Sumo No Mo

Sumo squat, Sumo dead lifts, glutes and quads. American exercise culture is heavily influenced by bodybuilding. Physical fitness is as old as mankind, although before it was physical fitness it was probably work and survival skills. Skipping the long history in the 50's and 60's America had a season of prosperity which left Americans in pretty poor health, not to far from the condition of Americans today. Of course it wasn't as wide spread and because of the times society had a wide push to combat the issue. That's where Jack LaLanne, weight watchers, and Arnold Schwarzenegger came on the scene to help make america "healthier". However that image of health was big muscles and shredded.

I know whats this have to do with sumo squats or dead lifts, well as i said bodybuilder influences. Jack Lalanne and Arnold very well known in that circle, those circles are heavily influenced by look. So that brings us to the sumo, the purpose of the sumo was to make the aforementioned lifts easier so you can lift heavier. The way you are able to lift heavier is by incorporating your quads and a parts of your glutes that externally rotate. In reality working the external rotators helps shut off the glutes and not develop them. Because external rotation turns off your glutes you are also helping to make yourself more quad dominant. Your glutes work best when your feet are pointed forward, hip extension is the glutes main function.

Exercise, working out, fitness should about optimizing the function of the body not making it more aesthetically appealing. If you are wanting to develop your glutes and quads in a way that will be good for the body, they must be done separately. Remember the glutes are apart of two lines the back functional line and the lateral line. Back functional line made up of the lats and glutes. The lateral line being the peroneus, itb,tfl, glute max, obliques. So a few exercises to develop the glutes would be a row into a clean or a mace lunge. Your quads are attached to your abdominals so a front rack squat while letting your knees go past your toes does the trick. Remember results at the expense of future function aren't results you want. You have one body, lets take care of it. Until next time keep it RAW