Sumo dumbbell squats vs barbell

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Vanilla_Lattes
Vanilla_Lattes Posts: 251 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I prefer the feel of sumo dumbbell squats. Should I be trying to like barbell squats? I'm not 100% comfortable with the bar on my back.

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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    If you like dumbbell squats do dumbbell squats. Someday if you want to work toward barbell squats, do it, but they are not a must.
  • Vanilla_Lattes
    Vanilla_Lattes Posts: 251 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    If you like dumbbell squats do dumbbell squats. Someday if you want to work toward barbell squats, do it, but they are not a must.

    I do similar weight right now with them (65#), I feel like if I were wanting to progress a lot I'd have to move to barbell but I am just over thinking it at this point lol
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I do a mixture of both on alternating days as they work slightly different muscles. I tend to do more sumo as I'm a runner with tight hips but to get your comfort level up with regular squats try using an unloaded bar and have someone watch / correct your form.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    you can only progress so far with dumbbells. Start to get used to the bar on your back, it feels awesome engaging your upperbody for the lift and building up that stability. Where are you holding the weight when you squat, between your legs or are you getting it up to your chest like a goblet ? 65 is a big dumbbell to be balancing up to your chest, If you have the dumbbell between yoiur legs, you might be doing more of a sumo deadlift which isn't a squat.
  • Vanilla_Lattes
    Vanilla_Lattes Posts: 251 Member
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    SonyaCele wrote: »
    you can only progress so far with dumbbells. Start to get used to the bar on your back, it feels awesome engaging your upperbody for the lift and building up that stability. Where are you holding the weight when you squat, between your legs or are you getting it up to your chest like a goblet ? 65 is a big dumbbell to be balancing up to your chest, If you have the dumbbell between yoiur legs, you might be doing more of a sumo deadlift which isn't a squat.

    I guess I'm doing sumo deadlift but I don't let it hit the ground. Definitely not at my chest. I did try barbell for first time today and it felt a little awkward.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    It depends. What are your goals and why are you squatting to begin with?

    Depending on your goals you may not need to squat at all, or you may be just fine using DBs.

    The barbell squat is a great exercise and you aren't going to be comfortable doing it until you get used to doing it, and so if you WANT to learn to do it you're going to have to start practicing at some point.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    you can practice holding the bar at home, with a broomstick or something and get your muscles all limbered up and do some squats with the broomstick and start getting used to the position.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2016
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    SonyaCele wrote: »
    you can only progress so far with dumbbells. Start to get used to the bar on your back, it feels awesome engaging your upperbody for the lift and building up that stability. Where are you holding the weight when you squat, between your legs or are you getting it up to your chest like a goblet ? 65 is a big dumbbell to be balancing up to your chest, If you have the dumbbell between yoiur legs, you might be doing more of a sumo deadlift which isn't a squat.

    You might think of them as plie squats, but you can squat sumo with a dumbbell between your legs. You're not doing a hip hinge with a squat.
  • Vanilla_Lattes
    Vanilla_Lattes Posts: 251 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    It depends. What are your goals and why are you squatting to begin with?

    Depending on your goals you may not need to squat at all, or you may be just fine using DBs.

    The barbell squat is a great exercise and you aren't going to be comfortable doing it until you get used to doing it, and so if you WANT to learn to do it you're going to have to start practicing at some point.
    Honestly I've just caught the bug and love picking up heavy things.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    brwelch1 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    It depends. What are your goals and why are you squatting to begin with?

    Depending on your goals you may not need to squat at all, or you may be just fine using DBs.

    The barbell squat is a great exercise and you aren't going to be comfortable doing it until you get used to doing it, and so if you WANT to learn to do it you're going to have to start practicing at some point.
    Honestly I've just caught the bug and love picking up heavy things.

    If you are doing it primarily for fun then just use dumbbells and have fun.

    Squatting with a barbell will definitely become more enjoyable when you get good at it, and you won't get good at it unless you practice it, but there's no reason you have to do it at all.
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
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    brwelch1 wrote: »
    Honestly I've just caught the bug and love picking up heavy things.

    Then you need to get under the bar if you want to pick up heavier things. A progressive lifting program is what I would recommend. I'm a couple months into Starting Strength, you can start with the empty bar. The book is a wealth of knowledge.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    brwelch1 wrote: »
    Honestly I've just caught the bug and love picking up heavy things.

    Back squats aren't required for that. Feel free to play around with other squat variations - goblet squats.. zercher squats.. 2 dumbbell squats (narrow stance).. dumbbell front squats.. hex bar squats.. I'll even squat holding a large boxing bag - hella fun. The bonus with all of these is that they work your arms, so they won't be the weakest link when lifting things outside the gym, as they can from doing back squats. :+1:

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