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  • Gluteus maximus
  • Dumbbell
  • Beginner

Dumbbell sumo squat

The dumbbell sumo squat works your glutes, quads, and inner thighs, with your arms helping. Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, stopping with about 3 reps in reserve. To build muscle, do 2 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps.

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Video on the way

We film every move with real women. Until then, follow the steps and the 3 tips.

  1. Tip 1Knees out over your toes
  2. Tip 2Chest up
  3. Tip 3Squeeze your glutes at the top

Where you should feel it

In your glutes, the front of your thighs and your inner thighs. The wide stance gets your glutes more involved than a narrow squat.

Main muscles
Gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, and adductors
Also working
Vastus medialis, rectus femoris, adductor magnus, and forearms

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet well wider than your shoulders, toes turned out, holding one dumbbell vertically by the top end between your legs.

  2. Brace your core and lower by bending your knees and hips, chest up, knees tracking toward your toes.

  3. Go as low as you can with a flat back, without the dumbbell touching the floor.

  4. Push the floor away to stand up and squeeze your glutes at the top.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake

    Knees collapsing inward as you lower.

    How to fix it

    Push your knees out toward your toes. If they can't follow, turn your toes out a little less or narrow your stance.

  • Mistake

    Torso tipping forward under the dumbbell.

    How to fix it

    Keep your chest open and the dumbbell close, moving straight down between your legs.

  • Mistake

    Only going down a little.

    How to fix it

    Lower until your thighs are close to knee level, as long as your back stays flat. To go deeper with a big dumbbell, stand on two steps.

Sets and reps for your goal

GoalSetsRepsReps in reserveRest
Getting started2 to 38 to 12360 to 120 s
Muscle and definition2 to 46 to 121 to 31.5 to 3 min

Reps in reserve: how many more reps you could still do with good form when you end the set.

Variations

Same movement, other equipment

  • Kettlebell

    Hold the kettlebell by the handle with both hands between your legs. Same technique.

  • Barbell sumo squat

    Wide stance with the bar on your upper back, set up in a rack. For when the dumbbell gets too light.

  • Goblet squat

    Narrower stance with the dumbbell at your chest. More work for the front of your thighs.

At home or with more support

  • At home: sumo squat with a backpack or jug

    Hold a weighted backpack or a water jug between your legs and do the same movement.

  • Prefer more stability? Sumo squat to a bench

    Place a bench between your feet and lightly sit on it each rep. The bench sets your depth and gives you support.

Taken? Swap it for one of these

They work the same main muscle.

Keep exploring

Sources

  • Sets and reps

    Currier BS, D'Souza AC, et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026;58(4):851-872.

    Full textPubMedDOI

  • Technique

    Paoli A, Marcolin G, et al. The effect of stance width on the electromyographical activity of eight superficial thigh muscles during back squat with different bar loads. J Strength Cond Res. 2009;23(1):246-250.

    PubMedDOI

  • Technique

    Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, et al. Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2019;119(9):1933-1942.

    PubMedDOI

  • Muscles worked

    Neto WK, Soares EG, et al. Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. J Sports Sci Med. 2020;19(1):195-203.

    Full textPubMed

  • Variations

    Haugen ME, Vårvik FT, et al. Effect of free-weight vs. machine-based strength training on maximal strength, hypertrophy and jump performance - a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2023;15(1):103.

    Full textPubMedDOI

Review

Draft. This guide is waiting for review by a certified strength and conditioning professional.

Updated October 31, 2026