You can never go wrong with adding some variation to your leg day. Your legs are the largest muscle group in the body, which includes your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. While the front and back squat are highly effective for building strength and size, the sumo squat can target the inner thighs in addition to the glutes and quads adding a valuable accessory movement to develop your lower body. Learn the sumo squat benefits, all the muscles they work, and how to do them properly.

Sumo Squat: A Powerful Movement for Strength, Balance, and Body Composition

The sumo squat is a functional strength training movement and a powerful variation of the traditional squat. It differs from the front squat or back squat in stance, positioning, muscle activation, and loading strategy. What makes the sumo squat unique is its wide stance and externally rotated feet, which not only activate the glutes and quads but also target the inner thighs—making it a go-to lower-body movement for comprehensive leg development.

What Is a Sumo Squat?

A sumo squat involves a wider stance with the toes pointed outward at approximately a 45-degree angle. While it still works the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core, it places a higher demand on the adductors—the muscles of the inner thigh. This makes the sumo squat ideal for improving muscular balance and building strength in areas often underdeveloped by traditional squat variations.

According to research by Escamilla et al., the widened foot position in sumo squats alters muscle recruitment, increasing gluteus maximus and adductor magnus activity while reducing stress on the lower back compared to conventional squats (Escamilla, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research).

Muscles Worked in the Sumo Squat

Sumo squats recruit the same major muscle groups as a traditional squat but emphasize different activation patterns:

• Quadriceps

• Hamstrings

• Glutes

• Adductors (Inner Thighs)

• Calves

• Core Stabilizers

• Hip Flexors and Stabilizers

The adductors—which include the adductor longus, brevis, magnus, and gracilis—are heavily emphasized in sumo squats due to the wider stance. These muscles are responsible for bringing the thighs together and stabilizing the hips, playing a vital role in movements such as sprinting, jumping, and lateral mobility.

Benefits of the Sumo Squat

1. Lower Body Strength

Sumo squats, like all squat variations, are a compound movement that builds foundational strength. By targeting the major muscle groups of the legs and hips simultaneously, sumo squats promote hypertrophy and strength development across the posterior chain. Research has consistently shown that compound movements like squats significantly increase muscle protein synthesis and strength gains (Schoenfeld, Sports Medicine).

2. Mobility and Balance

The wide stance and external rotation required for sumo squats increase hip mobility and challenge core stability. This functional pattern mimics real-life movement, enhancing balance and coordination. Strengthening the adductors and hip stabilizers improves overall joint integrity and may reduce the risk of injury during athletic movements.

Functional strength training has also been linked to improved posture, coordination, and fall prevention—particularly important for aging populations (Granacher et al., Sports Medicine).

3. Improved Body Composition

Sumo squats, like all resistance-based training, can have a profound impact on body composition. Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories at rest. Resistance training also boosts the thermic effect of activity (TEA), which contributes significantly to total daily energy expenditure.

According to a study by Willis et al., resistance training can be more effective than aerobic training alone for increasing lean mass and reducing body fat (Willis et al., Journal of Applied Physiology).

“Resistance training is essential for maintaining and increasing lean body mass, which plays a key role in long-term weight maintenance and fat loss.” – Willis et al., Journal of Applied Physiology

How To Do a Sumo Squat 

Barbell Sumo Squat

1. Set up a barbell in a squat rack at shoulder height.

2. Unrack the barbell across your upper traps as you would for a standard back squat.

3. Step back and position your feet in a wide stance with toes angled outward.

4. Engage your core, chest up, and keep the bar stable.

5. Squat down by pushing your hips back and knees outward.

6. Pause at the bottom (thighs parallel or slightly below).

7. Push through your heels to stand back up, keeping your spine neutral.

💡 Barbell sumo squats are ideal for loading heavier weight and developing maximal strength while maintaining the same adductor and glute emphasis as the dumbbell/kettlebell version.

Dumbbell or Kettlebell Sumo Squat

1. Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out about 45°.

2. Hold a dumbbell (vertically) or kettlebell between your legs using both hands.

3. Brace your core and maintain a tall chest.

4. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees, lowering the weight toward the floor.

5. Descend until your thighs are parallel or the weight touches the ground.

6. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

🔑 Pro Tips for Better Sumo Squats

• Warm Up First
  Loosen your hips, groin, and adductors with dynamic stretches like hip openers and bodyweight squats.

• Brace Your Core
  Pretend someone’s about to punch your stomach—tighten your core to protect your spine.

• Don’t Let Knees Collapse Inward
  Actively push your knees outward (track over your toes) throughout the movement.

• Keep Chest Up
  Focus on lifting the chest while maintaining a neutral spine to avoid forward collapse.

• Use Heels for Power
  Pushing through your heels activates the posterior chain and protects your knees.

🎯 Form Cues to Maximize Activation

• ✅ Toes Out, Knees Out: Keep your knees aligned with your toes to prevent strain.

• ✅ Flat Feet: Don’t let your heels lift—this means your hips aren’t sitting back properly.

• ✅ Shoulders Back: Retract your shoulder blades slightly to maintain a tall posture.

• ✅ Weight Centered: Keep the dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell centered and controlled.

• ✅ Controlled Tempo: Lower down for 2–3 seconds, pause briefly, then drive up with intent.

Sumo Squats: Takeaway

Sumo squats provide more variation and flexibility in your lower body training split. They can help you improve functional strength, mobility, posture, and incrementally add size and strength. If you want to build those glutes, hamstrings, and quads, you'll want to add the sumo squat to your training program. 

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