Legs · Bodyweight
Sumo Hip Twist Stretch
How to do the sumo hip twist stretch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Drop into a wide sumo stance with toes turned out and knees bent, resting your hands on your thighs. Press one shoulder forward and rotate your torso to open that hip, hold, then switch to the other side.
- 1A stretch through your inner thighs and groin from the wide stance
- 2One hip opening as you rotate your shoulder toward the opposite knee
- 3Your chest staying lifted as you twist
Common mistakes
- Letting your knees collapse inward; drive them out over your toes
- Forcing the twist past a comfortable range
- Rounding your lower back instead of hinging tall
Muscles worked
The sumo hip twist stretch mainly works the adductors, with the obliques, glutes, hip flexors, lower back, and quads assisting.
- AdductorsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- GlutesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- External RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the sumo hip twist stretch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More hips & adductors exercises
- How to do the butterfly stretch
- How to do the external rotation
- How to do the cable hip adduction
- How to do the internal rotation
- How to do the cobra pose
- How to do the core scrunch
Last reviewed June 2026.