The lunge and sumo lunge or squat are both lower-body strengthening exercises. Although the exercises have similar benefits, such as improving leg muscle tone and balance, the movements are different. You may want to incorporate one or both into your workout routine, or alternate between the two for variety in training.

Lunge and Sumo

The lunge begins with your feet together and you standing tall. You step forward approximately 2 feet with one foot and then bend both knees as you lower into the squat. The sumo squat begins with your feet wider than your hips into a wide squat. You bend both knees to lower your hips until your thighs are approximately parallel with the floor. Your weight shifts onto your right foot as you pick up your left and turn around to face the opposite direction. Your left foot returns to the floor and you settle into the squat. You continue around the circle, or turn backward to your original position.


You have directional options with your moving lunges. You can do them forward, backward or sideways. You can add jumps to your lunges for a plyometric workout. The sumo lunge is typically a stationary exercise. One foot remains in place while the other rotates around a circular axis. You can increase the speed of your turn to improve your balance.


A lunge targets your quadriceps, the muscles on the fronts of your upper legs. Secondary muscles for the lunge are the glutes, the inner thighs and the soleus, which is one of the calf muscles. The sumo exercise also strengthens your upper legs, using both the quadriceps and the hamstrings to maintain the sumo position. Your inner thighs receive a greater workout from the sumo variation compared with the traditional lunge.


The lunge requires flexibility in your hips to lower completely into the movement. You also feel a stretch in your glute of the front leg. The sumo lunge requires flexibility in your inner thighs to keep your legs positioned in a wide stance. It is important to practice the wide squat before you advance to the sumo lunge.

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