Sumo Squat
The Sumo Squat is a lower-body compound exercise performed with a wide stance and toes pointed outward to target the glutes, quadriceps, and inner thigh muscles. This variation allows for a more upright torso than traditional squats, reducing lower back strain while emphasizing hip strength.
Because the Sumo Squat places unique demands on the hip adductors and requires significant mobility, the AI analyzes your RPE and performance data to ensure you aren't sacrificing depth for weight. If you report hip or groin pain, the app can instantly recommend narrower-stance alternatives or regressions to maintain training volume without aggravating the joint. Additionally, by tracking your recovery status and sleep, the system can adjust training volume on heavy leg days to prevent overtraining these specific stabilizer muscles.
Form Cues
- Position feet wider than shoulders with toes turned out 45 degrees
- Keep your chest high and torso upright
- Push knees outward to track directly over toes
- Descend until thighs are parallel to the floor
- Drive through heels to return to standing
- Don't let knees cave inward
- Don't round your lower back
- Don't lift heels off the ground
- Don't lean your torso excessively forward
Common Mistakes
- Stance too narrow or too wide
- Knees collapsing inward (valgus)
- Hips rising faster than the chest
- Insufficient depth
- Rounding the spine
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily strengthens the quadriceps and glutes, with significant emphasis on the adductors (inner thighs) due to the wide stance. It also engages the core and spinal erectors to maintain an upright posture, placing less shear force on the lumbar spine compared to conventional squat variations.
Primary
Secondary
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