Sumo Deadlift
GlutesBarbellAdvanced
A wide-stance deadlift that rewards patient setup, strong hips and clean lockout.
Muscle worked
Glutes, Hamstrings, Adductors
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Advanced
Time per set
30-45s
How to perform
Step by step, every rep
01
Take a wide stance
Feet wide with toes turned out. Shins should be close to vertical when you grip the bar.
02
Grip inside the legs
Hands hang straight down from shoulders. Pull your chest tall and wedge hips close to the bar.
03
Push knees out
Create tension in the hips before the bar leaves the floor.
04
Drive and lock out
Push the floor apart, keep the bar close, and finish by squeezing glutes without leaning back.
Common mistakes
Avoid these
✕
Starting with hips too low
The hips shoot up and you waste the setup. Fix: Start where shoulders are slightly in front of the bar and shins are near vertical.
✕
Knees caving in
You lose hip tension and power off the floor. Fix: Spread the floor and keep knees tracking over toes.
✕
Yanking the bar
The wide stance needs tension before speed. Fix: Pull slack out, wedge, then push.
Progressions
Scale it up or down
Make it easier
- Kettlebell sumo deadlift
- Block pull sumo deadlift
- Trap bar deadlift
Make it harder
- Paused sumo deadlift
- Deficit sumo deadlift
- Tempo eccentric sumo deadlift
How to program it
Sets, reps, rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build Strength | 3-5 | 3-6 | 2-3 min | Heavy but crisp. Stop before form changes. |
| Build Muscle | 3-4 | 6-10 | 90-120s | Challenging. Keep 1-2 reps in reserve. |
| Build Endurance | 2-3 | 10-15 | 60-90s | Moderate. Clean reps, no rushing. |
Want this exercise programmed into a full plan?
Learning the form is step one. Fitting it into a plan built around your body, your equipment, your schedule and your food is what actually changes things. Fuel your sessions with enough protein using the Indian Food Database.
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