1. Assume the Sumo Position
Doing a regular, traditional stance squat requires strict form if you're to get maximum returns out of the lower body exercise without injuring yourself. Because of the wide stance of the sumo squat, this is especially true. The key is to take a stance that's at least wider than shoulder width apart and then rotate your feet so they point away from you at a 45-degree angle. Squat down once with your back straight (with or without weight) so you can make the correct adjustments to your stance.
2. The Smart Way Is With a Dumbbell
If you're not completely familiar and comfortable with the squat and its variations, you should learn the sumo squat with a dumbbell. Hold a dumbbell of moderate weight with the dumbbell positioned vertically. Extend your arms so that the dumbbell hangs beneath you between your legs. Keeping your back straight, toes angled away from your center and your butt out, dip into the sumo squat without moving your arms or shoulders at all. This variation helps teach proper sumo squat form.
3. Raise the Bar
Once you've become comfortable with the dumbbell sumo squat, switch over to an Olympic weightlifting bar. Your first task is to find the correct bar position for you whether it's the high-bar, which rests the bar on top of your posterior deltoids (rear shoulders), or the low-bar, which allows the bar to dip slightly between your shoulder blades. Try out each configuration a few times with an unloaded or lightly loaded bar so you get the right position.
4. Do Your Shoes Match?
One of the more common mistakes people make when performing the squat is doing the exercise with the wrong footwear. It may sound trivial, but when you're doing an exercise like the sumo squat that requires balance and stability, a flat, hard-soled shoe is required. Tennis or running shoes compress under weight and tend to rock forward, throwing you off balance during a squat. Check out weightlifters' favorites, Converse All-Stars, or throw in for a pair of weightlifting shoes.
5. Get Some Sumo Help
The sumo squat and its similarly inspired cousin the sumo deadlift strengthen many of the same typically neglected muscles. The inner thighs and hip flexors are among those that the two sumo lifts target so if you're finding that you have trouble with the sumo squat try slotting the sumo deadlift into your routine for some extra, targeted strengthening. The important thing is, however, to give yourself at least one or two rest days for recovery between workouts.
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