Gym peeps either hate leg day or love it — there’s no in-between. However, one thing everyone agrees on (which some might be reluctant to do) is that the legs are perhaps the most important muscle group to train.
After all, even the legend Arnold Schwarzenegger once famously said, "If I had to train only one body part for the rest of my life, it would be legs."
So, hate it or love it, you can’t (or at least shouldn’t) skip it!
When we talk about legs and lower body training, the first thing that comes to mind is squats. We all know about the traditional bodyweight squats and their simple variations: back squats and front squats. These two are the closest to the regular squat, but the variations don’t end here!
This blog is about one such version of squats, called the sumo squat.
While traditional squats and sumo squats both target the glutes, quads and hamstrings, there are a few things that sumo squat exercise benefits do more! In this blog, that’s exactly what we’ll explore: what sumo squats do for your body, how to do them, and what makes them different from regular squats!
Table of Contents
- What Do Sumo Squats Do For Your Body? List Of Targetted Muscles
- Benefits Of Doing Sumo Squat Exercise
- How To Do Sumo Squats? A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
- Are Sumo Squats Better Than Regular Squats?
- Expert’s Advice
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
What Do Sumo Squats Do For Your Body? List Of Targetted Muscles
The sumo squat is a fun twist on the traditional squat, with a wide stance and turned-out feet, just like a sumo wrestler! This exercise targets your inner thighs (adductors muscles), glutes, calves, and quads all at once and is perfect for building lower body strength, stability, and flexibility.
Let's take a closer look at the muscles targetted by sumo squats:
- Glutes: When you do a sumo squat, you’re waking up all three glutes: the Maximus, Medius, and Minimus! The gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in your body, helps shape your butt and hips, while the medius and minimus keep your hips stable and moving smoothly.
- Quadriceps: Your quads (located at the front of your thighs) are the muscles that help you with everyday moves like walking, running, and jumping. They're your go-to muscles for all things leg-related.
- Hamstrings: Located at the back of your legs, your hamstrings are a trio of muscles that stretch from your thigh to your knee, helping you bend your knee and power through movements like running and squatting.
- Adductors: Your adductors are the inner thigh muscles that keep your pelvis and hips stable, giving you the strength to move with control and precision.
- Calf muscles: Your calf muscles are at the back of your lower leg, stretching from below your knee to your ankle. They, too, are key for everything—standing, walking, running, jumping, and more.
- Core: Your core muscles are your body's stabilisers, keeping you balanced and strong. They're key for better athletic performance, daily agility, and injury prevention.
- Pelvic floor: These muscles stretch from your tailbone to your pubic bone and are important for bladder and bowel control. They also support your spine and hips and assist with breathing and circulation in that area!
Also Read: 8 Effective Glute Workouts For Men To Build Strength And Definition
Benefits Of Doing Sumo Squat Exercise
Sumo squats offer all the benefits of front or back squats but with the added bonus of targeting the inner thighs (adductors). Here are some other perks of adding sumo squats to your routine:
| 1. Target Your Inner Thighs | They activate the adductors a lot more than traditional squats, helping you sculpt your inner thighs. |
| 2. Strengthens the calves | Sumo squats engage the calves more actively and help develop calf strength and endurance. |
| 3. Engages the glutes and hamstrings | Like other squat variations, the sumo squat works the glutes and hamstrings. This can improve posture, reduce the risk of lower back injury and improve athletic performance. |
| 4. Improves hip flexibility | The wide stance of this variation opens up your hips and stretches your inner thighs. This can improve overall flexibility and mobility. |
| 5. Stabilises core muscles | Like other squat forms, the sumo squat requires engaging one's core to maintain an upright posture, which improves balance and stability. |
Also Read: Top 12 Effective Dumbbell Squat Exercises For Beginners
How To Do Sumo Squats? A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s how you can master the sumo squats:
| 1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. |
| 2. Turn your toes outward at about a 45-degree angle. |
| 3. Keep your back straight, chest up, and core engaged. |
| 4. Bend your knees and push your hips back as if sitting in an imaginary chair. |
| 5. Lower down until your thighs are parallel to the ground (or go deeper if you can). |
| 6. Keep your knees in line with your toes—don’t let them cave inward. |
| 7. Ensure your weight is in your heels, not on your toes. |
| 8. Press through your heels to stand back up. |
| 9. Straighten your legs fully, but don’t lock your knees. |
| 10. Repeat |
Once you perfect the free-weight form, you can add dumbbells or a kettlebell for an extra challenge! But be sure to use a lighter weight when trying sumo squats with a dumbbell for the first time.
Are Sumo Squats Better Than Regular Squats?
Sumo squats aren’t necessarily 'better' than regular squats, but they’re a great addition to your routine! Any good workout requires doing a variety of exercises that target different groups of muscles. What one exercise can do, the other cannot, and vice versa. This is true not just for these two but for other variations of squats as well.
Sumo squats target the inner thigh muscles (adductors) more effectively than traditional squats, helping to strengthen that area while still working the same lower body muscles. Traditional squats are better than sumo squats as they mimic a natural body movement, making it a functional exercise. Other than that, traditional squats put more emphasis on quads and glutes and are inherently better for adding on more weight resistance, which can be difficult and limited in sumo squats.
The main difference between these variations lies in the foot placement: in a regular squat, your feet are shoulder-width, while in a sumo squat, your feet are wider. This change in stance shifts the focus of the muscles worked.
In conclusion, there is no exercise that is 'better' than the other, and they all have their own importance. If you want a well-rounded workout routine for your legs, you need to add a variety of exercises targeting different muscles.
Also Read: 5 Exercises For Legs Using Resistance Bands And Tips To Use Them For Maximum Benefits!
Expert’s Advice
While exercise is important, I would recommend getting enough protein, carbohydrates and calories in your diet for effective squat strength and leg muscle growth. Protein gives your muscles the amino acids that they need to repair and grow, increasing the strength and muscle mass. And carbohydrates provide fuel for intense training.
Make sure your total calories are in line with your goals, whether it's to gain muscle (caloric surplus) or lose weight (caloric deficit). Getting enough healthy calories helps your body build new muscle tissue after you've challenged it with squats.
Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
The sumo squat is a powerful exercise that adds variety, intensity and balance to your lower body routine. With many variations, it is versatile enough for both beginners and experienced lifters. By mastering proper form and gradually incorporating weights or other movements, you'll be well on your way to stronger, more toned legs and calves.
FAQs
1. Are sumo squats good for glute growth?
Yes, sumo squats are great for glute growth as the wide stance and external rotation target the glutes more effectively than regular squats. They help activate the gluteus maximus and medius for stronger, rounder buttocks.
2. Which squat variation is better for beginners?
Regular squats are generally better for beginners as they are easier to perform and require less hip flexibility. They help build foundational strength and proper form before progressing to more advanced variations like sumo squats.
3. Do sumo squats actually grow glutes?
Yes, sumo squats can help grow your glutes! In fact, the wide stance and external rotation of the feet during a sumo squat place extra emphasis on the gluteus muscles, especially the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the body.
References
- https://gasparinutrition.com/blogs/fitness-facts/sumo-squats-vs-regular-squats-which-squat-variation-is-better-for-you?srsltid=AfmBOort32nfcEox_Vj2FRXvraRamg1h10YjE09atmnseziuwojR2W0I
- https://www.byrdie.com/squats-vs-sumo-squats-5181596
- emphasisesw.onepeloton.com/blog/sumo-squat/
- https://m.netmeds.com/health-library/post/sumo-squat-benefits-variations-and-how-to-do-it-for-leg-and-calf-strength?srsltid=AfmBOoq5Cbw6EQrKVUBFkl9L_ouKPdQQom-aeIWPFqIGMjGkpgUGVXme
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