Sumo deads

[jerkbox]

what do yall think of sumo pulls for taller lifters....?

i threw a few of these in last night during my workout

felt different, but more of a natural movement. very easy to keep the back straight.

being somewhat tall at 6'1", I find it hard to keep my back straight with a standard deadlift....it seems it takes a bit of effort to get low enough to set up for the lift. I think I probably have long legs, long femurs....

any recommendations? widen my standard dead stance a bit?

do taller powerlifters tend to pull sumo?

what are the pros/cons to pulling sumo?

 

[spatts]

I prefer sumo, and the taller you are, the more it will decrease your ROM (which is a good thing if you're a powerlifter). I remember Amy W. failing a 500+ attempt because her ROM is SO short that she was able to bend the bar up to lockout without the weight ever even leaving the floor! hahaha...

I think it's a good idea to practice both. I know when I do conventional it reveals some weaknesses I don't see when I pull sumo. When the weight gets serious, though, I pull sumo because that's what I'd do in a comp.

Sumo will recruit more leg/hip strength; whereas, conventional will recruit more lower back strength. They're both total body moves, though.

 

[jerkbox]

haha that's pretty funny..

I have a feeling I may be capable of pulling more weight sumo...

I have always squatted, and have good hip strength...

i'll def continue to do conventional deads, but I think I am going to be doing these as well.


thanks spatts

 

[Exodus]

im with spats on this........ i train both ways. but when the weight gets heavy....... i usually will pull sumo.

X

 

[spatts]

I have always squatted, and have good hip strength...

i'll def continue to do conventional deads, but I think I am going to be doing these as well.
thanks spatts

Think about the sumo deadlift as a hanging front squat.

 

[cheesecake]

Great info spatts.

Since I'm 6'5", I guess I would definitely pull sumo if I ever competed.
...chad...

 

[bigguns15]

any recommendations? widen my standard dead stance a bit?

do taller powerlifters tend to pull sumo?

what are the pros/cons to pulling sumo?

How wide is your new sumo stance? I've know plenty of tall lifters to pull sumo. I can't speak from experience (being 5'5"). I'm with you though, it's hard for me to keep straight pulling in the conventional way.

One of the biggest cons to sumo is that it is harder to get off the floor. However, the lockout is easier, so it all balances out.

 

[pwr_machine]

I'm 6' and when I competed, it was sumo. I think it's the better of the two lifts mechanically. Staying vertical and keeping the bar close really helps. My toes were about 1 1/2" from the plates on either side if that gives you a reference point for you height. Flexibility is usually the issue if you're struggling to get to the bar for sumo. Stay with it; it'll come.

 

[jerkbox]

well, last night was the first I ever tried it really, my stance wasn't as wide as what pwr_machine is describing.

I would imagine at some point, going too wide is going to decrease your power...gotta find a sweet spot in there somewhere.

I'm gonna max out on these at some point....it'll be interesting to see if I can pull more this way than conventional.

 

[pwr_machine]

I'm gonna max out on these at some point....it'll be interesting to see if I can pull more this way than conventional.

Take your time. Give those muscles some time to get use to the new style. I remember first cranking up with sumo and I thought my groin muscles weren't going to make it to the next workouts!

 

[spatts]

I didn't pull sumo until two weeks before my first meet; hated it. Then Phil at Eagle Gym in St. Louis said something that made it more comfortable for me. 2 weeks later I pulled an easy 405 like that, and haven't looked back.

 

[valerie]

I pull sumo, much easier for me feels natural. Do what works.

 

[makedah]

I pull sumo. I'm 5'8" (on the cusp of 'tall' for a woman) with looooong legs and a short torso. Trying to pull conventional is awkward for me.

 

[megad]

I pull sumo as well.

I have a question though... i think im straying from form a bit. Tell me one thing: How far do you have to bend your legs to start the lift? Is it parallel?

Thanks

 

[makedah]

megad - I guess I go about parallel b/c I want to be sure I get my hips into it on the ascent. F--- the bar, as a wise woman said...

Here's a pic of a sumo pull http://www.stumptuous.com/baddl.html

 

[revexrevex]

I prefer sumo, and the taller you are, the more it will decrease your ROM (which is a good thing if you're a powerlifter). I remember Amy W. failing a 500+ attempt because her ROM is SO short that she was able to bend the bar up to lockout without the weight ever even leaving the floor! hahaha...

I think it's a good idea to practice both. I know when I do conventional it reveals some weaknesses I don't see when I pull sumo. When the weight gets serious, though, I pull sumo because that's what I'd do in a comp.

Sumo will recruit more leg/hip strength; whereas, conventional will recruit more lower back strength. They're both total body moves, though.

500 lbs doesnt bend that much. You get any pic of that?

 

[pwr_machine]

I pull sumo as well.

I have a question though... i think im straying from form a bit. Tell me one thing: How far do you have to bend your legs to start the lift? Is it parallel?

Thanks

Video of sumo deadlift at http://www.rebeccaphelps.com

 

[spatts]

500 lbs doesnt bend that much. You get any pic of that?

Do a search for Amy Weisberger. You will find articles on it from various sources, including Monster Muscle. Whether or not they keep pics or vids is their business. Good luck.