Next time you’re in the gym doing deadlifts, take a page out of the wrestler handbook and try it sumo style. Named for the wide stance that sumo wrestlers get into before facing their opponent, a sumo deadlift is a twist on the conventional deadlift that can help you reach your glute gain goals.
In a sumo deadlift your feet start wider than your shoulders, which gives you a strong base to lift the weight. Just like a conventional deadlift, it is a functional movement with a hinging pattern that mimics the behavior of picking something up off the ground. Because of this, training sumo deadlifts can help you in your everyday life.
Experts Featured in This Article:
Stephen Sheehan, is a personal trainer and writer for Garage Gym Reviews.
Benefits of a Sumo Deadlift
While sumo deadlifts are a beneficial exercise for anyone to add to their repertoire, they are especially helpful for those who may have different restrictions that make a conventional deadlift more challenging, like lower back issues, for example.
“A sumo deadlift is a great way to strengthen your posterior chain, especially your glutes, hamstrings, and hip muscles, without placing as much stress on your lower back,” says Stephen Sheehan, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews. “The wide-stance setup can make it a little easier for taller lifters to get into position compared to a traditional deadlift.”
Plus, a shorter range of motion is required for a wider stance which can allow you to lift heavier loads, Sheehan says.
What Muscles Does the Sumo Deadlift Work?
Though the sumo deadlift is considered a lower body exercise, the truth is, you use your full body to perform the lift. “The sumo deadlift primarily targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, but your traps and lat muscles are also involved, as well as your core,” Sheehan says.
How to Do a Sumo Deadlift
Ahead, a step-by-step guide to doing a sumo deadlift. We’re doing it Romanian style though (as shown above), meaning the movement starts from standing and the weight never touches the floor.
- Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and your toes turned out, with a kettlebell in your hands.
- Roll your shoulders down and back. Slightly pinch your shoulder blades together, while pressing your arms into the sides of your body.
- Keeping a soft bend in the knees, hinge forward from the hips. Keep the kettlebell close to the body. Stop hinging when you feel the tension in the back of your legs.
- Drive away from the floor to stand up, keeping the kettlebell close to your body.
- Repeat for 8-10 reps.
Tips For Proper Sumo Deadlift Form
To help you get the most out of the move, here are some key form tips from Sheehan.
- Drive your knees out. Sheehan explains that this will help to ensure the bar stays as close to your hips as possible.
- Brace your core. Your core is your body stabilizer, and keeping it engaged will help protect your lower back through the movement. To brace your core, think about drawing your rib cage towards your hips.
- Hinge your hips. You want to make sure you hinge by driving the hips back as the chest comes forward vs. pushing your butt back.
Common Sumo Deadlift Mistakes
Because sumo deadlifts can put you at risk for injury if done incorrectly, it is important to watch for these common mistakes that Sheehan says he often sees with clients.
- Holding the kettlebell too far away from your legs/body: You want the kettlebell to be as close to your shins as possible. Otherwise, you will place too much stress on your lower back. When the kettlebell is too far away from your body, it can also cause the shoulders to roll forward.
- Hyperextending at the top: Stand up straight, but don’t lean back when you get to the top of the lift. This can also put unnecessary stress on your lower back and hips.
- Going too heavy, too soon: This can lead to injuries, so make sure you feel comfortable with your technique and follow progressive overload principles.
- Not engaging your lats: By keeping your arms pressed against your body throughout the lift, this will engage your lats, which helps protect your lower back and keeps your shoulders from rounding forward.
Brittany Hammond is a NASM-certified fitness instructor, a fitness writer, and an avid reader. In addition to PS, she has contributed to Livestrong.com, Well+Good, Verywell Fit, and Health.com. She has worked as a group fitness coach for the past seven years.
