Legs
Sumo Squat
A squat with your feet wide and your toes turned out, holding the dumbbells between your legs. The wide stance puts more of the work into your inner thighs and glutes while you stay upright.
- Works
- Quads, glutes, inner thighs, core
- Equipment
- One dumbbell
- Load
- Heavy
How to do it
- 1Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders, toes turned out, holding one dumbbell by the top end with both hands, arms straight, so it hangs between your legs.
- 2Keep your chest tall and sit straight down, pushing your knees out over your toes.
- 3Lower until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, with your torso still upright.
- 4Drive through your whole foot and squeeze your glutes to stand back up.
Cues
- Take 3 seconds on the way down.
- Knees out, in line with your toes.
- Stay tall, like your back is sliding down a wall.
Common mistakes
- Knees caving in. Push your knees out so they point the same way as your toes.
- Leaning forward. Keep your chest up and sit straight down between your heels.
- Toes pointing straight ahead. Turn your toes out to match your wide stance, so your knees can track over them.
Easier
Go lighter, or only squat halfway down.
Harder
Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom, or add a small pulse at the bottom of each rep.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What muscles do sumo squats work?
Your quads and glutes, with more inner thigh work than a regular squat because of the wide stance. Your core works to keep you upright.
