Muscles worked
What the sumo deadlift trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set your stance. Stand with your feet wide enough that your shins are close to vertical and your knees sit over your toes when you grip the bar. For most lifters that is well outside shoulder width; start moderate and widen only as far as your hips allow. Turn your toes out about 30 to 45 degrees.
- 02
Bar over midfoot. Walk in until the bar sits over the middle of your feet, close to or lightly touching your shins.
- 03
Grip inside your legs. Reach straight down and take the bar about shoulder width, hands inside your knees, arms hanging straight. Use chalk and a double overhand grip with your thumbs wrapped; when that slips on heavy sets, switch to a hook grip or a mixed grip, keeping the underhand arm fully straight.
- 04
Knees out, hips in. Push your knees out so they track over your toes, and bring your hips toward the bar. Your torso ends up more upright than in a conventional deadlift, with your hips higher than in a squat.
- 05
Brace and take the slack out. Take a big breath into your belly and brace. Pull up on the bar just enough to hear it click against the plates, so your body is tight before the bar leaves the floor.
Step by step
How to do the sumo deadlift
- 01
Push the floor apart. Drive your feet down and out into the floor while keeping your knees pushed out. The bar should leave the floor smoothly, not with a jerk.
- 02
Keep the bar close. Let the bar travel straight up, brushing your shins and thighs. Your chest and hips rise together, so your back angle stays the same off the floor.
- 03
Hips through to finish. Once the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward toward the bar and squeeze your glutes until you stand tall.
- 04
Lock out tall. Finish with your hips and knees straight, standing tall with your shoulders stacked over your hips. Do not lean back or shrug.
- 05
Lower under control. Push your hips back first and slide the bar down your thighs. Once it passes your knees, bend them and keep them out as you set the bar down over your midfoot.
- 06
Reset each rep. Let the plates settle on the floor, rebrace, and take the slack out again before the next rep. Do not bounce the bar.
Cues to say in your head
- Spread the floor
- Knees over toes
- Chest up, back flat
- Pull the slack out
- Bar stays on legs
- Hips to the bar
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Knees caving in
Push them out over your toes for the whole rep. If they keep collapsing, bring your stance in a little or lighten the load.
Hips shooting up first
Keep your chest and hips rising together. If your hips jump up before the bar moves, you started with them too low or skipped taking the slack out.
Stance too wide
Narrow it until your shins can stay close to vertical with your knees over your toes. Wider is not always better.
Bar drifting away from your legs
Start with the bar over your midfoot and squeeze your lats so it stays in contact with your legs on the way up and down.
Jerking the bar off the floor
Brace, pull the slack out, then push the floor apart. A jerk loosens your back position before the bar has moved.
Leaning back at lockout
Stop when you are standing tall with your glutes squeezed. Leaning back loads the lower back and adds nothing to the lift.
Stay safe
Build up your stance width gradually, since the wide position asks a lot of your hips and groin. Lift on a platform or clear floor, and if a rep stalls on the way up, return the bar to the floor under control with your back flat rather than fighting it; only drop it from the top if you are using bumper plates with space around you. Stop the set if your back starts to round or you feel a sharp pain in your groin, hip or lower back, and get it looked at if pain lasts.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 2 to 5 | 80–90% 1RM | 3 to 5 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 6 to 10 | 65–78% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Technique | 3 to 5 | 3 to 5 | 50–65% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
140–170lb
3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps, 2 to 3 min rest. Moderate weight with full control on the way down. Leave a rep or two in reserve on every set.
Warm up to 155 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 10
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Sumo Deadlift questions
What muscles does the sumo deadlift work?
Mainly the glutes, quads, inner thigh adductors and hamstrings, which together extend your hips and knees. Your lower back, upper back, lats and grip work hard to hold your position and keep the bar close.
Sumo vs conventional deadlift: which is better?
Neither is better for everyone. Sumo keeps your torso more upright and tends to use more quads and adductors, while conventional has you lean forward more, which tends to load the lower back more. Pick the stance that suits your hips and build; many lifters train both.
Is the sumo deadlift cheating?
No. Sumo is allowed in powerlifting and is a full deadlift. The bar travels a shorter distance for many lifters, but the wide stance asks more of your hips, so it is a different lift, not an easier one.
How wide should my sumo deadlift stance be?
Wide enough that your shins stay close to vertical and your knees track over your toes when you grip the bar. For most people that is well outside shoulder width but not out at the plates; start moderate and widen it over time if your hips allow.
Is the sumo deadlift easier on your back?
It usually lets you keep a more upright torso, so many lifters feel it less in the lower back than a conventional pull. Your back still has to stay flat and braced, so it is not a way around poor form.
How many sets and reps should I do for sumo deadlifts?
For strength, 3 to 5 sets of 2 to 5 reps with long rests. For muscle, 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 at a moderate weight, stopping a rep or two short of failure.
Train in Protocol
Log your sumo deadlift by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.