Sumo Deadlifts Done Right.

The Sumo Deadlift is arguably the strongest deadlifting position in Powerlifting meets. While it's not allowed in Strongman competitions, and not practical for an Olympic Weightlifter, it can be a good staple of a strength training program, if it's done properly.

While most will argue that it's an easier deadlift, it can still be done improperly, and expose you to all of the injuries that you chose to sumo deadlift to avoid!

What you need to know:

1. Don't go excessively wide. If you feel like you're about to do a Van Damme split with 315, I would back off. While you are attempting to reduce the amount of distance that you have to move the bar, you also have to use all of your levers properly.

2. If your knees are caving in, either bring your stance to a more narrow position, or learn how to use your glutes. Bridges, banded lateral walks, and lateral lunges can help you with this.

3. It's not a stiff-legged deadlift. You wouldn't make your squat a good morning, don't make your Sumo Deadlift stiff-legged! Doing this will lead to faulty mechanics in the future, and zero out your athletic transfer. Train how you would move in the real world.

4. Posture. "Stand up straight with your shoulders back, look straight ahead!" When you finish the lift, from wherever your stance begins, you should now be standing as tall as possible. This means that you are not leaning back, or arching forward, or bending your knees, or craning your neck....you get the idea. Finish tall.

Video included below: Follow @trainathlon on Instagram for more quick tips and major fixes to your lifts.

 

David Corrado