Barbell Sumo Squat

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Set the barbell in a rack at roughly upper-chest height and load it.
2. 2Step under the bar and place it across your upper traps or rear delts, not on your neck.
3. 3Grip the bar slightly wider than your normal squat grip and pull your shoulder blades together to build a shelf.
4. 4Stand up, step back, and set your feet significantly wider than shoulder-width, toes turned out about 45 degrees.
5. 5Brace your core, keep your chest up and back straight, then bend your knees and hips to lower your body down.
6. 6Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, or as deep as you can hold a neutral spine.
7. 7Push through your heels and mid-foot to stand back up, keeping the bar path vertical over the mid-foot.
8. 8Re-rack the bar when the set is finished.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Letting the knees collapse inward during descent, which is more dangerous under a loaded bar.
• Rounding the lower back at the bottom of the squat.
• Lifting the heels off the ground while standing up.
• Placing the bar too high on the neck instead of on the traps or rear delts.
• Letting the bar drift forward of the mid-foot, which pitches the torso over.
• Going deeper than mobility allows and losing a neutral spine.

TIPS

• Drive your knees outward in line with your toes throughout the descent and ascent.
• Keep your weight centered over your mid-foot so the bar travels straight up and down.
• Brace your core hard before each rep and maintain an upright torso.
• Take a grip that lets you squeeze the upper back tight; a wide grip often feels more stable in a sumo stance.
• Use a controlled descent rather than dropping into the bottom.

SAFETY

• Loaded spinal compression and shear make this riskier than the bodyweight version.
• Use a rack with safety pins or a spotter, start light and progress gradually, and stop the set if the lower back rounds or the knees cave.
• Lifters with knee, hip or lower back issues should get clearance before loading heavy.

DETAILS

Muscles

GlutesQuadriceps

Equipment

BarbellSquat Rack

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Weight & Reps

TECHNIQUE

Stance

Wide