- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternHinge
- Reps1 to 8 reps
- Joint loadLower back
Stand with a wide stance and toes turned out, the bar over the middle of your feet. Reach down between your legs and grip the bar about shoulder width apart.
First cueKeep your knees in line with your toes.
How to do the Sumo Deadlift
Set up. Stand with a wide stance and toes turned out, the bar over the middle of your feet. Reach down between your legs and grip the bar about shoulder width apart.
- Push your knees out over your toes and bring your hips close to the bar.
- Flatten your back, lift your chest and take the slack out of the bar.
- Push the floor apart and stand up, keeping the bar close.
- Lower the bar under control the same way.
Form cues
- Keep your knees in line with your toes.
- Keep your torso fairly upright.
- Keep the bar against your legs.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees cave in.
- Lifting the hips before the bar leaves the floor.
Muscles worked
Main target: Upper back. The upper back is the muscle between and around the shoulder blades. It pulls the shoulder blades together and back, which is what every row trains and what holds a posture against a long day at a desk.
On the way: Glutes, Quads and Adductors.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Sumo Deadlift, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Barbell Bench Press Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
- Face Pull Same pull session: it trains the rear delts.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Sumo Deadlift first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Sumo Deadlift 3 × 1 to 8 reps
- Barbell Bench Press 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
- Face Pull 3 × 12 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Seated Cable Row
Cable
Less load on the lower back
Hip Thrust
From the app's workaround table: less load through a bending spine.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Deadlift.
Other variations of the Deadlift: Trap Bar Deadlift, Rack Pull, Deficit Deadlift, Snatch-Grip Deadlift and Kettlebell Deadlift.
Do before it: 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range), Deep Squat Hold (same movement, lighter), Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter) and Cat-Cow (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Sumo Deadlift is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Sumo Deadlift?
Set up: Stand with a wide stance and toes turned out, the bar over the middle of your feet. Reach down between your legs and grip the bar about shoulder width apart. Steps: 1. Push your knees out over your toes and bring your hips close to the bar. 2. Flatten your back, lift your chest and take the slack out of the bar. 3. Push the floor apart and stand up, keeping the bar close. 4. Lower the bar under control the same way. Form cues: Keep your knees in line with your toes. Keep your torso fairly upright. Keep the bar against your legs. Common mistakes: Letting the knees cave in. Lifting the hips before the bar leaves the floor.
What muscles does the Sumo Deadlift work?
It trains the upper back as its main target and works the glutes, quads and adductors on the way.
What can I do instead of the Sumo Deadlift?
At home: Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row. In a gym: Seated Cable Row. With less load on the lower back: Hip Thrust. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Sumo Deadlift with?
Good partners in the same workout are Barbell Bench Press, Pull-Up and Face Pull.
How heavy should the Sumo Deadlift be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.