Sumo deadlift: Lift like sumo wrestlers for superhuman strength

The sumo deadlift affects our body in the same way a standard deadlift does. The movement engages the core muscles and strengthens the legs, while minimising the chances of injuries. But the benefits don’t just end there:

Less dangerous: Having a wider gap between the feet makes it safer by putting less tension on the back. This also improves posture and improves lifting performance.

Overall strength: Compound lifts like the sumo deadlift affect multiple muscle groups, including the shoulders, back and legs.

Weight loss: To lose weight we need to burn more carbohydrates and fat. Lifting weights causes the body to consume more energy as well as a higher rate of metabolism.

Lifestyle benefits: Back strengthening exercises are functional in nature, allowing you to perform daily tasks more efficiently around the house or at work. 

Increased testosterone levels: Lower body workouts increase the testosterone levels in our body, also improving sexual drive.

The sumo deadlift is an advanced exercise to build strength, but it can be tough to perform for beginners. It's important to perform the exercise under the watchful eyes of a trainer or a spotter while lifting heavy weights in the gym. But remember to always warm-up with low-intensity workouts like cycling, a treadmill run or cross trainer.

Muscles worked

• Primary muscles: Hamstring, glutes and quadriceps.
• Secondary muscles: Arms, lower back and shoulder traps.

Experience level

• High (professionals)

Equipment required

• A 6 feet long barbell rod
• Weighted plates (according to strength)

Sets & reps

3 sets of 10-15 reps each

How to do it

• Stand straight with a gap of at least three feet between your feet.
• Bend the knees, push your hips out and grip the bar with your hands inside your thighs, about a foot's width in between the hands.
• Dig your heels into the ground and lift the weight while keeping the back straight and looking straight ahead.
• Stand upright and hold the movement at the top, while driving the hips in towards the bar.
• Keeping your spine straight, lower the weight slowly to return to the resting position. This is one rep.

Ignoring the precautions while performing an intense workout can increase the risk of injuries. Before performing an exercise like the sumo deadlift, understand the posture and the correct form. People make a lot of mistakes while performing a heavyweight exercise to pick up the weight, which often causes injuries. Following are some tips one should follow to perform this exercise:

• To understand the movement, begin performing the exercise without any weight or even a barbell in your hands.
• Seek the help of an experienced person or a gym trainer.
• Quite often, it is the negative movement, that is while bringing down the weights, which causes injuries. It is advisable to be cautious while putting the weight down. Practice the negative movements separately.
• For better results, have an even gap between your feet.
• Keep your back straight: people lift their torso upward which results in spinal injuries due to unnecessary tension. People also tend to arch their backs inwards, which also puts added pressure on the back. Engage your core muscles and fill your stomach with air; this can help you keep the back straight.

Deadlifting movements are of several types and variations, allowing you to focus on different muscle groups with different movements, adding variety to your workouts. Here are a few of them:

• Standard deadlift
• Single leg deadlift
• Kettlebell sumo deadlift
• Barbell hip thrust
• Hamstring curl
• Trap bar deadlift

The sumo deadlift is an excellent exercise to build overall lower body strength. Those with a short time in their schedule can opt for compound exercises like the sumo deadlifts to work multiple muscles of the body at a time, and use up more energy in doing so. But remember to always warm-up, condition yourself and focus on form rather than the amount of weights you want to lift.