Wide stance squat or sumo squat. Varieties of sumo squats: how to perform them Sumo squats

The sumo squat is a variation of the squat that involves a wide stance and toes turned outward. This position allows you to give the maximum load to the inner thighs and buttocks. Sumo squats are very similar to plie squats. Many even consider them to be the same exercise. It can be considered that with sumo the legs are as far apart as possible, and with plie the setting of the legs is less wide. In any case, this is a great way to work out such a problematic inner thigh and tighten the buttocks.

Speaking about what sumo squats are, it is worth remembering its history. The word sumo is associated with fat people Asians and their struggles. It is from them that the exercise got its name, because when performing it, we take a pose similar to the pose of a sumo wrestler in the arena.

Sumo wrestlers seem very clumsy, but in fact physical form their quite good. They devote several hours a day to training, including stretching and strength training. Sumoists also do similar squats, holding a large stone at chest level. Due to the fact that sumo wrestlers constantly stretch their muscles and ligaments, they can squat very low. Anyway good stretch will not be superfluous for anyone, especially for women.

Sumo Squats Help work the muscles in the lower body, affecting areas that do not work when performing classic squats. They have the following benefits:

Provide a comprehensive study of the muscles, in particular, the traditional female problem area- inner thighs.
Develop the flexibility of the hip joints and improve mobility.
Improve blood circulation in the lower body. This helps to improve the condition of the skin and has a beneficial effect on the pelvic organs.
Exercises are not demanding on space and equipment. They can also be performed at home.

Sumo squats are more difficult than classic squats. In order to squat wide and not bring your knees inward, you need sufficient physical fitness. exercise loads knee joints. The weight for it must be taken less than for classic squats. And to work out the technique, it is better to do without weights at all or use an empty neck.

What muscles are working?

In the case of wide squats, the load on the muscles is somewhat different than with regular squats. Sumo squats, which muscles work with which we will now consider, are ideal for girls, because it works out inner part hips, and it is a problem for many. When performing the exercise, the following muscles work:

Adductors of the inner thighs.
Quadriceps are the front muscles of the thighs.
Large gluteal muscles- muscles that are responsible for the shape and size of the buttocks.
The hamstrings are the posterior surface.
Also included in the work are the calf muscles, back and abs.

As already mentioned, sumo squats for girls are very useful. They correct the shape of the hips, tighten the buttocks, make the legs attractive and slender.

Sumo squats: execution technique

First you need to stand up straight, maintaining a natural deflection in the lower back. Spread your legs apart, turn your feet outward. The width of the legs and the angle of the turn are selected individually, but try to spread your legs as far as you can, and turn your socks out 45 degrees. Sit down several times without weight. If you managed to bring your hips to a parallel with the floor, and you did not feel any discomfort, you can use this position.

Sumo squat technique involves such subsequence:

Take a starting position with legs wide apart and socks turned to the sides. If you're doing barbell sumo squats, pay attention to the location of the bar. It should lie slightly below the neck, on the muscles of the back. If dumbbells are used, you can lower them in front of the body with outstretched arms so that in the process of squatting the weight passes between the legs, or you can take one dumbbell by the disk and also lower it in front of the body. The second option is considered more convenient.
As you inhale, try not to lean forward too much. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. The knees should be in the same plane with the socks and not move inward - this is very important. Try to pull your pelvis as far back as possible with your flexibility.
Exhaling, slowly rise from the bottom point.

If you squat below the parallel with the floor, you can better work out the gluteal muscles. But keep in mind that this seriously increases the load on the knees, so do moderately deep sumo squats.

The place of this exercise in training the buttocks and thighs plays a role. If you do regular squats, you can alternate them with sumo squats, for example, do it weekly. If you avoid classic squats, then sumo can be used as a basic exercise to work out the lower body. In a comprehensive program, it is recommended to do this exercise at the start of the workout.

Implementation options

Exercises can be done with dumbbells, kettlebell, barbell. If you do squats with sumo dumbbells, then you can hold them in your hands down or at chest level.

Similarly, sumo squats with a kettlebell are done, but it is better to keep it below. The bar can be placed on the shoulders or also lowered down.

You can do exercises without weights at all. This option is suitable for beginners who are just mastering the technique of the exercise or cannot perform it with weights. It is difficult for an unprepared person to maintain balance with a wide squat, especially with a weighting agent.

Contraindications and precautions

These exercises can be dangerous for problems with the lower back, spine and knees. Also, do not abuse them with weak core muscles. In any case, the load must be increased gradually.

There are a number of common mistakes that can be made with plie squats. This is straightening the legs at the top point, arching the back, lowering the head and look, reaching the knees beyond the line of socks, as well as using too much weight. To correct mistakes, making the exercise effective and safe, follow these recommendations:

When rising from the squat, try not to straighten your legs completely, as this will give excessive load on the knee and reduce the tension of active muscles.
Very important correct technique. It is better to use lighter weights, but from a technical point of view, do everything perfectly.
The knee joint should move in the direction of the toe of the foot, not limited to its plane. Avoiding this mistake is quite simple - take the pelvis back, as this exercise technique suggests.
When doing squats, look straight ahead or slightly up. This will help control the stability of the hull.
If the position of the back is incorrect, there is a risk of injury to its lower part. To prevent this, try to keep your spine straight.
The vertical position of the column spine is typical for plie squats. The correct sumo squat technique involves the maximum retraction of the pelvis back, as if you are trying to sit on an imaginary chair, while the body can be tilted forward a little.

The amplitude swing is an individual parameter. Sumo squats allow for a deep squat, and a reduced range. The main role in this case is given to the purpose of training. If you want to pump the muscles of the buttocks, squat low and deep. If you move more parallel, the quadriceps will be worked out more.
Also, the muscles that will work depend on the turn of the knees and feet. The external orientation works out the adductor muscles more, and when the socks are brought together, the load is placed on the quadriceps, which makes the exercise meaningless. Focus on turning the socks at an angle of 45 degrees, but in accordance with correct technique this parameter can be adjusted.
As with other squats, the sumo technique puts a lot of stress on the lumbar back, so if you're doing this exercise, it's a good idea to strengthen that area with hyperextensions.
No need to use too much weight. You can determine that you overdid it as follows: if during the positive phase of the exercise you make an involuntary jerk of the pelvis, the weight is excessive for you.
IN lowest point it is recommended to linger for 2-3 seconds, and you need to rise quickly and sharply.
When squatting, the weight should be transferred to the heels. This will provide optimal stimulation of the gluteal muscles and will be rational in terms of biomechanics.
To prevent knee injury, keep your shins parallel to your feet.
The back should be kept straight, bending in the lower back.
Before exercising, do a little warm-up and stretching. It is important to pay special attention to stretching the inner thigh.
Breathe properly. The main effort is performed on the exhale.

The correct sumo squat technique on video

By following all the rules and recommendations, you can do sumo squats with maximum efficiency. Such a simple exercise helps to work out the inner thigh, strengthen the legs and buttocks. Use weights to increase efficiency. We offer you to watch a video of sumo squats, which will help you better understand their correct technique.

Barbell sumo squat- This is a basic exercise that is performed according to the squat technique with a barbell and it is best to alternate them with each other. There is a main difference - the load on the back is minimal, but the load on the legs has increased. Sumo-style squats are great for building strength.

Initial position

Go to the power rack and set the height of the hooks to the level of your shoulders, put the neck on the hooks. Sit under the bar, the middle of the foot should be exactly under the bar, now tear off the barbell and take a step back. Place the bar on the bottom of the trapezoid and rear deltas. Put your feet wider than your shoulders, turn your socks to the sides by 45 degrees. In the back, a slight deflection and tension of the lower back until the end of the exercise, retract the stomach. The neck is straight and the gaze is directed forward. The center of gravity is in the middle of the foot.

Barbell Sumo Squat Technique

The pelvis starts to descend first, take a breath. The back is straight, the knees diverge towards the socks. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. If you squat lower, keep a close eye on the technique. As soon as you reach parallel, start immediately lifting the bar up, exhaling after a difficult section of the exercise. The knees can not be fully extended, then there will be a constant load on the legs.

Before squats, pay special attention to warming up the inner thigh.
If you squat below the parallel, the buttocks will be included in the work.
Squat down until your knees are out to the sides. As soon as your knees begin to converge, begin to stand up.
For strength training, set up a chair or bench. The athlete should touch the surface with the buttocks and linger for a couple of seconds. Then start climbing up.
If you are new to the sumo squat or find it hard to do, do the exercise without weight to avoid injury, as it puts a lot of pressure on the inside of the thigh.
The more you turn your toes and knees to the sides, the more the inner thigh will work.

Sumo is one of better ways thoroughly pump legs, buttocks, inner thighs, quadriceps, shins. In terms of the number of working muscles with effective practice, only deadlift.
The wide stance of the legs is associated with Japanese martial arts, which determined the name of the exercise.

Sumo squats are suitable for both girls and men, the difference is only in weight when performing weighted exercises.

We accept the basic position of rikishi:

Standing straight, place the feet about 20 cm wider than the shoulders. To avoid overstressing the joints, keep your knees bent.
Socks are directed to the sides, shoulders are taken back, the press is strained.
For balance, stretch your arms horizontally.
We imitate an attempt to sit in a chair: we take the pelvis back, lower the body. Feet are static.
In a deep squat, control the knees. They should be directed straight, not peeking over the toes.
When lifting, we push off exclusively with our heels. The toes are always immobile. If this is difficult, we put pancakes under the heels or stand on the edge of a high rug.
Returning to the IP, we do not bring our knees inward.

Watching the video what muscles work when performing sumo squats and the correct execution technique:

Exercise variations

If you want to do a sumo squat with a load, do 2 sets with own weight. This will warm up the joints, redirect the flow of blood to the legs.

Sumo squat with dumbbell:

we grab the projectile with both hands, bring it to the chest or hold it below;
we become in the basic stance with half-bent knees;
squat according to the above principle;
pause at the bottom point, return to the IP.

We press the hands with weighting to the body. This stabilizes the body, limits the forward tilt amplitude.

Barbell sumo squat:

Grab the bar narrow grip. The shoulder blades are connected, the elbows are separated, the back muscles are maximally tense. The spine is static, the gaze is focused on a point.

Put the barbell on upper part trapezoid. For convenience, we put a towel.
We put our feet centimeters 15 wider than shoulders. We turn our fingers outward at an angle of 45 degrees.
We control the position of the hands. The bar is supposed to be held with bent hands, but if they are left straight, the iron will press firmly against the back, remaining in a fixed position throughout the process.
We squat on the heels while pulling the middle part of the body back. To maintain balance, it is permissible to lean forward slightly (40 degrees).
Lower your hips to horizontal with the floor.

Remember, the deeper we lower the pelvis, the more effectively the buttocks are worked out, but the knees and lower back are more heavily loaded. For amateurs, athletes with problem joints, weighted squats are not recommended.

We start working with dumbbells from 5 kg, smoothly reach the bar of 20 kg. We perform from 15 times in 4-5 approaches.
When the load increases, do not forget about power belts, reduce the number of attempts.
enough to gain mass 9 reps in 4 sets.
We calculate the tension in such a way that after the final squat there is no energy left for the next repetition.

If you want to work with large weights (from 100 kg), we train in the powerlifting gym under the supervision of a trainer.

In order for the legs and buttocks to please with chiseled forms, we include exercises in the main program 2 times a week.

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The correct technique for performing a squat with a wide stance is told, tips, recommendations and a training video from experts in fitness and bodybuilding.

Description of the exercise

As in, its name comes from the widely spaced legs; a certain flexibility of the hip joint is required to perform. Start performing the muscles after stretching the inner thigh, this is necessary so that the knees look strictly towards the toes, otherwise, under load and an uncomfortable position, the risk of knee injury increases.

The exercise is not for dummies, so do it after mastering the basic technique.

Trained muscles

The main load on the muscle and, partially receives the load of the quadriceps and a small part of the biceps of the thigh.

Exercise technique

1. The first and most important rule is that you need to start sumo squatting after a good stretch of the adductors of the leg and with sufficient flexibility in the hip joint, otherwise the injury will quickly creep up on you.

2. Widely spaced legs are aimed at a good pumping of the inner thigh.

3. The lower the squat, the more effective the exercise, but watch your knees carefully, if they start to move away from the direction where the socks are looking, moving towards the center, stop.

4. It is necessary to control the width of the legs, arrange them in such a way that they can sit down parallel to the floor, otherwise you will not use the effectiveness of the exercise to the end.

5. Do not load the barbell to the limit, these exercises are not for records, usually 20-30% of regular squats and this is normal, such weights are set at which you perform at least 6-8 without violating the movement technique.

With a wide setting of the legs and socks turned outward. This position gives the maximum load on the muscles of the buttocks and inner thighs. According to the execution technique, the sumo squat is similar to the plie squat: many believe that this is the same element.

Difference between sumo and plie

The differences between sumo and plie squats may be insignificant, but they are still there:

Therefore, in order to increase muscle mass in the area of \u200b\u200bthe inner surface of the thigh, sumo will be more effective and safer. This variant of squats allows you to work with a lot of weight without causing discomfort to the hip joints. Plie with a small weight can be used at the end of the training to consolidate the result.

Features of exercise and muscle work

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that sumo squats for girls are an indispensable exercise, despite the fact that they require significant physical training. It takes a lot of effort to squat wide without bringing your knees together. And you need to do this more than once.

As for the work of the muscles, in addition to the inner surface of the thighs and buttocks, the following are involved in the training process:

hamstrings;
quadriceps;
calf muscles;
back muscles.

Sumo Squat Technique and Common Mistakes

The step-by-step technique for performing sumo squats for both girls and the stronger sex will be as follows:

Step 1. We take the starting position: we stand up straight, keeping the natural deflection in lumbar. We spread our legs to the sides, turning our feet outward.

Important! Try to sit in this position. If you don’t feel discomfort when bringing your hips to parallel with the floor, then you can work from this position already with weights.

Another important point- choice of weights:

sumo squats with a barbell suggest the location of the neck on the muscles of the back, just below the neck;
when performing an element with dumbbells, you can lower them in front of the body on outstretched arms - as a result, the weight during the squat will pass between the legs, or lower one dumbbell also in front of the body, taking it by the disk.

Step 2 On inspiration, we begin the squat until the hips are parallel to the floor. We try not to lean forward much and monitor the position of the knees: they should be in the same plane with the socks and not turn inward. The pelvis should be pulled back as far as possible.

Step 3 As you exhale, slowly rise. We perform ten to fifteen times in two or three sets.

Important clarification! When performing a squat below the parallel with the floor, the gluteal muscles are better worked out, but the load on the knees increases.

As for errors when executing an element, they can be as follows:

Rounding the back during training. The back should always remain straight except for the natural arch in the lower back. Shoulders should be straightened, look straight ahead.

Bringing the knees forward by the toes. When squatting, the knees should not go beyond the level of the toe: for this, you need to take the pelvis back as far as possible.

Taking big weights. Do not overdo it: the main thing is the execution technique, and not the weight taken. If you cannot correctly execute an element at the selected weight, it is better to reduce its mass.

Exercise variations

You can perform sumo squats:

without weights, directing all energy to working out the technique;
with dumbbells or one dumbbell;
with a bar;
with a kettlebell to be held down.

To increase strength indicators, you can use such a technique as a “chair” in training, in which at the bottom point the buttocks practically touch the floor. As a result, the weight is pulled up only due to muscle strength.

Contraindications and precautions

Care should be taken to exercise for people who have problems with:

the spine, especially its lower part;
knees;
core muscles.

The load should always be increased gradually. Otherwise, pain in the lower back, knees or hip joints. The following precautions should be taken to avoid unnecessary strain on these parts of the body:

Do not straighten your legs to the end at the top point - let them remain slightly bent at the knees.
Do not allow the back to bend - its natural deflection should be preserved.
Make sure that the head is always raised and the gaze is directed forward - many unconsciously lower their heads and look at the floor.

To get the maximum benefit from the training and avoid undesirable consequences from incorrect execution technique, you can adhere to the following recommendations:

Sumo squats are unique in that you can choose the range of motion yourself. Whether it is a deep squat or a reduced amplitude depends on the purpose of the training. To pump the buttocks, squat deep and low. To work out the quadriceps, stop in a squat parallel to the floor.
Pay attention to the turn of the knees and feet: the socks should always be turned at least forty-five degrees - this will work out the adductor muscles - the main goal of the training. If the socks are brought together, the load will go to the quadriceps, and squats will no longer be called "sumo".
In connection with high load on the lower back, along with the element, it is recommended to do exercises to strengthen this zone.
Choose the right weights. If during the training you make an involuntary jerk with your pelvis, then you have chosen too big weight.
When doing a squat, try to stay at the bottom point for at least two to three seconds, and rise quickly and sharply.
For optimal development of the muscles of the buttocks during training, you need to transfer the weight to the heels.
The shins should always be parallel to the feet - this prevents the risk of injury to the knees.
Don't forget to warm up and stretch. Special attention Stretch your inner thighs both before and after your main workout.
Watch your breath - on the exhale we make the main effort.

Can sumo squats replace regular dumbbell squats?

In classic barbell squats leading role back plays. The sumo technique turns off the back almost completely. The work of the muscles of the legs will also be different. Therefore, replacing one exercise with another is not recommended: the execution technique will be completely different. The ideal option will be a combination of elements. For example, do classic squats one week, and sumo squats the other. Those who want to load more lower part bodies during training with an emphasis on the legs, perform sumo squats, and during training for all muscle groups, devote time to the classics.

It should also be said that sumo squats allow you to use more heavy weights. Therefore, it is better to give the exercise the beginning of the workout. Classics can be performed at any time during the workout.

Who is the exercise for?

Sumo squats are considered more of a female training option. But due to the fact that the quadriceps muscles are also occupied here, the exercise is also suitable for athletes who have some physiological problems that do not allow them to perform heavier elements. For example, training is suitable:

athletes with problem joints, as a wide stance reduces the load on the knees;
for athletes with insufficient mobility of the ankle - in the classic version, the heels come off the floor and stiffness of the joints occurs - sumo squats solve this problem.

The training is also suitable for athletes who want to use maximum weights, since the technique ideally allows this and gives a powerful incentive to the development of strength indicators.

Conclusion

Sumo squats are one of the variations of classic barbell squats, they are often confused with plie squats, but due to the special execution technique, this element is an independent exercise that will work the buttocks and hips no worse than, for example, lunges or glute bridge. And the possibility of using large weights makes training interesting for many athletes.