Let
me
take
you
back
to
my
early
days
of
strength
training—a
time
when
I
thought
I
had
squats
all
figured
out.
I
was
feeling
pretty
confident,
loading
up
the
barbell
like
a
champ,
but
something
was
missing.
No
matter
how
hard
I
pushed,
my
inner
thighs
and
glutes
just
weren’t
getting
the
attention
they
deserved.
Then
one
day,
a
girl
from
my
gym
(who
had
legs
like
a
Greek
goddess,
might
I
add)
casually
mentioned,
“Have
you
tried
sumo
squats?”
I’ll
be
honest,
at
first,
I
thought,
“Sumo
what?”
But
after
giving
it
a
shot,
everything
changed.
The
first
time
I
widened
my
stance,
pointed
my
toes
out,
and
dropped
into
that
deep
squat—I
felt
muscles
firing
that
I
didn’t
even
know
I
had!
Now,
I
want
to
share
that
discovery
with
you.
Trust
me,
once
you’ve
got
this
move
down,
you’ll
never
look
back.
Set
Your
Stance
A
good
sumo
squat
starts
with
finding
the
right
stance.
Stand
with
your
feet
wider
than
shoulder-width
apart,
and
angle
your
toes
outwards
at
about
45
degrees.
The
exact
width
depends
on
what
feels
comfortable
and
flexible
for
you,
but
generally,
the
wider
your
stance,
the
more
you’ll
work
your
inner
thighs.
Engage
Your
Core! Before
you
even
start
the
squat,
engage
your
core.
Think
about
pulling
your
belly
button
towards
your
spine
to
create
a
solid
base
of
support.
Initiate
the
Movement
Start
the
squat
by
pushing
your
hips
back
as
if
you’re
trying
to
sit
on
an
invisible
chair.
This
hip
hinge
is
crucial
for
maintaining
balance
and
keeping
the
pressure
off
your
knees.
Bend
the
Knees!
Once
your
hips
are
hinged
back,
start
bending
your
knees
to
lower
your
body.
Make
sure
your
knees
follow
the
direction
of
your
toes
as
you
move.
If
your
knees
start
caving
in
or
going
too
far
forward,
you
might
be
off
balance
or
using
the
wrong
muscles.
Achieve
Proper
Depth
How
deep
you
go
matters
for
hitting
the
right
muscles.
Try
to
lower
your
body
until
your
thighs
are
at
least
parallel
to
the
floor.
If
you’ve
got
the
flexibility,
go
deeper
for
a
fuller
range
of
motion,
which
will
work
your
glutes
even
more.
As
you
lower
down,
avoid
leaning
too
far
forward.
Keep
your
chest
up
and
your
back
straight
to
maintain
good
posture.
Return
to
Standing
To
stand
back
up,
push
through
your
heels
while
straightening
your
legs.
This
helps
to
activate
your
glutes
and
ensures
that
you’re
using
the
right
muscles
to
complete
the
movement.
As
you
return
to
the
starting
position, squeeze
your
glutes to
fully
engage
them.
This
also
helps
reinforce
good
posture
at
the
top
of
the
movement.
For
beginners,
start
with 3
sets
of
10-12
reps.
As
you
become
more
comfortable,
you
can
increase
the
weight,
reps,
or
sets
to
continue
challenging
yourself.
Breathing
Technique
Breathing
might
not
be
the
first
thing
that
comes
to
your
mind,
but
it’s
super
important
for
keeping
you
stable
and
strong
during
squats.
-
Inhale
on
the
Way
Down:
Take
a
deep
breath
as
you
lower
your
body.
This
helps
to
brace
your
core
and
maintain
balance. -
Exhale
on
the
Way
Up:
As
you
push
through
your
heels
to
stand
back
up,
exhale
steadily.
This
aids
in
controlling
your
ascent
and
keeps
you
grounded.
What
to
Avoid
There
are
a
few
mistakes
that
might
seem
minor
but
could
actually
leave
you
injured.
Knees
Caving
In
One
of
the
most
common
mistakes
in
sumo
squats
is
letting
the
knees
cave
inwards
as
you
squat.
This
not
only
reduces
the
effectiveness
of
the
exercise
but
can
also
lead
to
injury.
Focus
on
pushing
your
knees
outwards
as
you
lower
yourself.
You
can
imagine
spreading
the
floor
apart
with
your
feet
to
help
engage
the
right
muscles.
Leaning
Forward
Leaning
too
far
forward
puts
unnecessary
strain
on
your
lower
back
and
reduces
the
engagement
of
your
glutes
and
thighs.
Keep
your
chest
up
and
engage
your
core
throughout
the
movement.
You
can
practice
in
front
of
a
mirror
to
ensure
your
back
stays
straight.
Shallow
Squats
Not
squatting
deep
enough
limits
the
activation
of
your
muscles,
particularly
the
glutes.
Work
on
your
flexibility
to
allow
for
a
deeper
squat.
Start
with
a
wider
stance
and
gradually
increase
your
range
of
motion
as
you
become
more
comfortable.
Raising
Heels
If
your
heels
lift
off
the
ground
during
the
squat,
you’re
likely
shifting
your
weight
forward,
which
can
lead
to
poor
form
and
instability.
Focus
on
keeping
your
weight
centered
over
your
heels.
You
can
also
try
squatting
barefoot
or
with
flat-soled
shoes
to
improve
your
connection
with
the
ground.
Advanced
Variations
and
Progressions
Once
you’ve
mastered
the
basic
sumo
squat,
you
can
challenge
yourself
with
advanced
variations.
Here
are
a
few
to
consider:
1.
Sumo
Squat
with
a
Kettlebell
or
Dumbbell
Want
to
build
more
strength?
Try
adding
some
weight.
-
How
to
do
it:
Hold
a
kettlebell
or
dumbbell
with
both
hands
in
front
of
you
as
you
squat.
Keep
the
weight
close
to
your
body
to
maintain
balance.
2.
Pulse
Sumo
Squats
Pulsing
at
the
bottom
of
the
squat
increases
time
under
tension,
which
can
lead
to
greater
muscle
activation.
-
What
to
do:
Lower
into
the
squat
position
and
perform
small
pulses
up
and
down
without
fully
standing
up.
This
keeps
the
muscles
engaged
for
a
longer
period.
3.
Sumo
Squat
to
Calf
Raise
To
target
your
lower
legs
too,
add
a
calf
raise
at
the
top
of
your
squat.
-
How
to
do
it:
After
returning
to
the
standing
position,
rise
onto
your
toes
to
perform
a
calf
raise,
then
lower
back
down
before
starting
the
next
squat.
Don’t
Skip
the
Warm-Up!
Always
start
with
a
warm-up
to
prepare
your
muscles
and
joints
for
exercise.
Dynamic
stretches
focusing
on
the
hips,
quads,
and
hamstrings
are
ideal
before
performing
sumo
squats.
Mixing
It
Up
with
Other
Exercises
Sumo
squats
are
great
on
their
own,
but
they
really
shine
when
you
mix
them
with
other
lower-body
moves.
Try
pairing
them
with
lunges,
deadlifts,
or
leg
presses
for
a
full-on
leg
day
that
hits
all
the
major
muscles.
Don’t
Forget
to
Rest
As
with
any
workout,
rest
and
recovery
are
super
important.
Make
sure
you’re
giving
your
muscles
a
break
before
hitting
them
again.
Doing
sumo
squats
two
to
three
times
a
week
is
a
solid
routine
that
allows
your
body
to
recover
and
get
stronger.
The
Bottom
Line
Give
this
exercise
a
try.
Stick
with
it,
keep
your
form
in
check,
and
before
you
know
it,
you’ll
start
noticing
the
difference—not
just
in
the
mirror,
but
in
how
you
feel
every
day.