Sumo Squat
Master the sumo squat to sculpt your glutes and inner thighs with a wide stance. This bodyweight exercise strengthens your lower body effectively.
- Movement
- Compound
- Force
- Push
- Per set
- 1 min
- Rest
- 30s
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store
Variations of Sumo Squat
Description
A sumo squat is a strength training exercise that targets your lower body muscles. It is a variation of the squat exercise, but it uses a wider stance, which makes your hips work harder.
Save Sumo Squat to a routine
Log sets, reps, and weight as you train — free in the Ellim app.
How to do Sumo Squat
- 01Setup
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointed out at approximately 45 degrees. Ensure your chest is lifted and shoulders are pulled back.
- 02Setup
Engage your core, keeping your spine neutral, and look straight ahead. Your hands can be clasped in front of your chest or placed on your hips for balance.
- 03
Inhale as you begin to descend by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, as if sitting into a chair. Actively push your knees outwards, tracking them over your toes.
- 04
Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly below, maintaining an upright torso and keeping your weight evenly distributed through your feet.
- 05
Exhale and drive powerfully through your heels and the outer edges of your feet to return to the starting position. Squeeze your glutes firmly at the top of the movement.
Tips
- Actively focus on pushing your knees outwards throughout the entire movement to maximize engagement of your inner thighs (adductors) and prevent knee collapse.
- Maintain an upright posture by keeping your chest proud and avoiding any rounding in your upper back, which helps protect your spine and improves muscle targeting.
- For enhanced glute activation, initiate the squat by pushing your hips back slightly before bending your knees, creating a deeper stretch in the glutes.
- Control both the eccentric (lowering) and concentric (lifting) phases of the squat with a steady tempo, rather than rushing, to maximize time under tension for muscle growth.
Common mistakes
- Allowing your knees to cave inward reduces adductor engagement and places undue stress on the knee joint; actively push your knees out to ensure they track in line with your toes.
- Rounding your back during the squat compromises spinal safety and shifts tension away from the target muscles; keep your chest lifted and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
- Not squatting deep enough limits the full activation of the glutes and quadriceps; ensure your thighs reach at least parallel to the floor, if mobility allows, to achieve a full range of motion.
In the Ellim app, Sumo Squat unlocks
Free — no subscription needed
Log sets, reps, and weight
Track every set as you train
See your strength curve
Performance graphs across all sessions
Add to a routine
Save into a custom workout in one tap
Rest timer with Live Activity
Dynamic Island countdown between sets
HealthKit sync
Workouts flow to Apple Health
3,500+ exercise library
Search, filter, and pick variations offline
Ready to train sumo squat?
Get Ellim — FreeQuestions
What muscles does Sumo Squat work?
Sumo Squat primarily targets Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps. Secondary muscles include Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Adductor Magnus, Gastrocnemius, Gracilis, Soleus.
Is Sumo Squat good for beginners?
Sumo Squat is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.
What equipment do I need for Sumo Squat?
You need Body weight to perform Sumo Squat. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.
What are the best tips for Sumo Squat?
Actively focus on pushing your knees outwards throughout the entire movement to maximize engagement of your inner thighs (adductors) and prevent knee collapse. Maintain an upright posture by keeping your chest proud and avoiding any rounding in your upper back, which helps protect your spine and improves muscle targeting. For enhanced glute activation, initiate the squat by pushing your hips back slightly before bending your knees, creating a deeper stretch in the glutes. Control both the eccentric (lowering) and concentric (lifting) phases of the squat with a steady tempo, rather than rushing, to maximize time under tension for muscle growth.
What are common mistakes when doing Sumo Squat?
Allowing your knees to cave inward reduces adductor engagement and places undue stress on the knee joint; actively push your knees out to ensure they track in line with your toes. Rounding your back during the squat compromises spinal safety and shifts tension away from the target muscles; keep your chest lifted and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. Not squatting deep enough limits the full activation of the glutes and quadriceps; ensure your thighs reach at least parallel to the floor, if mobility allows, to achieve a full range of motion.
Related exercises
Bodyweight Squat
Thighs · Gluteus Maximus · Body weight
Bodyweight Overhead Squat
Thighs · Gluteus Maximus · Body weight
Barbell sumo squat
Thighs · Gluteus Maximus · Barbell
One Leg Quarter Squat
Thighs · Gluteus Maximus · Body weight
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
Back · Chest · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Back · Hips · Dumbbell
Track every rep of Sumo Squat.
Watch the weight climb session by session and add it to a routine you will actually run. Free on iPhone.
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store