The sumo squat is a variation of the squat exercise that use a wide stance to target the different muscle of the body in comparison to the conventional squat exercise. Individuals who wish to place more emphasis on the adductor muscles and the glutes of the body often perform sumo squats. Additionally, because sumo squats allow individuals to maintain an upright torso, they can help to reduce the amount of stress that is placed upon the lower back of the individual.
Due to these benefit, sumo squats are considered to be beneficial exercises for individuals that have wider hips. To perform a sumo squat correctly, an individual must establish a proper stance with they feet. The individual should begin by measuring their shoulder width, and stepping out their feet to a distance of 1.75 to 2 times the width of an individual’s shoulder.
How to Do Sumo Squats Correctly
An individual’s feet toes should be flared outward to a 45-degree angle. Individuals with tight hips may opt for a more narrow stance than those whose bodies is naturaly built for powerlifting. An individual should make sure that their knees are positioned over their pinky toes; if not, their body may be at risk of injury.
Instead, an individual should push their knee outward with their leg muscle to maximize the strength of their inner thigh. The primary muscle that are used during the sumo squat are the adductor muscles of the thighs and the glutes; however, the quadriceps and hip abductors muscles also provide some assistance in performing the movement. Other muscles that provide stability to the body during a sumo squat include the hamstrings, calves, erector spinae, and core muscle.
An individual should hinge their hip backward and descend into a sumo squat while maintaining their chest upright and engaged. To ascend from a sumo squat, the individual should drive their feet into the ground to lift their body upward. To aid in keeping the knees pushed outward, known as “spreading the floor” with the feet, an individual should take a deep breath, known as a “big belly breath”, to engage the core muscles of the body.
Strength standards can be used to measure the performance of an individual during the sumo squat exercise. For example, an intermediate man who weigh 165 pounds can perform one rep of 245 pounds in a sumo squat exercise. An intermediate woman who weighs 165 pounds can perform one sumo squat rep of 170 pounds.
Beginners are people who have less than six month of experience performing sumo squats. People who have performed the sumo squat for approximately one year is considered to be novices in the world of performing the exercise. Those who have performed the exercise for a few years is considered to be intermediates.
Advanced lifter in this squat category are individuals who have trained in the squat for five or more years. Depending on your specific goals with the sumo squat exercise, there are different ways to program the exercise. For strength and building muscular endurance, perform 4 to 6 set of 1 to 5 repetitions using 85% to 100% of your maximum weight.
Rest for 3 to 5 minute between sets. For those who are looking to increase the size of their muscle (hypertrophy), perform 3 to 5 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions using 65% to 80% of your maximum weight. Perform sumo squats no more than twice a week.
Always warm up your hips before performing sumo squats. There are some common mistake people make when performing the sumo squat. For example, if your knees are caving inward, this is an indication that your abductors is weak.
Use resistance band to strengthen these muscles. If your pelvis tucks under when you reach the bottom of the squat exercise, this is called “butt wink,” which is typically the result of tight hip. If your heels lift off the floor during the exercise, this could be the result of tight calves or the need to use weightlifting wedges to realign your foot.
Do not use a stance that is too narrow for the exercise, as it will not allow your glutes to be target as effectively as a wider stance. Finally, ensure your form is correct before you add any additional weight to the sumo squat exercise.
