Exercise library
Sumo Deadlift
The sumo deadlift uses a wide stance to emphasize the glutes, quads and adductors while keeping the torso more upright than a conventional deadlift.
BarbellLegsIntermediate
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Focus
- Legs
- Level
- Intermediate
- Suggested sets
- 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps.
- Muscles worked
- GlutesQuadsHamstringsLower backAbsTraps
How to do it
- 1Stand with a wide stance and your toes turned out, with the bar over the middle of your feet.
- 2Bend at the hips and knees to grip the bar inside your legs.
- 3Pull your chest up, brace your abs and create tension before the bar leaves the floor.
- 4Push the floor away and extend your hips and knees together until you are standing tall.
- 5Lower the bar back down close to your body and reset before the next rep.
Tips & tricks
- Drive your knees out so they stay in line with your toes.
- Keep the bar close to your shins and thighs the whole time.
- Think about squeezing the floor apart with your feet as you start the pull.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips shoot up before the bar breaks the floor.
- Rounding the upper or lower back as you initiate the lift.
- Jerking the bar off the floor instead of building tension first.
