Smith Sumo Squat

GlutesQuadricepsHamstringsSmith MachineBeginner
1. Set the barbell on the Smith machine at shoulder height. 2. Stand facing the barbell with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, and toes pointed outwards. 3. Position yourself underneath the bar, resting it securely on your shoulders. 4. Engage your core and maintain a tall posture throughout the movement. 5. Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, pushing your glutes back as if sitting down into a chair. 6. Continue descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly lower. 7. Keep your knees in line with your toes, ensuring they are pointing in the same direction as your feet. 8. Pause briefly at the bottom of the squat. 9. Drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees simultaneously. 10. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form and control.

How to perform the Smith Sumo Squat

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Smith Sumo Squat using your smith machine.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your glutes.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your glutes rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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