Training your lower body is very important to increase strength and shaping up your legs. There are various exercises that you can do at home or at the gym for training your lower body. Squats are one of the best-known exercises for the same. Along with squats, you can also try to squat sumo. This is a variation of the traditional squat that targets a specific muscle group. In this article, we will be looking at sumo squats as part of your leg-day exercises and for training your lower body. You can also practice the different variations of sumo squats and add resistance to do a sumo deadlift high pull

Introduction

Dreading leg days? Well, how long could you possibly go without training your lower body? Training your lower body is as important as any other group of muscles. When training your lower body, you need to focus on your glutes, hamstrings, quads and also your adductors or inner thighs. These are muscles that are often left out by the other lower body workouts and exercises and even squats. Sumo squats are known to target your inner thighs and strengthen these muscles. These squats are helpful in shaping up and tightening the muscles of the legs. For all-around fitness and overall training of your legs, you must consider adding sumo squats to your workout routine. 

In this exercise guide on sumo squats, we will be looking at this exercise in detail. We will talk about how you can do a sumo squat, what muscles this exercise targets and how a sumo squat benefits you. If you are new to sumo squats, we will also help you identify how you can add sumo squats to your routine and the variations of this exercise. 

How To Do A Sumo Squat?

To begin with, let us take a look at the basics of a sumo squat. In this section, we will be looking at the steps of how to do this type of exercise, the equipment you will need for the same and the target muscle groups. The following are the steps of sumo squats:

  • Begin by standing in a traditional squat stance. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your toes should be pointing forward. Your hands should be clasped in front of your chest. 
  • Step towards your left or right side until the distance between your feet is 3-4 feet or more than your hip width. 
  • Angle your toes outwards at around 45 degrees by laterally rotating your hips. Your knees should be tracking over your toes. 
  • Slightly pull your hips back and bend your knees lowering your body into a squat position. Keeping your spine neutral and your core engaged, draw your tailbone straight down towards the floor.
  • Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. You can go lower or end the squat at a higher level depending on your flexibility and comfort. 
  • Hold the squat position for a few seconds. 
  • Engaging your glutes and driving up through your heels, press up to the standing position. 
  • Repeat 8-12 times doing 3 sets. 

Equipment Required

You will not need any specific equipment for doing a sumo squat. This means you can be doing this exercise anywhere. If you want, you can add extra weights with dumbbells or kettlebells and even do a sumo deadlift.

Muscles Worked

The muscles worked out by sumo squats include the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus muscles, adductors, calves and hip flexors. If you maintain the right posture, this exercise is also good for your core muscles. 

What Are The Benefits Of Sumo Squats?

A sumo squat benefits the muscles of your lower body. Other than strengthening these muscles, there are many other benefits of adding sumo squats to your workout routine. In this section, we will be looking at the advantages of making sumo squats exercises a part of your regular workout. 

  • Strengthening your inner thigh muscles: Sumo squats are known for strengthening your lower body muscles. Not only does a sumo squat benefit your glutes and quads, but it also targets your adductors or inner thigh muscles. The wide stance of sumo squats strengthens these muscles and keeps your adductors in shape. This helps in building strength around your ankles, knees and core. This in turn prevents injury. 

  • Increasing your range of motion: The lifestyle of people these days is not very active and this leads to the tightening and stiffening of your muscles. One of the benefits of sumo squats is that it helps work your range of motion. This helps you engage your muscles, strengthen your lower body and prevent injury. 

  • Increasing core strength: When you squat sumo, while maintaining a wide stance, you should also keep your torso upright. This engages your core muscles and increases core strength. 

  • Helps in rehabilitating injuries: Retraining your muscles and joints after an injury is important. You can seek professional advice from your doctor before choosing any exercises for your post-injury workout. Sumo squats are especially beneficial if you have suffered an ankle, knee or hip injury. 

  • Squats can be performed anywhere: You do not really need any specific equipment to do the sumo squat exercise and you can easily do these squats at home or at the gym or anywhere else you wish to do them. 

How The Sumo Squats Compare To Traditional Squats?

When you squat sumo and you squat traditionally there is a basic difference in your stance and form. In this section, we will be looking in detail at how sumo squats and traditional squats compare to each other. The number one similarity between a traditional squat and a sumo squat is the target muscles. Both these exercises target your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and hip stabilizers. Along with these, when you squat sumo, your adductors or thighs are also worked out. These are smaller muscles which are difficult to train with only traditional squats. When doing a sumo squat, the distance between your feet is also responsible for increasing muscle activity. The stance of the sumo squats impacts the motion and joint loading of your knees and hips as well. 

How To Add Sumo Squats To Your Workout?

As we have read in the previous sections, sumo squats are beneficial for your lower legs and inner thighs, it is important to note how you can incorporate this exercise into your workout routine. Sumo squats are beneficial for strengthening your lower body. You can do sumo squat exercises twice or thrice a week. A piece of advice from professional trainers would be to incorporate the same with your strength training workouts. The aim is to not make your lower body muscles tired before performing the sumo squats. Make sure that you always warm up before starting this exercise. 

What Are The Variations Of The Sumo Squat?

Sumo squats as we have seen in the previous sections are very similar to yet very different from traditional squats. In this section of this exercise guide, we will be looking at two major variations of sumo squats. We will talk about how to perform these exercises along with the equipment you will need for the same and the muscle groups targeted by these exercises. 

Plié squat with inner thigh pull-in

To do a plié squat with inner thigh pull-in you do not need any special equipment. This variation of sumo squats focuses more on your adductors along with strengthening your quadriceps, glutes, hips, calves and hamstrings. Let us take a look at the steps of doing a Plié squat with inner thigh pull-in. 

  • Start by positioning yourself for a sumo squat. 
  • Lower into a squat, bending your knees and hips and contracting your glutes at the bottom of the move. 
  • Do not let your upper torso lean forward. Make sure your knees do not go beyond your toes. Keep your back neutral. 
  • Once you have reached low, return back to standing while dragging your left heel towards the centre and bring your heels together. Squeeze your thighs as you stand tall. 
  • Sliding the same leg back, lower into a squat. 
  • Repeat 8 times with each leg doing 3 sets. 

Goblet squat

Just like sumo squats and the other variation of the exercise, you will not need any equipment for doing goblet squats. These squats target your glutes, hips, quadriceps, calves and hamstrings. The following are the steps of goblet squats:

  • Begin by positioning yourself for the sumo squat. 
  • Lowering into the squat position, bend your knees out and away from the midline and keep your feet planted. 
  • Place your weight on your heels while keeping your spine tall and long. Keep your shoulder back and down. 
  • Hold the position at the bottom. 
  • Then squeeze your glutes and push back up to stand without leaning forward. 
  • Repeat 8 to 12 times doing 3 sets. 

Tips For Doing The Sumo Squat

In the previous sections of this article, we have looked at the various aspects of the sumo squat exercise like the steps, benefits and variations like the sumo deadlift. Whenever adding a new exercise to your workout regime, you should also know the precautions you must take to ensure your safety and follow some tips so that you make the most out of that exercise. In this section, we will be looking at the tips for doing the sumo squat exercise. 

  • The basics of sumo squats include keeping your feet wide apart. You can keep your feet 3 to 4 feet apart as a beginner or depending on your flexibility and strength. 
  • Make sure you can maintain your form and hold the posture well before you add any external resistance. 
  • Make sure your heels do not lift. 
  • Your knees should not cave in towards your body. 
  • Keep your body upright and spine neutral.
  • Start with your feet closer apart and increase the distance between them with practice. 

Some common mistakes that you must avoid when doing the sumo squat exercise are as follows:

  • Do not tighten your ankles or hips. 
  • Do not force your body to go beyond what it can. Make sure you are comfortable and do not end up with an injury. 
  • Keep your feet at a proper distance. Keeping your feet very close to each other will not impact the target muscles well enough. 

Conclusion

Your inner thigh is an important part of your lower body that needs to be trained with a solid workout session and strengthening exercises. The sumo squat exercise is one of the best exercises that you can add to your workout regime to train your inner thighs. A sumo squat benefits your overall lower body strength and is especially beneficial for your glutes. As we conclude this exercise guide on sumo squats, we hope this article has helped you understand this exercise in detail to add the same to your workout schedule and you will be able to benefit from the same. 

FAQs

In this section, we will be looking at some of the commonly asked questions related to a sumo squat, its benefits and other information that you might be looking for before adding this exercise to your workout routine. To simplify your search, we will be answering these questions in detail, in this section. 

What is the difference between a squat and a sumo squat?

The basic difference when you squat sumo or traditionally lies in your form and body posture. When doing a traditional squat, you keep your stance closer with your feet pointing forward. When doing a sumo squat, your feet are wide apart and turned out. 

Are sumo squats better for the glutes?

One of the major benefits of sumo squats is that it helps work out your inner thighs. This exercise helps in strengthening your glutes and thighs. 

Do sumo squats make your thighs bigger?

Yes, sumo squats make your thighs bigger by helping in building your leg muscles. 

Which squat is best for the glutes?

The sumo squat exercise is the best exercise for your glutes. 

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