stance and toes pointing outward. The sumo squat can help you improve your strength, stability, balance, and mobility. It can also help you sculpt your legs and booty.

The sumo squat works the muscles of your lower body, especially the adductors (inner thighs), gluteus maximus (butt), quadriceps (front thighs), hamstrings (back thighs), and gastrocnemius (calves). It also engages your core muscles, such as the rectus Abdominis (abs), obliques (sides), and erector Spinae (lower back), to stabilize your posture and prevent injury.

The sumo squat is suitable for anyone who wants to tone and strengthen their lower body. It is also a good exercise for people who have tight hips or lower back pain, as it allows more range of motion and less stress on the joints. The sumo squat can be done by beginners or advanced exercisers, as it can be modified or intensified according to your fitness level and goals.

The sumo squat can be done as part of your warm-up, workout, or cool-down routine. You can do it with or without weights, depending on your preference and equipment availability.

You can also do it in different ways, such as pulses, jumps, or holds, to add some variety and challenge to your workout.

The recommended frequency of doing sumo squats is two to three times per week, with at least one day of rest between sessions. You can do 10 to 15 repetitions per set, and two to three sets per session.

How to Do a Sumo Squat: Step-by-Step Instructions

To do a sumo squat correctly, you need to follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing outward at a 45-degree angle.
2. Hold a dumbbell or a kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands or place your hands on your hips if you are doing it without weights.
3. Keep your back straight, your chest up, and your core engaged throughout the movement.
4. Inhale and lower your hips until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as low as you can comfortably go. Make sure your knees are aligned with your toes and do not cave inward or outward.
5. Exhale and push through your heels to stand up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

You can watch this video to see how to do a sumo squat with proper form and technique.

How to do a sumo squat:

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out slightly.
2. Bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
4. Push back up to the starting position.

Benefits of the Sumo Squat

This exercise involves a wider stance compared to the standard squat, with the feet turned slightly outward, allowing for a broader range of motion and intensifying engagement of the inner thigh muscles.

Now, let’s explore the numerous advantages of incorporating Sumo-style Squats into your fitness routine:

• Lower Body Strength: Sumo squats are exceptionally effective for developing lower-body strength. They target essential muscle groups such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and adductors. Strengthening these areas not only enhances your athletic performance but also reduces the risk of injuries. Regular inclusion of sumo squats can lead to notable improvements in strength, stability, balance, and mobility.
• Glute Shaping and Toning: Sumo squats target a range of muscles, including the adductors (inner thighs), gluteus maximus (buttocks), quadriceps (front thighs), hamstrings (back thighs), and gastrocnemius (calves). This exercise helps tone and sculpt these muscles while also aiding in calorie and fat burn.
• Muscle Building: Sumo squats contribute to muscle growth in the lower body, enhancing the overall physique and creating a more defined appearance in the legs.
• Enhanced Flexibility: The wider stance in sumo squats promotes flexibility in the hips and groin, reducing discomfort and improving the range of motion.
• Calorie Burning: Sumo squats are effective calorie burners, assisting with weight management and maintenance of a healthy body weight.
• Improved Posture: By strengthening core and back muscles, sumo squats play a role in improving posture, promoting spinal support and overall postural health.
• Lower Back Pain Relief: Sumo squats can alleviate lower back pain by fortifying lower back and hip muscles. Their wider range of motion puts less strain on the lower back compared to standard squats. Additionally, these squats strengthen the erector Spinae muscles, further supporting your spine and posture.
• Increased Mobility: Sumo squats contribute to enhanced hip and knee mobility.
• Performance Enhancement: These squats not only improve your performance in other exercises and activities but also boost power, speed, agility, and endurance in sports that involve running, jumping, or changing directions. Furthermore, they serve as effective preparation for other compound movements like deadlifts, lunges, or kettlebell swings.

By incorporating sumo squats into your workout routine, you can reap these diverse benefits, enhancing both your lower body strength and overall physical fitness.

Muscles Worked by the Sumo Squat

The sumo squat is a lower-body exercise that works the muscles of your inner thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. It also engages your core muscles, such as the abs, obliques, and lower back, to stabilize your posture and prevent injury. Here are some of the muscles worked by the sumo squat:

• Quadriceps: The quadriceps are the muscles that cover the front of your thighs. They are responsible for straightening your knees and flexing your hips. The sumo squat works the quadriceps as much as a regular squat, as you bend and extend your knees during the movement. The quadriceps help you lower and raise your body and support your knees during the movement.
• Hamstrings: The hamstrings are the muscles that run along the back of your thighs. They are responsible for bending your knees and extending your hips. The sumo squat works the hamstrings less than a regular squat, as you keep your torso more upright and reduce the hip flexion during the movement. However, the hamstrings still play a role in stabilizing your knees and assisting your glutes during the movement.
• Gluteus maximus: The gluteus maximus is the largest and strongest muscle in your butt. It is responsible for extending your hips and rotating your legs outward. The sumo squat targets the gluteus maximus more than a regular squat, as you push your hips back and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. The gluteus maximus helps you lift your body and power your legs during the movement.
• Calves: The calves are the muscles that cover the back of your lower legs. They are responsible for pointing your toes and lifting your heels. The sumo squat works the calves more than a regular squat, as you widen your stance and point your toes outward. The calves help you balance and push through your feet during the movement.
• Adductors: The adductors are the muscles that run along the inner side of your thighs. They are responsible for pulling your legs together and stabilizing your hips. The sumo squat activates the adductors more than a regular squat, as you widen your stance and point your toes outward. The adductors help you lower your hips and control your knees during the movement.
• Core: The core muscles are the muscles that support the spine and pelvis. They are important for maintaining good form during a sumo squat.

In addition to these muscles, the sumo squat can also work the calves, hip flexors, and lower back. The specific muscles that are worked will depend on the individual’s body mechanics and the depth of the squat.

This is a great exercise for strengthening the lower body and improving overall fitness. It is a challenging exercise, so it is important to start with a light weight and gradually increase it as you get stronger. You should also be sure to warm up before you start and cool down afterward.

Variations of the Sumo Squat

If you want to add some variety and challenge to your workout, you can try some other variations of the sumo squat. Here are some examples:

• Dumbbell sumo squat: The Dumbbell Sumo Squat is a popular lower-body exercise that uses a single dumbbell held in front of the legs. It is performed with a wider-than-shoulder-width stance, which increases the demand on the glutes, hamstrings, and adductors while still benefiting the quads, core, and upper body. This exercise is great for building the glutes and hamstrings, even with relatively light weights. It encourages mobility and flexibility of the hips and adductors and encourages squatting with good form and an upright torso1. To perform this exercise, hold a dumbbell at the base with both hands and stand straight up. Move your legs so that they are wider than shoulder-width apart from each other with your knees slightly bent. Your toes should be facing out. Slowly bend the knees and lower your legs until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Press mainly with the heel of the foot to bring the body back to the starting position. Here is a video guide on how to perform the Dumbbell Sumo Squat
• Barbell sumo squat: The Barbell Sumo Squat is a lower-body exercise variation of the classic barbell squat that involves taking a wider stance which changes some things about the movement. It may emphasize certain muscles better compared to using a narrower stance but is overall very similar regarding the benefits. This exercise targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and even your core muscles. By using a wider stance and turning your toes out, you can engage more of your inner thigh muscles, which often get neglected with traditional squats. It is also a great way to build lower body strength and can help improve stability and balance. Here is a video guide on how to perform the Barbell Sumo Squat by Live Lean TV.
• Goblet Sumo squat: The Goblet Sumo Squat is a variation of the classic squat that involves taking a wider stance and holding a single dumbbell or kettlebell at chest level with both hands. This exercise targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and even your core muscles. By using a wider stance and turning your toes out, you can engage more of your inner thigh muscles, which often get neglected with traditional squats. It is also a great way to build lower body strength and can help improve stability and balance. Here is a video guide on how to perform the Goblet Sumo Squat by Kayla Itsines.
• Banded sumo squat: The Banded Sumo Squat is a variation of the classic squat that involves taking a wider stance and wearing a resistance band around your lower thighs. This exercise targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and even your core muscles. By using a wider stance and turning your toes out, you can engage more of your inner thigh muscles, which often get neglected with traditional squats. Resistance bands are perfect for squats because they help control the squat movement from start to finish. They provide resistance when you lower into a squat, which is called an eccentric movement, as well as resistance when you rise to a standing position, which is called a concentric movement. This means your muscles are working under tension throughout the exercise, making them work harder. Ultimately, this leads to muscle building. Here is a video guide on how to perform the Banded Sumo Squat by Magda Rodrigues.
• Wide Stance Smith Machine Squat: The Wide Stance Smith Machine Squat is a variation of the classic squat that involves taking a wider stance and using a Smith Machine. This exercise targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and even your core muscles. By using a wider stance and turning your toes out, you can engage more of your inner thigh muscles, which often get neglected with traditional squats. The Smith Machine provides added stability and can help you focus on proper form while performing the exercise.

Here are some popular variations of the Sumo-Positioned Squat:

• Dumbbell sumo squat: Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. This variation allows you to lift more weight than the bodyweight version.
• Barbell sumo squat: Place a barbell across your back behind your neck. This variation is the most challenging and requires a lot of core strength.
• Goblet sumo squat: Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest. This variation is a good option for beginners or those who want to focus on the core muscles.
• Banded sumo squat: Attach a resistance band around your ankles. This variation adds resistance to the exercise, making it more challenging.
• Assisted sumo squat: Use a Smith machine or squat rack to help you lift the weight. This variation is a good option for beginners or those who are recovering from an injury.

Tips for sumo squat progression

The sumo squat is a great exercise for your lower body, especially the inner thighs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. However, if you want to progress and challenge yourself, you can try some tips to make the sumo squat more difficult and effective. Here are some tips for sumo squat progression:

• Start with a light weight and gradually increase it as you get stronger. One of the simplest ways to progress in the sumo squat is to increase the weight that you are holding in front of your chest. You can use a heavier dumbbell or kettlebell, or even a barbell or a sandbag. Increasing the weight will increase the resistance and the intensity of the exercise, and force your muscles to work harder and longer.  This will help you to avoid injury and build strength gradually.
• Increase the range of motion: Another way to progress in the sumo squat is to increase the range of motion that you are performing. You can do this by lowering your hips deeper than parallel to the floor, or by elevating your heels on a platform or a weight plate. Increasing the range of motion will increase the stretch and the contraction of your muscles, and improve your flexibility and mobility.
• Increase the speed: A third way to progress in the sumo squat is to increase the speed at which you are performing. You can do this by lowering your hips faster and exploding into a jump at the top of the movement, or by pulsing up and down slightly at the bottom of the movement. Increasing the speed will increase your power, speed, and cardiovascular fitness, and burn more calories and fat.
• Increase the volume: A fourth way to progress in the sumo squat is to increase the volume that you are performing. You can do this by increasing the number of repetitions or sets that you are doing, or by decreasing the rest time between sets. Increasing the volume will increase your muscle endurance and stamina, and challenge your mental toughness. You can also try some variations of the sumo squat, such as adding a side leg lift, a twist, or a kick, to add some variety and fun to your workout.
• Focus on form and technique. Make sure that you are keeping your back straight, your core engaged, and your knees not caving in.
• Vary the tempo of the movement. Try doing some reps slowly and controlled, and others explosively.
• Add variations to the exercise. Try using dumbbells, a barbell, or a resistance band. You can also try doing sumo squats with a wider or narrower stance.
• Listen to your body. If you feel pain, stop the exercise immediately.

Here is a sample progression for sumo squats:

• Beginner: Start with bodyweight sumo squats. Once you can do 10-12 reps with good form, add light weights.
• Intermediate: Continue adding weight to your sumo squats. You can also try doing variations of the exercise, such as using dumbbells or a barbell.
• Advanced: Once you are comfortable with sumo squats, you can try doing them with heavier weights. You can also try doing them for more reps or sets.

These are some of the tips for sumo squat progression that you can try to spice up your workout and challenge yourself. It is important to listen to your body and adjust the progression as needed. If you are feeling pain, stop the exercise and consult with a doctor or physical therapist.

Additional tips for sumo squat progression:

• Warm up before you start. This will help to prevent injuries.
• Cool down afterward. This will help your muscles recover.
• Eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep. This will help you to build muscle and strength.
• Be patient. It takes time to build strength and muscle. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately.

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