Before beginning any exercise, ensure you are dressed in comfortable clothing and have supportive footwear. It’s best to exercise in a spacious and uncluttered area. If you have knee or ankle concerns, consider using a gym mat or performing exercises on a grassy surface.
How to do a sumo squat (also known as wide-stance squats) exercise:
- Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, toes pointed outward.
- Engage core and lower yourself down by bending your knees.
- Keep back straight, chest up, and weight on heels.
- Lower until thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Push through heels, engage inner thighs and glutes to stand up.
- Repeat for desired reps (8-10) and sets (2-4).
Sumo squats target the following muscles:
- Adductors (inner thighs): Sumo squats emphasize the adductors more than traditional squats due to the wider stance.
- Quadriceps (front of thighs): Like regular squats, the quadriceps are actively engaged during sumo squats.
- Hamstrings (back of thighs): Sumo squats involve the hamstrings to assist in stabilizing and controlling the movement.
- Glutes (buttocks): The glutes are heavily activated during sumo squats, especially the gluteus maximus.
- Calves (back of lower legs): The calf muscles are also worked during sumo squats, though to a lesser extent compared to some other leg exercises.
- Hip flexors: The hip flexors help stabilize the hips during the wider stance.
- Core muscles: The core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis, play a role in maintaining stability throughout the movement.
Sumo squats are an effective variation of squats that place extra emphasis on the inner thighs and glutes. They are particularly useful for diversifying your leg workout routine and targeting specific muscle groups.