In the ultimate Sumo Deadlift, the lifter must lift a barbell with their hands in their thighs while extending their position. According to the Journal of Sports Science Medicine, this deadlift is extremely effective for longer-torso lifters with less deadlift experience. It's often easier on the lower back and allows the lifter to pull a heavier weight than the traditional deadlift, which is performed with a closer stance with the hands outside the legs.
Before trying the ultimate Sumo Deadlift, here's everything you should know about it:
Step-by-step breakdown of the sumo deadlift
Step 1: building the attitude
It would help if you start out with a wide stance and your toes pointing slightly outwards. The stance should be wide enough for your arms to reach down, inside your knees (elbows inside your knees). The breadth of one's posture varies from person to person. However, the width should allow you to have your shins perpendicular to the floor, your back flat, and your shoulders directly over the bar.
Tip: Pull your hips down toward the bar while keeping your core tight and tight. The knees must be pulled out far so that the upper body remains a little more vertical Sumo Deadlift than traditional deadlifts.
Step 2: Take the Slack out of the pole
Once in position, tighten your back, core, legs, and buttocks to develop a feeling of full-body tension. Pull the bar up slightly and push your legs through the floor (without moving the bar any further). Breathe in again after reaching your maximum tension position, then continue with step three.
Tip: Before each pull, imagine your body increasing in pressure while all your muscles are tensed and ready to fire at the same time.
Step 3: Ride your legs.
Now that you're in the correct position and the bar or your body isn't sagging, it's time to pull the barbell by simultaneously pushing through your feet and pulling the bar up. The idea is to keep the barbell close to your body as you stand up, rather than dropping your chest or raising your hips during the pull. Drive through your legs while pushing into your heels and keeping your hips and chest in place.
Tip: Keep your chest up and make sure the bar is against your shins as you pull to prevent the bar from shifting too far forward. This may bother you Sumo Deadlift and in the worst case lead to damage.
Step 4: Block the weight
You should start feeling the weight on your legs at this point. The bar may start pulling you down or stop moving altogether. Avoid sagging your chest or arching your upper back. Continue pushing through your heels, then squeeze your glutes to bring the bar up to hip height.
Tip: Squeeze your butt if you're having trouble completing the lift once the bar goes past your knees. This will help propel your hips forward and reduce the distance between the weight and the apex of the lift.
Benefits of the Sumo Deadlift
Here are some benefits of Sumo Deadlift athletes can expect when incorporating it into their training routine.
1. Simpler mechanics (for some)
The biggest selling point of the Sumo Deadlift is that it's designed to be user-friendly from the start (that is, for most people). The shorter range of motion is due to the wider stance and narrower arm position, which means most people can lift a little more weight than they can with the traditional deadlift. Some lifters, particularly those in the powerlifting scene, believe that a Sumo Deadlift is a form of cheating, and it is not, and if a weightlifter is small and has short arms, the sumo deadlift may not be the ideal option for them.
2. More power, especially at the top
One variation of the deadlift that might help you gain overall strength and muscle mass is the deadlift Sumo Deadlift (similar to the traditional deadlift and trapeze bar deadlift). The sumo deadlift can be performed in a variety of ways, including using bands, changing the tempo of the lift, and adding chains. Because you can typically lift a heavier load with this deadlift, you may be overloading your muscles with more weight than they are used to. This newfound strength should help you finish the top part of the lift more effectively when returning to conventional deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts.
3. Limits lower back strain
Unlike the traditional deadlift, the sumo deadlift requires the lifter to maintain a more vertical upper body position (due to foot placement). The lower back isn't as stressed as with the traditional deadlift because the vertical angle of the back is increased (the upper body is more upright). Strength athletes who want to limit lower back loading, monitor erector training volume, or target different pull components may find this useful.
4. Glute and quadriceps strength
the Sumo Deadlift stimulates the glutes (due to external hip rotation) and vastus medial (internal quads) to a greater extent than a traditional deadlift due to the foot placement and hip/knee angles in the setup. Strength athletes looking to improve specific muscles for aesthetic reasons or to strengthen a specific weak muscle can benefit.
Muscles stimulated by sumo deadlifts
- glutes
- hamstrings
- quadriceps
- Erector Spinae (lower back)
- trapezius and back muscles
Sets, reps, and weight recommendations for the sumo deadlift
- To improve deadlift mechanics: Do three to four sets of eight to ten reps at a controlled speed with light to moderate loads and rest as needed.
- To get stronger: Do three to five sets of three to five reps with a heavy load, and rest as needed.
- Muscle building: Do three to five sets of six to ten repetitions with a moderate to heavy weight. Alternatively, you can do two to four sets of 12 to 15 reps with a moderate weight. Rest periods should be 45-90 seconds.
- To increase muscular endurance and fatigue resistance: With a light to moderate weight, do two to four sets of 12 to 20 repetitions with rest periods limited to 30 to 45 seconds.
Frequently asked Questions:
Question: Can you lift heavier with sumo deadlift?
Answer: You may be overloading your muscles with more weight than they are used to because they are Sumo Deadlift allows you to lift a larger load. They allow lifters to lift heavier weights and maximize their strength. When you return to conventional deadlifts or trap bar deadlifts, this improved strength should help you finish the top part of the lift more effectively.
Question: Is a sumo deadlift a real deadlift?
Answer: sumo deadlifts are just as real as any other type of deadlift. They're a type of deadlift that focuses on different muscle groups than a traditional deadlift. However, they differ in that they are not primarily a hip hinge movement, but also a knee hinge-initiated movement. These deadlifts can even improve on your traditional deadlift (and vice versa).
Question: Are sumo deadlifts heavier than regular deadlifts?
Answer: sumo deadlifts aren't always better or worse than traditional deadlifts, and training with both is a good idea. Traditional deadlifts work more of the hamstrings and lower back, while these work more of the glutes and quadriceps.