How to Properly Do Sumo Squats for Glutes: A Step-by-Step Guide for Maximum Gains
Sumo squats are one of the best lower-body exercises to target the glutes, inner thighs, and quads. This squat variation is unique in its ability to engage the glute muscles more effectively than the traditional squat due to its wide stance and outward foot positioning. If you’re looking to strengthen, tone, and build your glutes, mastering the sumo squat technique is essential.
In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about how to properly do sumo squats for glutes—including correct form, common mistakes to avoid, variations, and how to incorporate them into your workout routine for optimal results. Let’s get started!
1. What Are Sumo Squats?
A sumo squat is a variation of the traditional squat that places greater emphasis on the inner thighs (adductors) and glute muscles due to the wider stance and externally rotated feet. The movement pattern remains a squat, but the foot placement changes the muscle engagement.
The primary muscles targeted by sumo squats are:
- Gluteus Maximus (largest glute muscle)
- Adductors (inner thighs)
- Quadriceps (front thighs)
- Hamstrings (back thighs)
Sumo squats can also help improve hip mobility and strengthen the stabilizer muscles around your hips and knees.
2. Benefits of Sumo Squats for Glutes
Greater Glute Activation: The wider stance shifts the focus to the glutes and inner thighs. The sumo squat's positioning forces your glutes to engage more, especially at the bottom of the movement.
Improved Hip Mobility: The outward rotation of the hips in a sumo squat helps improve flexibility and mobility in the hip joint.
Core Stability: Like all squats, sumo squats engage the core muscles to maintain balance and posture, providing an added benefit of improving core strength.
Lower Body Strength: Sumo squats help build strength in the legs and glutes, which translates to better performance in other exercises like deadlifts, lunges, and traditional squats.
3. How to Properly Do Sumo Squats for Glutes
To get the most out of sumo squats, it's essential to perform them with proper form. Follow these steps to ensure correct technique:
Step 1: Set Your Stance
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward at a 45-degree angle.
- Your feet should be far enough apart so that when you squat down, your knees track over your toes.
Step 2: Engage Your Core and Posture
- Tighten your core to stabilize your spine and protect your lower back during the movement.
- Keep your chest lifted, shoulders back, and spine neutral. Imagine you're holding a tall posture throughout the squat.
Step 3: Lower into the Squat
- Push your hips back and bend your knees as you lower your body toward the ground.
- Ensure your knees follow the same direction as your toes (outward) to avoid knee valgus (knees caving in).
- Go as low as possible while maintaining proper form—ideally until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower. This deeper squat increases glute activation.
Step 4: Drive Through the Heels
- As you rise, press through your heels to engage the glutes and power yourself back to the starting position.
- Keep your chest up and core engaged throughout the upward phase of the movement. Avoid leaning forward or using your lower back to lift.
Step 5: Squeeze the Glutes at the Top
- When you reach the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes to fully engage the muscles and improve the effectiveness of the exercise.
- Do not overextend your hips or arch your back—maintain a neutral spine.
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even though sumo squats are straightforward, improper form can reduce effectiveness and increase the risk of injury. Here are some mistakes to avoid:
Knees Caving In: Allowing your knees to collapse inward during the squat can strain your knees and reduce glute engagement. Focus on keeping your knees aligned with your toes.
Leaning Forward: If you lean forward excessively, you shift the focus to your lower back rather than your glutes. Keep your chest up and maintain an upright torso throughout the movement.
Lifting the Heels: Lifting your heels as you rise reduces glute activation and puts more pressure on your knees. Keep your feet flat and drive through your heels.
Shallow Squats: Not lowering enough prevents you from fully engaging your glutes. Aim for a deeper squat, ideally until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly below.
5. Sumo Squat Variations for Added Challenge
Once you’ve mastered the basic sumo squat, you can incorporate variations to challenge your muscles further and prevent plateaus.
Dumbbell Sumo Squat: Hold a dumbbell vertically in front of you with both hands. This adds extra resistance, increasing the intensity of the squat.
Kettlebell Sumo Squat: Hold a kettlebell with both hands between your legs as you squat. This helps improve grip strength and increases the load on your lower body.
Sumo Squat with Resistance Bands: Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees. The band will create extra tension, making your glutes work harder to stabilize your knees.
Pulse Sumo Squat: Instead of standing fully back up after each squat, pulse up and down in the bottom position. This keeps constant tension on your glutes, making the exercise more challenging.
Sumo Deadlift Squat: A hybrid movement that combines the sumo squat with a deadlift, enhancing both glute and hamstring activation.
6. How Many Reps and Sets Should You Do?
To maximize glute growth and strength, incorporate sumo squats into your lower-body workout routine 2-3 times a week. Here are some recommendations for reps and sets depending on your fitness goals:
For Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy): Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with a moderate to heavy weight. Focus on slow, controlled movements and full range of motion to engage the glutes.
For Strength: Use heavier weights with 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps. This lower rep range with increased load will build power and strength in the glutes and thighs.
For Endurance: If you’re aiming to improve muscle endurance and tone, do 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps with lighter weights or bodyweight.
7. Incorporating Sumo Squats Into Your Workout Routine
To get the most out of sumo squats, integrate them into a well-rounded lower-body or full-body workout. For glute-focused training, pair sumo squats with other compound exercises like deadlifts, lunges, and hip thrusts. For example:
- Lower Body Workout:
- Sumo Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8 reps
- Lunges: 3 sets of 12 reps (each leg)
- Hip Thrusts: 4 sets of 10 reps
Incorporating sumo squats with other exercises will ensure a balanced approach to glute training, hitting the muscles from multiple angles.
8. Conclusion
Sumo squats are an excellent exercise for targeting the glutes while also engaging the inner thighs and improving hip mobility. By using proper form, avoiding common mistakes, and incorporating variations into your routine, you can maximize glute development and lower-body strength. Add sumo squats to your workout plan 2-3 times a week, and with consistency, you’ll start seeing noticeable improvements in your glutes.
References:
- Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). Squat Kinematics and Muscle Activation in Depth. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
- Contreras, B., & Schoenfeld, B. (2011). The Best Exercises for Glute Development. Strength and Conditioning Journal.
- Fauth, M. L., et al. (2010). Lower Extremity Muscle Activation During Variations of Squats. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation.
- Bret, C. (2019). Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training. Victory Belt Publishing.
