Sumo Squat Guide: How to Do Sumo Squats

The sumo squat is a compound exercise that uses your bodyweight to activate muscle groups throughout your body. Perform the sumo squat exercise using a wider stance than the hip-width stance associated with the standard squat. While keeping your back straight, lower yourself from a standing position into a squatting position. Squeeze your glutes and straighten your legs to stand again. Repeat this movement for the desired amount of repetitions. For the sumo squat, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 12–20 repetitions. Choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout each set. 1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet pointed out at a 45-degree angle. 2. Rotate your hips outward to allow for the optimal alignment of your hips, knees, and ankles. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position, and your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement as if you were holding an egg under your chin. 3. Grip the floor with your feet to create a stable foot position. Evenly distribute the weight on your feet from toe to heel. 4. Place your arms by your sides and pretension your shoulders and hips to engage your core. Your ribs should be down, and you should slightly tuck your pelvis. 5. While maintaining your alignment, begin the downward movement by pushing your hips slightly backward and bending your hips and knees. Allow your arms to travel in front of your body as you lower into the squat position. 6. Lower until your legs are parallel or slightly below parallel to the floor. You should only lower as far as you can while keeping your pelvis level. Your knees should track over your toes, and the weight on your feet should be evenly distributed. 7. Pause for a second at the bottom position. 8. To begin the upward movement, push your feet into the ground to initiate standing. Emphasize pushing through your midfoot and heel while keeping your toes engaged. 9. As you begin to stand, keep your chest high and squeeze your glutes. Allow your knees to straighten and your hips to travel slightly forward, and let your arms travel back toward your sides. 10. As you finish the movement, squeeze your glutes and maintain a neutral spine. 11. At the end of each repetition, your shoulders should finish directly over your hips. Imagine that your pelvis is a bucket filled with water, and you’re attempting not to spill any water out of the front, back, or sides of the bucket. Regularly practicing the sumo squat can have several benefits: 1. __Sumo squats are an effective lower-body strength exercise__. The sumo squat activates muscle groups throughout your lower body, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, calves, and lower-back muscles. 2. __Sumo squats target your inner thigh muscles more than traditional squats__. With proper sumo squat form, you activate the adductor muscles along your inner thigh more than when performing regular squats. 3. __Sumo squats improve your balance__. By activating your core muscles, the sumo squat can increase your stabilization during everyday activities. Once you’ve practiced the standard sumo squat, consider trying one of these three sumo squat variations: 1. __Weighted sumo squat__: For an additional challenge, consider practicing the dumbbell sumo squat using a pair of dumbbells or the sumo back squat using a weighted barbell. 2. __Sumo squat swing__: If you want to emphasize your upper body muscles, combine the movement patterns of a sumo squat with a [kettlebell swing](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/kettlebell-squats-guide). 3. __Sumo jump squat__: Perform this lower-body workout by including an explosive [jumping movement](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/jump-squats-guide) between repetitions during your sumo squat exercises. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort. In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort. In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery. Throw on some athleisure, fire up a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com), and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and *GQ* fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time. If you’re looking for a new squat variation to include in your workout routine, consider learning how to perform the sumo squat.