The sumo deadlift widens the stance far outside the hands, turning the toes out and dropping the hips closer to the bar. The more vertical torso reduces shear on the lower back and shifts work toward the quads, adductors and hips. Lifters with long torsos or cranky lower backs often pull noticeably more sumo than conventional. It's both a legitimate max-strength lift and an excellent variation for building the squat-pattern pull.
| Level (x Bodyweight) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 0.75x | 0.5x |
| novice | 1.2x | 0.85x |
| intermediate | 1.7x | 1.2x |
| advanced | 2.4x | 1.7x |
| elite | 2.9x | 2.2x |
1RM as a multiple of bodyweight.
Spread the floor with your feet - the cue that makes sumo work. Get your shins vertical and your hips as close to the bar as your build allows before you pull. Sumo is less forgiving of a rushed setup than conventional: wedge yourself in, build tension for a full second, then drive. The lockout is the hard part; finish with the glutes, and train paused or deficit reps if you're slow off the floor.
Progression: sumo kettlebell deadlifts to groove the stance, then light barbell sumo pulls focusing on knees-out and a vertical torso. Alternate training blocks between sumo and conventional to build both.
Enter your 1RM above to see your training percentages.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.