Thread: Deadlifting stance

I have the exact same issue/question.

Sumo's VS regulars.

Advantages:
- easier to keep your back flat.
- capable of lifting more weight.

Disadvantages:
- less ROM.
- I've heard sumo's are bad for your knees. I've no idea whether this is true. I don't think so actually, as long as you keep your knees directly above your feet and don't rotate them during the exercise.

Originally Posted by Witchblade

I have the exact same issue/question.

Sumo's VS regulars.

Advantages:
- easier to keep your back flat.

yes, there is a shorter lever arm with the sumo stance.

- capable of lifting more weight.

some of the strongest pullers (bolton, Magnusson, gillingham, etc..) in the world and the world record holder all pull conventional....so that is not really true. it is really what is most comfortable to the person and how their individual levers work best.

Disadvantages:
- less ROM.

yes, the ROM is shorter

- I've heard sumo's are bad for your knees. I've no idea whether this is true. I don't think so actually, as long as you keep your knees directly above your feet and don't rotate them during the exercise.

the wider your hips are.....the more forces are placed on them.

It is really up to teh individual and how they are most comfortable. I think sumo sucks....it feels like shit to me. But, that is just me.

Originally Posted by P-funk

It is really up to teh individual and how they are most comfortable. I think sumo sucks....it feels like shit to me. But, that is just me.

I agree... I recently tried sumos with 315lbs, and was only able to get it for 5 reps the first set, then 3 reps... The last reps on both were a pretty big struggle and my left leg shook a little... I switched back to conventional and it was much easier for me... No sumo for me.

Sumo was the last heavy deadlift I did that signaled that I had a disk problem.

Hmm, not feeling much confidence for the sumos! Im just worried of giving myself an injury with conventional stance, I am finding it very hard to keep a straight back using a heavy weight.

Originally Posted by StanUk

Hmm, not feeling much confidence for the sumos! Im just worried of giving myself an injury with conventional stance, I am finding it very hard to keep a straight back using a heavy weight.

then the weight is to heavy.

just because you can lift it off the floor, doesn't mean you should.

Originally Posted by P-funk

then the weight is to heavy.

just because you can lift it off the floor, doesn't mean you should.

Agreed. It's very easy to lift a lot more weight than you should with deads.

P-funk, in your quote about sumo's hurting the knees, did you mean more force is placed on the knees or on the hips if your hips are placed wider; are sumo's harder for the hips or for the knees?

Originally Posted by Witchblade

Agreed. It's very easy to lift a lot more weight than you should with deads.

P-funk, in your quote about sumo's hurting the knees, did you mean more force is placed on the knees or on the hips if your hips are placed wider; are sumo's harder for the hips or for the knees?

hips. the wider the hips, the more force there will be on them. hence the reason guys wear things like squatting breifs.

Damn, you're quick. Thanks. That's what I thought.

Hmm I see, I might just try widening my stance slightly, or lowering the weight for now and see how I get on, thanks for the advice.

I use a sumo stance and I love it. I don't like conventional, it feels uncomfortable. When I do RDL's I use a conventional stance though.

I recently changed to Sumo, easier on the back for me. My back is a strength for me and I tend to use it too much in convential form.

I've used sumo in the past, but ended up finding that I can pull more conventional.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

I've used sumo in the past, but ended up finding that I can pull more conventional.

One of the guys in the gym(no, he's not just some random musclehead) told me to occassionally use a sumo stance... Like once a month or so and that it will actually help my conventional stance get a little stronger, even if that's my primary method of pulling.

Is there any truth to this?

Originally Posted by Seanp156

One of the guys in the gym(no, he's not just some random musclehead) told me to occassionally use a sumo stance... Like once a month or so and that it will actually help my conventional stance get a little stronger, even if that's my primary method of pulling.

Is there any truth to this?

sure....different stimulus....different pulling will work the hip strength in a different way.