How to do sumo squats?

[RainingBlood]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but can anyone give me a step by step instruction on how to do the sumo squat?
Do I let my knees pass my toes? Which way do my toes point? What about back position? How deep do I go? I can't do normal front squats, so until then, I'm going to rely on sumos.

[chazzy1864]

What do front squats and sumo squats have to do with each other, really?

Aside from both having the word squat in their name, they are completely different. One is a very very ham dominant lift while the other is a very quad dominant lift.


None the less, with a sumo squat, you probably wont' have your knees go past your toes, but you might. Back lean depends on your squat style and bar position. Go as deep as your flexibility allows. Toes point whichever way your knees track. Most likely that will be out at about a 45 degree angle since you are donning a wide sumo stance.

[RainingBlood]

What do front squats and sumo squats have to do with each other, really?

Aside from both having the word squat in their name, they are completely different. One is a very very ham dominant lift while the other is a very quad dominant lift.


None the less, with a sumo deadlift, you probably wont' have your knees go past your toes, but you might. Back lean depends on your squat style and bar position. Go as deep as your flexibility allows. Toes point whichever way your knees track. Most likely that will be out at about a 45 degree angle since you are donning a wide sumo stance.

Sumo deadlift?

[chazzy1864]

Sumo deadlift?

Sorry, meant squat. I'm used to typing sumo deadlift more than a sumo squat.

[RainingBlood]

Sorry, meant squat. I'm used to typing sumo deadlift more than a sumo squat.

Do I arch my back doing squats period? I've read that you're supposed to arch your lower, and that you aren't.

[chazzy1864]

Do I arch my back doing squats period? I've read that you're supposed to arch your lower, and that you aren't.

You want a flat/naturally arched back. Do not over arch, adn do not allow your lower back to round. If you experience rounding (at the bottom of your squat) that is a sign you are inflexible.

[RainingBlood]

You want a flat/naturally arched back. Do not over arch, adn do not allow your lower back to round. If you experience rounding (at the bottom of your squat) that is a sign you are inflexible.

What would you consider over arching?

[chazzy1864]

What would you consider over arching?

Woo, hard to describe (without an image) and can't find good pictures online.

Pretty much the natural arch you have, you want to maintain that the whole time. Just bend over at the waist, while maintaining that same amount of arch. If you are arching much more than that, you'll be overarching.


I hope someone else can come in and give a better description or maybe has a picture to use as an example.

[RainingBlood]

Woo, hard to describe (without an image) and can't find good pictures online.

Pretty much the natural arch you have, you want to maintain that the whole time. Just bend over at the waist, while maintaining that same amount of arch. If you are arching much more than that, you'll be overarching.


I hope someone else can come in and give a better description or maybe has a picture to use as an example.

How far do my feet have to be apart? I'm "6'3, and they say the standard is around 3 feet apart for wide stance. I feel I need to go more. How far is too far?
Also, I'm a little confused with leaning forward. I'm very inflexible with standard squats, I lean forward. I heard you're supposed to be erect throughout the whole movement, but some people lean forward like this guy:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercise...-barbell-squat
How far is too far for leaning forward?
Sorry with all the questions, I just get curious about one thing after another.

[chazzy1864]

How far do my feet have to be apart? I'm "6'3, and they say the standard is around 3 feet apart for wide stance. I feel I need to go more. How far is too far?
Also, I'm a little confused with leaning forward. I'm very inflexible with standard squats, I lean forward. I heard you're supposed to be erect throughout the whole movement, but some people lean forward like this guy:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercise...-barbell-squat
How far is too far for leaning forward?
Sorry with all the questions, I just get curious about one thing after another.

Your forward lean depends more on bar position. Either which way, you want to keep teh bar over your mid-foot.




Sumo squats are very wide. So go very wide for you. Either similar to the guy in your link or even wider if you want.

May I ask why you want to do sumo squats so much?

[RainingBlood]

Your forward lean depends more on bar position. Either which way, you want to keep teh bar over your mid-foot.




Sumo squats are very wide. So go very wide for you. Either similar to the guy in your link or even wider if you want.

May I ask why you want to do sumo squats so much?

I can't squat normally. I don't like doing leg press. I'm currently stretching. Since I started, I've gained TONS of flexibility. That's why :P.

[Delgadido]

I can't squat normally. I don't like doing leg press. I'm currently stretching. Since I started, I've gained TONS of flexibility. That's why :P.

try zercher squats. they are pretty comfortable for me.

[chazzy1864]

I can't squat normally. I don't like doing leg press. I'm currently stretching. Since I started, I've gained TONS of flexibility. That's why :P.

ahh good stuff.

Well just squat what you can, go down until your ass starts to tuck under and stop there. Just continue to focus on flexibility and make continual progress.

If you haven't found this thread by djartek already, here it is. It is good stuff. Info throughout the whole thing, don't do yourself a disservice and stop reading after the first post:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=123273471

[RainingBlood]

ahh good stuff.

Well just squat what you can, go down until your ass starts to tuck under and stop there. Just continue to focus on flexibility and make continual progress.

If you haven't found this thread by djartek already, here it is. It is good stuff. Info throughout the whole thing, don't do yourself a disservice and stop reading after the first post:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=123273471

Seen it before, but didn't read past the first post .
Much appreciated. Thanks man.