Sumo Squats
The bodyweight sumo squat drops you straight down between a wide stance with toes turned out, shifting extra work onto the inner thighs and glutes. Maddy uses it to build comfortable depth for beginners whose narrow-stance squats feel cramped at the hips. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 × 5-6 slow reps (3-s descent) | 90-120 s |
| Muscle | 3 × 9-12 reps | 60-90 s |
| Endurance | 2-3 × 18-27 reps | 30-45 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner; stance width and toe angle are personal — adjust until the knees track cleanly and depth feels free.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Set your feet well outside shoulder width with toes turned out about 30 degrees.
- Sit straight down between your heels — not back like a narrow squat.
- Push the knees out so they track over the middle toes all the way down.
- Keep the torso tall with hands clasped at the chest.
- Press through the whole foot and squeeze the inner thighs and glutes as you stand.
Breathing: Inhale on the way down, exhale as you drive the floor away and stand.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program sumo squats
| Goal | Phase | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strength | weeks 1–4 · build | 4 | 6 | 3-0-1-0 | 90–120 s | 7 |
| strength | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 4 | 5 | 3-0-1-0 | 90–120 s | 8 |
| strength | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 5 | 3-1-1-0 | 90–120 s | 9 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 12 | 2-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 7 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 10 | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 8 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 9 | 3-1-2-0 | 60–90 s | 8–9 |
| endurance | weeks 1–4 · build | 2 | 18 | 2-0-2-0 | 30–45 s | 6 |
| endurance | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 22 | 2-0-2-0 | 30–45 s | 7 |
| endurance | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 27 | 2-0-2-0 | 30–45 s | 7–8 |
| beginner | weeks 1–4 · learn | 2 | 8 | 3-0-2-0 | 60 s | 5 |
| beginner | weeks 5–8 · groove | 2 | 10 | 3-0-2-0 | 60 s | 6 |
| beginner | weeks 9–12 · load | 3 | 10 | 3-0-2-0 | 60 s | 6–7 |
Tempo = eccentric-pause-concentric-pause, seconds (X = explosive intent).
Common questions
What do sumo squats work that regular squats don't?
The wide, turned-out stance lengthens the adductors — the inner-thigh muscles — so they contribute more on every rep, and many people find the glutes easier to feel as well. Regular squats still train the legs comprehensively; the sumo stance is a targeting tool, not a replacement. Maddy typically alternates stances across the week so both patterns stay strong.
Are sumo squats good for beginners?
Excellent, actually. The wide base is more stable, the upright torso is easier to maintain, and hips that feel pinched in a narrow squat often open up immediately with the turned-out stance. Most beginners reach a deeper, cleaner bottom position sumo-style within their first session, then carry that depth back to the conventional stance.
How do I progress bodyweight sumo squats?
In order: slow the descent to three seconds, add a two-second pause at the bottom, then increase reps toward the top of your range. When 15 paused reps are comfortable, hold a single dumbbell at your chest goblet-style — that is the dumbbell sumo squat already in Maddy's library — and restart the ladder at lower reps.
Do sumo squats help with tight hips and inner-thigh mobility?
Yes, within limits. The wide stance and turned-out toes take your hips through more abduction and external rotation than a standard squat, so each rep doubles as loaded mobility work for the adductors. Sink to a comfortable depth, pause two seconds at the bottom, and let gravity ease you slightly deeper over the weeks. It will not replace dedicated stretching, but three sets twice a week noticeably improves how deep and comfortable your wide stance feels within a month or two.
Why do my knees cave inward during sumo squats, and how do I fix it?
Knee cave in a wide stance usually means the outer glutes are not resisting the pull of the inner thighs as you stand up. First, shorten the range — squat only as deep as you can keep the knees tracking over your middle toes. Second, slow the ascent to two seconds and think about screwing your feet into the floor. Third, add direct outer-glute work such as side-lying leg raises. If it persists even at easy depths, film a set and check your stance width.
Related exercises
Easier: Squats · Harder: Dumbbell Sumo Squat
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