Question:
Should I deadlift Sumo? Do you deadlift Sumo?
I am short with short legs, long torso, and long arms and I cant seem to pull hard off the floor. My lockout is very strong but off the floor I have little drive. Am I built more for sumo?
PS I have done it before and lifted only slightly less than conventional but I never invested time and effort into technique. Should I invest?
As long as you have strong legs, it sounds like you were built for sumo for sure. Just be sure when you start, to have your toes pointed slightly out like you're squatting wide. I did some damage to my hip flexors and adductors from not pointing my toes out correctly. Sucked pretty hard and had to switch to conventional (Which was more beneficial for me anyway, it turns out).
But yeah, sounds like you'd basically just be half squatting the weight, except pull instead of press. Have you ever pulled sumo before or just pulled con because it seems to be more common?
I pulled sumo for about 3 weeks but I pulled the same as I did conventional. I never took into consideration the fact that technique and time are vital for any results to be valid. What I dont want to do is dedicate my time to sumo and end up losing out on my conventional. If I pull more weight in the long run using the sumo stance it will be well worth it, but its a tough decision:D
I've posted this before, but here goes again.
It depends on what you're training for. If you're training for a sport, such as football, you should really be deadlifting conventional. Strongman contests don't allow sumo style, so you're forced to lift conventional.
If you're training for powerlifting, it's not quite as simple. Ultimately, you have to go with which style is more comfortable, but you can determine which method will allow you to lift the most weight biomechanically. To do so, follow this method.
1. Secure a tape measure to the wall with the zero end at the floor. Make sure the metric side (centimeters) is what you are using.
2. Stand with your back against the wall. Measure from the top of your shoulder to the floor. This will give you your total body measurement.
3. With a straight arm and your hand in a fist, measure from the top of your shoulder to the middle of your fist. This is your total arm length.
4. Raise your thigh to determine where your thigh rotates into your pelvis. Once located, lower your leg to the floor and measure from the top of the shoulder to this point. This is your trunk length. Also, subtract this measurement from your total body measurement to give you your lower body length.
Record these measurements and perform the following calculations:
1. Divide "trunk length" by "arm length".
2. Divide "trunk length" by "lower body length".
The resultant numbers will tell you the following:
1. Arm to trunk length ratio. Example: If your truk is 50 cm and your armi is 65 cm, divide 65 into 50=0.77. This indicates that your trunk is 77% of your arm length or that your arm is 23% longer than your trunk.
2. Trunk to lower body length ratio.
These numbers will help you determine which method, conventional or sumo, will allow you to lift the most weight by biomechanical standards.
CONVENTIONAL
If your trunk to arm ratio is less than 0.82 and your trunk to lower body length is less than 0.55, you should consider the conventional style. With your arms longer than your trunk, you'll finish the pull with the bar below your hip joint. This finishing position indicates that the initial starting position of your trunk (trunk angle) will be larger (more upright). This would indicate more activity from the quads as well as the hamstrings and glutes. A more upright trunk angle will also create a larger knee angle at the starting position, making the shift of the shoulders, knee, and hip more uniform-that is, they rotate in a biomechanically correct sequence.
SUMO
If your ratios are larger than 0.82 and 0.55, the initial starting angle of your trunk would be smaller (more inclined) and will therefore position you in a biomechanically ineffecient position. With your trunk more inclined, the activity of your trunk and hip extension muscles will have to follow a different, more inefficient pattern. This will basically result in increased activity from your hamstrings and glutes and decreased activity from the quads. This will also increase stress on your erectors and particularly the lower back and could cause rounding of your upper back. The solution would be sumo.
Hope this helps.
Wow bro Ill do that right now;) Good info!
im in that boat... i pull up to 50lbs more sumo stance... short legs long torso
according to that I sit right on the conv. guidelines. How accurate is this test?
Do both in training, emphasize different areas of the muscle.
The formula is designed to tell you which stance will give you the best leverages from a biometric standpoint. It's a matter of potential. There are many factors not included here, but from a pure biometric standpoint, this will give you a great guideline.
Keep in mind that all of the great deadlifters; Benne Magnusson, Andy Bolton, Brad Gillingham, Konstantine Konstaninov, etc all deadlift conventional.
Ultimately, you have to do what you're most comfortable with, though you may not be reaching your full potential if you're not using the proper stance, whichever one it may be.
I am short with short legs, long torso, and long arms and I cant seem to pull hard off the floor. My lockout is very strong but off the floor I have little drive. Am I built more for sumo?
PS I have done it before and lifted only slightly less than conventional but I never invested time and effort into technique. Should I invest? I can only lift 295 conventional but 450 sumo.... so I can't identify with being confused on which one to use lol for some people it just feels a lot better. I def think if you're hard getting off the floor, since sumo minimizes your ROM that should help
Sumo feels alot more comfortable to me.
I would stick with conventional as long as you can unless you have some reason not too. Wow 295-450 thats a huge gap...... wish I had that going on .
sumo is great if your sticking point is at ground level. iv been doing conventionals from a 2" platform and my sumo deads jumped up 100% in the 2 months iv been working out.
I am short with short legs, long torso, and long arms and I cant seem to pull hard off the floor. My lockout is very strong but off the floor I have little drive. Am I built more for sumo?
PS I have done it before and lifted only slightly less than conventional but I never invested time and effort into technique. Should I invest?
Answer:
As long as you have strong legs, it sounds like you were built for sumo for sure. Just be sure when you start, to have your toes pointed slightly out like you're squatting wide. I did some damage to my hip flexors and adductors from not pointing my toes out correctly. Sucked pretty hard and had to switch to conventional (Which was more beneficial for me anyway, it turns out).
But yeah, sounds like you'd basically just be half squatting the weight, except pull instead of press. Have you ever pulled sumo before or just pulled con because it seems to be more common?
Answer:
I pulled sumo for about 3 weeks but I pulled the same as I did conventional. I never took into consideration the fact that technique and time are vital for any results to be valid. What I dont want to do is dedicate my time to sumo and end up losing out on my conventional. If I pull more weight in the long run using the sumo stance it will be well worth it, but its a tough decision:D
Answer:
I've posted this before, but here goes again.
It depends on what you're training for. If you're training for a sport, such as football, you should really be deadlifting conventional. Strongman contests don't allow sumo style, so you're forced to lift conventional.
If you're training for powerlifting, it's not quite as simple. Ultimately, you have to go with which style is more comfortable, but you can determine which method will allow you to lift the most weight biomechanically. To do so, follow this method.
1. Secure a tape measure to the wall with the zero end at the floor. Make sure the metric side (centimeters) is what you are using.
2. Stand with your back against the wall. Measure from the top of your shoulder to the floor. This will give you your total body measurement.
3. With a straight arm and your hand in a fist, measure from the top of your shoulder to the middle of your fist. This is your total arm length.
4. Raise your thigh to determine where your thigh rotates into your pelvis. Once located, lower your leg to the floor and measure from the top of the shoulder to this point. This is your trunk length. Also, subtract this measurement from your total body measurement to give you your lower body length.
Record these measurements and perform the following calculations:
1. Divide "trunk length" by "arm length".
2. Divide "trunk length" by "lower body length".
The resultant numbers will tell you the following:
1. Arm to trunk length ratio. Example: If your truk is 50 cm and your armi is 65 cm, divide 65 into 50=0.77. This indicates that your trunk is 77% of your arm length or that your arm is 23% longer than your trunk.
2. Trunk to lower body length ratio.
These numbers will help you determine which method, conventional or sumo, will allow you to lift the most weight by biomechanical standards.
CONVENTIONAL
If your trunk to arm ratio is less than 0.82 and your trunk to lower body length is less than 0.55, you should consider the conventional style. With your arms longer than your trunk, you'll finish the pull with the bar below your hip joint. This finishing position indicates that the initial starting position of your trunk (trunk angle) will be larger (more upright). This would indicate more activity from the quads as well as the hamstrings and glutes. A more upright trunk angle will also create a larger knee angle at the starting position, making the shift of the shoulders, knee, and hip more uniform-that is, they rotate in a biomechanically correct sequence.
SUMO
If your ratios are larger than 0.82 and 0.55, the initial starting angle of your trunk would be smaller (more inclined) and will therefore position you in a biomechanically ineffecient position. With your trunk more inclined, the activity of your trunk and hip extension muscles will have to follow a different, more inefficient pattern. This will basically result in increased activity from your hamstrings and glutes and decreased activity from the quads. This will also increase stress on your erectors and particularly the lower back and could cause rounding of your upper back. The solution would be sumo.
Hope this helps.
Answer:
Wow bro Ill do that right now;) Good info!
Answer:
im in that boat... i pull up to 50lbs more sumo stance... short legs long torso
Answer:
according to that I sit right on the conv. guidelines. How accurate is this test?
Answer:
Do both in training, emphasize different areas of the muscle.
Answer:
The formula is designed to tell you which stance will give you the best leverages from a biometric standpoint. It's a matter of potential. There are many factors not included here, but from a pure biometric standpoint, this will give you a great guideline.
Keep in mind that all of the great deadlifters; Benne Magnusson, Andy Bolton, Brad Gillingham, Konstantine Konstaninov, etc all deadlift conventional.
Ultimately, you have to do what you're most comfortable with, though you may not be reaching your full potential if you're not using the proper stance, whichever one it may be.
Answer:
I am short with short legs, long torso, and long arms and I cant seem to pull hard off the floor. My lockout is very strong but off the floor I have little drive. Am I built more for sumo?
PS I have done it before and lifted only slightly less than conventional but I never invested time and effort into technique. Should I invest? I can only lift 295 conventional but 450 sumo.... so I can't identify with being confused on which one to use lol for some people it just feels a lot better. I def think if you're hard getting off the floor, since sumo minimizes your ROM that should help
Answer:
Sumo feels alot more comfortable to me.
Answer:
I would stick with conventional as long as you can unless you have some reason not too. Wow 295-450 thats a huge gap...... wish I had that going on .
Answer:
sumo is great if your sticking point is at ground level. iv been doing conventionals from a 2" platform and my sumo deads jumped up 100% in the 2 months iv been working out.