Exercise guide
Smith Sumo Chair Squat
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
The Smith Sumo Chair Squat utilizes a wide stance and forward foot placement to heavily target the glutes, adductors, and hamstrings while maintaining an upright torso. By leveraging the Smith machine's fixed path, you can sit back deeper into the movement than a traditional squat, maximizing posterior chain recruitment.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Set the Smith machine bar to shoulder height and step under it, resting the bar across your upper traps.
- Place your feet 6-12 inches in front of the bar path with a stance significantly wider than shoulder-width.
- Rotate your toes outward at approximately a 45-degree angle.
- Unrack the bar and stand tall with your core braced and shoulders retracted.
How to do it
- Inhale and lower your hips straight down as if sitting into a chair, keeping your torso nearly vertical.
- Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, ensuring your knees track in the same direction as your toes.
- Exhale and drive through your heels to return to the starting position, focusing on pushing the floor away.
- Maintain a controlled 3-0-1-0 tempo (3 seconds down, no pause, 1 second up).
Form checklist
- Keep your knees pushed out; do not let them cave inward during the ascent.
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid rounding your lower back at the bottom of the range.
- Ensure your weight remains centered on your heels and mid-foot, not your toes.
- Keep your chest up and gaze forward to prevent the torso from leaning too far forward.
Pro tips
- Actively 'spread the floor' with your feet during the entire movement to maximize glute medius and adductor engagement.
- Pause for one second at the bottom of the rep to eliminate momentum and increase mechanical tension on the glutes.
Make it harder
- Perform 1.5 reps by descending fully, coming up halfway, descending again, and then standing all the way up.
- Add a 3-second isometric pause at the bottom of every repetition.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the smith sumo chair squat work?
- The smith sumo chair squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the smith sumo chair squat?
- The smith sumo chair squat uses smith machine.
- Is the smith sumo chair squat good for beginners?
- The smith sumo chair squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- Air Pillow Balance Counterbalanced Skater SquatAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps