How to do Sumo Squats

Sumo squats use a wide stance with toes turned out to target the inner thighs and glutes alongside the quads.

Difficulty: Beginner
Equipment: None or Dumbbell
Sets & reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps

Target muscles

Hip Adductors
Glutes
Quadriceps

Also works

Hamstrings
Calves
Core

PrimarySecondary

Technique

Step-by-step instructions

Stand with feet much wider than shoulder-width, toes turned out about 30 degrees.
Clasp your hands in front of your chest.
Lower your hips straight down, pushing your knees out over your toes.
Go down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
Press through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes.

Common mistakes

Knees collapsing inward.
Leaning the torso forward.
Heels lifting off the floor.
Stance too narrow for a true sumo position.

Benefits

Strengthens inner thighs and glutes.
Improves hip mobility.
Easier on the lower back than narrow squats.
Builds lower body stability.

Sumo Squats for Inner Thighs and Glutes

By widening your stance and turning your toes out, the sumo squat shifts more work to the adductors and glutes. It is a joint-friendly squat variation that also improves hip mobility.

Key Points:

Push your knees out in line with your toes.
Keep your torso upright.
Squeeze the glutes as you stand.

Keep going

More Lower Body & Glutes exercises

Squats

Squats train the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core, building lower body strength, stability, and muscle tone.

Beginner Quadriceps

Reverse lunges

Reverse Lunges primarily target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while also engaging the core and promoting stability.

Beginner Quadriceps

Hydrant (right leg)

Hydrant primarily trains the core muscles, including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back, while also engaging the shoulders, arms, and glutes.

Beginner Gluteus Medius

Hydrant (left leg)

Hydrant primarily trains the core muscles, including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back, while also engaging the shoulders, arms, and glutes.

Beginner Gluteus Medius

Inner thigh lifts (right leg)

Inner thigh lifts specifically engage and strengthen the adductor muscles, sculpting and toning the inner thighs for improved definition.

Beginner Adductor Muscles (Inner Thigh) - Right Leg

Inner thigh lifts (left leg)

Inner thigh lifts specifically engage and strengthen the adductor muscles, sculpting and toning the inner thighs for improved definition.

Beginner Adductor Muscles (Inner Thigh) - Left Leg

Hip Bridge

Hip Bridge primarily trains the gluteus maximus (butt muscles), hamstrings, and lower back muscles, while also engaging the core and stabilizing muscles.

Beginner Gluteus Maximus

Forward Lunges

Forward lunges step into a split stance to strengthen the quads and glutes one leg at a time while improving balance.

Beginner Quadriceps

Train Sumo Squats in 3D