Conventional deadlifts are performed with your feet shoulder-width apart, according to Muscle & Strength. What I see happening is that people’s mobility has actually improved over time, but they’ve never altered their stance since day one. Unlike the conventional style, the sumo deadlift requires: A wider stance, which will be determined by your access to hip external rotation and abduction. With the squat-stance deadlift you'll pull with the strongest, safest, and most efficient biomechanics, which means less injury and more progress. But, there is a secret to finding out what stance is best for you. Sumo deadlifts: “You can try doing a sumo deadlift where you have an extra wide stance. What Is the Purpose of Wide Stance Deadlifts? So here’s the thing, you want a wide stance. When I ask these new clients why they have adopted a wide deadlift stance, they often say that they have just not thought about it, or that they’ve always deadlifted this way. Wide feet and a narrow grip result in a shorter vertical range of motion for the lift and less movement around the hip and knee joints. Wall romanian deadlift with stick x 15 reps (see video) Sumo deadlifts use a wide stance as you pull the barbell from floor-to-hip, which emphasizes the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Wide-stance deadlifts are performed from a standing position holding either a barbell or a dumbbell in each hand. Because of the wide stance, it is also known as the Wide Stance Deadlift. B3. Your feet should be a little wider than shoulder-distance apart. *Optional: Elevate heels 2” as this minimizes a common compensation due to lack of ankle mobility. If your shins aren’t in a straight vertical position when viewing from the front, then your stance is too wide. If you have had lower back pain in the past, the sumo deadlift may serve a safer purpose for you. Also if your knees tend to collapse inwards when pulling heavy weights, a wide stance puts more pressure on the knee ligaments. Here's the answer: There is no one right answer. Double leg support positions like in the squat and deadlift are great for developing strength and power; however, they can hide asymmetries from side to side and don’t truly test the body’s ability to coordinate complex movement patterns. This will allow you to adopt the correct stance and pull from a mechanically advantageous position. With that in mind, let’s crunch the numbers. The sumo deadlift while easier on the spine minimizes the “cocked back” hip hinge position as the ultra wide stance and extreme external rotation of the feet essentially pushes the hips forward at … Other muscle groups worked in the sumo deadlift include the hamstrings, abdominals, obliques and upper back muscles including your trapezius and rhomboids. It’s a very common mistake that people who are trying the sumo deadlift for the first time want to stand as wide as possible. Always speak to your physician before beginning any weightlifting program to ensure you do not have injuries or medical conditions that could affect your ability to lift weights. Start with toes out slightly past 45 degrees. If you're a wide-stance deadlifting heathen, then these variations will still apply, but you'll need to modify them for your particular deadlifting approach. What Is the Purpose of Wide Stance Deadlifts? This will work your quads and your hamstrings more than your back and core,” says Vicknair. I often get clients coming to me who have been lifting before and want to get their form checked. The wide-stance deadlift works a number of major muscle groups. One huge mistake is when people try to deadlift too wide on the sumo. With that said the benefits of the squat stance deadlift are similar to those associated with the trap bar deadlift, particularly factors dealing with safety, natural body mechanics, and center of gravity positioning. What Are Deadlifts? All rights reserved. A wide-stance deadlift in which your hands are on the inside of your thighs is referred to as the sumo deadlift. Here's the answer: There is no one right answer. So here’s the thing, you want a wide stance. The squat-stance deadlift (similar to the semi-sumo deadlifts used by Ed Coan) represents a variation that falls somewhere in between the sumo and conventional techniques. Pippa - Ladies Who Lift, "It's been great - extraordinarily instructive!" Prone lower trap raise x 10 reps. Perhaps even you? Constructed from Titan’s NXG Super Plus fabric- the strongest and heaviest … Feet (and subsequently the knees) pointing more outward. If you have a strong back, you might be able to lift more weight using the conventional stance than when using the sumo deadlift. The conventional foot positioning puts greater effort on strengthening your lower back and postural muscles. Goblet squat stretch x 10 reps, 3 second stretch at the bottom Here's how to find YOUR best stance. Similar set up to the Basic Deadlift, however with a more narrow stance and the torso is more upright to emphasize the quads. Conventional/Sumo Compatible with conventional and sumo wide stance deadlifting Removable Insole Thin breathable insole removable for easy cleaning Rubber Grip Out-Sole Out-sole designed to conform and grip to any type of platform: Rubber, Concrete, Wood and Carpet. Your arms don’t have to reach as far! Generally speaking, 5 things that increase stress to the hip in the deadlift are: A Wider Squat Stance and More Toe Out – A wide stance with a lot of toe out reduces the distance the bar has to travel and increases the use of the legs to drive the bar up, but also exposes the hip joint to a … In terms of biomechanical efficiency, the wide stance (sumo) deadlift is superior to the close stance (conventional) deadlift. Its advantages include: a more even distribution of forces from the booster muscles, a path of travel closer to the core of the body (shorter lever arm! All of the above should make a significant difference – and many of you will suddenly find yourselves with a narrow stance and a nice flat back, ready to lift that weight. Fitness: Get Rid of Arm, Leg and Ab Flab Fast, Muscle & Strength: How to Deadlift: Proper Form and Deadlift Information, Privacy Notice/Your California Privacy Rights. How to Find Your Own Best Deadlift Stance. Mentally confirm that this is a ‘Squat’ as the body will tend to default into “Deadlift mode”. She is a former managing editor for custom health publications, including physician journals. When it comes to proper execution of the squat-stance deadlift, the position and mechanics should feel very simple and natural. Wall angels x 10 reps, B1. I frequently see room for improvement with more lifters than you think. A2. Stance Width Use a position that's anywhere between a normal squat stance (approximately shoulder width), to roughly 20% wider than normal squat stance. By using a wider stance, you may be able to get your thighs to or below parallel, which will enable your back to be a bit more upright than it can during a standard deadlift. I hear some folks preaching about using a shoulder-width stance for deadlifts, and others who pontificate about hip-width. The conventional deadlift is what is most commonly seen throughout local gyms and is often what is performed incorrectly. This will work your quads and your hamstrings more than your back and core,” says Vicknair. Here you set up with your heels close together and your toes pointed out at approximately a 45-degree angle. Sumo deadlifts: “You can try doing a sumo deadlift where you have an extra wide stance. The ideal deadlift stance for a conventional (i.e. A wide-stance deadlift in which your hands are on the inside of your thighs is referred to as the sumo deadlift. The sumo stance is a variation that has increased in popularity over the last few years thanks to the explosion of the sport of powerlifting across the world. But there is definitely such a thing as too wide of a stance. As stated, the … I say that because of the stance of the feet. A beginner training program doesn’t have to be any more complicated. Less work against gravity requires less overall energy output to complete the lift. These programs tackle the key areas: stretching the hamstrings, activating the glutes, mobilising the thoracic spine and strengthening the shoulder retractors. Angela - Ladies Who Lift, "Everything in my life is easier for being stronger!" This limits the amount of weight you can pull off the floor and in some people can put unnecessary strain on the knee ligaments. Those athletes who are more proficient in this style of lifting often have relatively stronger quads (compared to their lower back strength), and are often considerably more proficient in the hex bar deadlift. Jon - Olympic Lifting classes. The exercise involves a wide stance and narrow grip which places the trunk in a more vertical position – similar to the position you would expect in a squat. Wide Stance – for wide to extra wide stance squatters. Biomechanical Differences . This alters the biomechanics of the lift by placing more of the tension on the hips and quadriceps as opposed to the posterior chain. Wide-legged deadlifts can place greater strain on the hips and knees, particularly if you are unaccustomed to the motion, reports Muscle & Strength. Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of people using a deadlift stance that is too wide. Mentally confirm that this is a ‘Squat’ as the body will tend to default into “Deadlift mode”. Other muscles worked inlcude: quadriceps, glutes, adductors, traps, middle and lower back and forearms. Because … When he came to me, he was not able to deadlift safely from the floor; both his lower back and upper back were rounded over. Also, you won’t be able to flex your quads and move your hips properly through both movements. She is ultra-flexible, so will sometimes pull ultra-wide on 2-inch mats. The wide-stance deadlift works a number of major muscle groups. In many cases the squat-stance deadlift allows the lifter to pull with the strongest, safest, and most efficient biomechanics. The number one reason for people adopting a wide deadlift stance is mobility. The client was diligent with his training and as a result, 6 weeks later he was deadlifting triple figures from the floor. Melanie - personal training, "I was snatching in my first session, which I really didn't think I would be able to do!" The wide foot stance necessarily require pushing outward through your feet as you pull the weight up. The wide sumo stance will target both your quads and glutes more than the conventional version. But this is not the strongest mechanical position for pulling a bar from the floor. Greg - Olympic Lifting, "Now I've learned how to be more powerful!" Trunk angle. Another way to find the ideal stance is to do a couple of vertical jumps as high as you can; where your feet land is where your stance should be for deadlifting. Decrease stance width or amount of toe out in the sumo deadlift; Increase stance width or amount of toe out in the conventional deadlift; Limit depth of deadlift. How To Do The Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift For example, it is more useful to know that wide stance squatters prefer sumo deadlifts than it is to know that most deadlifters, in general, do not prefer the sumo deadlift. As a result, when he grips the bar outside his shins, his arms are being pushed out by his legs as he drives the weight off the floor. However, a lot of people are using a stance that is closer to their squat stance: shoulder-width or even wider. Why Perform One Version Over the Other? The number one reason for people adopting a wide deadlift stance is mobility. Trust me, your feet will be rock solid when pushing up against the sides of these shoes during sumo pulls. Also if your knees tend to collapse inwards when pulling heavy weights, a wide stance puts more pressure on the knee ligaments. Take Your Stance” The first thing to ensure prior to lifting the bar is our foot position. While rolling your ankle during sumo deadlifts is very rare, these shoes will absolutely prevent that. 2 – Point the Toes Out. Pulling Style, Squat Stance, and Bar Placement. Wide stance: determined by build and flexibility. Don’t make that mistake. Duck stance deadlifts are a great exercise I picked up from Christian Thibaudeau and Dan John. Come to a one-day Strength Training Technique Workshop, Solving technique problems in the squat and deadlift, "It just feels brilliant, it feels really good!" The first step in mastering the conventional deadlift is assuming the proper stance. For those of you who still don’t have a flat back after all of that, my suggestion is to raise the bar a couple of inches off the floor, using weight plates or a small step. Drive your hips forward and straighten your knees and back to stand straight with the weight in your hand, then squat back down to return the bar to the floor. Sumo Deadlift Movement Pattern Sit back to keep your center of gravity close to your body as you raise and lower the weight. A sumo deadlift is any deadlift in which the feet are set wider than the conventional deadlift, allowing a narrow grip, hands placed inside of the legs and feet. How to Find Your Own Best Deadlift Stance. https://www.powerliftingtowin.com/squat-to-deadlift-carryover With the snatch-grip + duck-stance deadlift, we get to train the extremes… The hands are as wide as possible and the feet are as close as possible. Here’s a few common mistakes people make when doing sumo deadlifts: Stance is Too Wide. But there is definitely such a thing as too wide of a stance. Your feet should be a little wider than shoulder-distance apart. It can help fix a good morning style squat . Tip: Find Your Stance For Sumo Deadlifts Most lifters go super wide, but that only works if it fits your anatomy. Deadlifts Wide Stance (dumbbell)This clip is from our STS series. I recently did exactly this work with a client. In order to do this lift one must have good flexibility in the adductors and strength in the hips. Deadlift: 3 sets x 5 reps – increase weight by 5–10 pounds/2.5–5 kg when you get all reps. Beginner Workout B: Deadlift: 3 sets x 5 reps – same weight as workout A, or 10% lighter. ), a reduction in the lift stroke (distance the bar travels) and a move vertical line to the back (spine). The deadlift requires you to use a barbell deadlift while in a wide or narrow stance depending on your current athletic performance. Stop performing the exercise if you experience pain during the widestance deadlift. © 2019 www.azcentral.com. How Far Apart Should Your Feet Be During a Deadlift? A3. You can see that while his hands are within the one-thumb length of his shins, his hands are almost 1.5X the distance of his shoulders. It makes it easier to get down to the bar, especially if you are tall or have relatively long legs. This is exactly what you want when doing sumo deadlifts (or wide stance squats). Because of the wide stance, it is also known as the Wide Stance Deadlift. But if you are a knowledgeable about the exercise, you can perform deadlifts in a way where your rewards outweigh the risks. The sumo deadlift is typically harder to get moving off the floor and easier to lock out, so don't go so wide that you can't even get the bar moving. I also gave him the following mobility work to do, 3 times a week before every training session. You may start with a light-weight dumbbell or no weight at all to become accustomed to the sumo deadlift motion. The deadlift is a strength-training exercise that affects multiple major muscle groups at once. As with DL, arms are straight throughout. The wide-legged style puts greater emphasis on your buttocks, front and back of the thighs and hips and not your back. She has written for The Associated Press and "Jezebel," "Charleston," "Chatter" and "Reach" magazines. What makes deadlift so popular and loved by many athletes and gym-goers is that it provides numerous benefits for many muscle groups. Stance width is such an useful predictor of depth problems that if a “Knees out” cue doesn't produce depth, the next thing to do is always a stance-width adjustment. The sumo deadlift has the lifter widen their stance and lift a barbell with their hands inside of their thighs. And that’s pretty much it. not sumo) deadlift is for the feet to be around hip-width apart, and the feet slightly turned out. It makes it easier to get down to the bar, especially if you are tall or have relatively long legs. Muscles that work with your body during the deadlift -- also known as synergists -- include the gluteus maximus or butt muscles, adductor magnus, quadriceps or your soleus, a part of your calf muscle. Dominic - Olympic Lifting PT, "The process has been really fun, I've enjoyed pushing it a little bit more every week" Compounding this is the tendency for the knees to collapse inward when the feet are too wide – as you can see happening in the top picture. Sumo Deadlift. The Exercise. Decreased lumbar and lower back stress compared to other deadlift variations. Single leg glute bridge x 20 reps each side Here’s a few common mistakes people make when doing sumo deadlifts: Stance is Too Wide. As the name implies, the sumo deadlift forces lifters to assume a wide stance bringing them closer to the ground and allowing them to keep their torso up taller. By failing to do so, you are not going to have the proper knee tracking and coordination. It also increases the difficulty of the starting pull off the floor and makes the lockout much easier. Reward for Deadlifts. Holly - Olympic Lifting, "Ladies Who Lift has been a massive confidence booster for me" Squat-Stance Deadlift Execution. Keep your hands between your legs as you do and hold the bar with a mixed grip, in which one palm is facing toward your body while the other faces away from your body. Jess - Olympic Lifting, "We've got a really nice squad of lifters here...everyone's so supportive" Keep your back straight and head looking forward as you squat down to grasp the bar. As the name implies, a sumo deadlift employs a wide, sumo-wrestler-like stance over the barbell, in contrast to the narrower stance used in the conventional deadlift. Hands inside the knees. In this video, I explain the reasoning behind my deadlift stance. The Super Centurion is the pinnacle suit of single-ply performance. Key markers are vertical shins and knees tracking in the same direction of your toes at the bottom of the lift. This technique is well suited to lifters of all physique type and because it shortens the lever arm, it is especially beneficial to those who are long in the torso. It’s because the wider leg stance will place you in a position that resembles squatting, and the initial motion mimics squats. Also, the lift will help strengthen your entire core and stabilizer muscles, which are also important factors in our posture. If you think you can’t get into the right position with a narrower stance, try these cues and see what difference they make: Push your butt out not down – imagine you are trying to touch the wall behind you with your butt, Point your chest forwards, not up – imagine you are trying to show the world the motivational slogan on your tshirt, Pull your shoulder blades into your back pockets, i.e. The squat-stance deadlift essentially combines the benefits from both the sumo and conventional deadlift while eliminating the inherent weaknesses of each. To start with, I instructed my client to do all his deadlifting from a raised height of 4 inches, so that he could train safely and get the benefits of deadlifting without screwing his back up! If you were just to look at the lifter from the waist down who used a moderately wide squat stance and also looked at a hybrid sumo deadlift from the waist down, the stance for both lifts would look the same. If your issue is getting the bar moving initially, then it's often assumed that weak quads are to blame. Most of the time it will be too wide, but bigger people cannot get depth with too narrow a stance, so keep both possibilities in mind. Workout 5: Ultra-wide Sumo Pulls Jean will place her feet as close to the plates on the Texas deadlift bar without setting the plates down on her feet and then works up to a max single. Geared lifters can get away with going a little wider, but most people need a more moderate sumo stance. Whereas, with a sumo stance, hips are abducted more in a wide stance with the hand grip within the thighs. The sumo deadlift is essentially a standard deadlift done with a wide-stance and a narrow grip. You might associate deadlifts with an oversized bodybuilder grasping a barbell with tons of weights stacked on it. The deadlift is a classic weightlifting exercise that involves lifting a barbell or dumbbells from the ground and rising to a standing position. Rachel Nall began writing in 2003. Over time, re-test your position from the floor and it will gradually improve. In a hip-width or vertical jump stance, all your force can bear downwards in a straight line to push against the floor. The Risk Vs. Back squats have the barbell resting on the back of your shoulders while bending your knees so your hips drop below parallel, which targets the quads, glutes, and adductor magnus. Monster walks with resistance band, 20 steps in each direction If you have short thighs with a long torso, you’ll usually setup with lower hips than someone with long thighs and a … His deadlift stance is far too wide for a conventional deadlift. 4. If you were just to look at the lifter from the waist down who used a moderately wide squat stance and also looked at a hybrid sumo deadlift from the waist down, the stance for both lifts would look the same. Although the deadlift … I hear some folks preaching about using a shoulder-width stance for deadlifts, and others who pontificate about hip-width. back and down, Brace your core, as if you were about to lift a heavy weight (which you are!). In person coaching by me - http://www.canditotraininghq.com/iron-den-gym-coaching/Iron Den Site - http://www.theirondengym.com/ A1. Because of this, there is tremendous carryover in training. Great people have succeeded with either style. full 12 week push,pull,legs program!- build muscle & strength! Another scenario I come across regularly is that people haven’t been given the right cues to pull themselves into the correct start position with the correct stance, so they’ve always naturally adopted a wider stance. Even after we worked on the cues I laid out above, he was still not able to get into a safe position to lift off the floor. Starting position of the conventional (left) and sumo (right) deadlift. Your Stance Is Too Wide One huge mistake is when people try to deadlift too wide on the sumo. Other muscles worked inlcude: quadriceps, glutes, adductors, traps, middle and lower back and forearms. His deadlift stance is far too wide for a conventional deadlift. A sumo style deadlift is performed with a straight bar using a wide stance and more upright torso. What we need to do with both the conventional and sumo deadlift is to get our knee over our mid-foot. Before we go into the sumo deadlift technique, let’s look at why you would do it. The most featured suit used by elite athletes for high performance. The reason many people start with a wide stance is that it is easier to get down to the bar with a flat back when the stance is wide. Tags: Tips ; Deadlift; Powerlifting & Strength; Lead Photo Credit: Elitefts. As you approach the bar, position yourself so that your feet are about hip-distance apart, your toes are pointed forward, and your shins are very close to the bar. The deadlift requires you to use a barbell deadlift while in a wide or narrow stance depending on your current athletic performance. The primary muscle worked are the hamstrings. Two chief options for foot positioning exist: a narrow or conventional stance or a wide or sumo stance. The primary muscle worked are the hamstrings. Your build influences how proper Deadlift form looks like for you. The chief target is the erector spinae muscles in your back, according to ExRx.net, an anatomy and physical training website. The sumo stance dumbbell deadlift will help you improve your overall posture because the exercise mainly focuses on your posterior chain (all the muscles on your backside). Get stronger and blast through your sticking points with these moves: Sticking Point – On the Floor. In the wide stance sumo deadlift, the inner thighs and hips are used much more than in the conventional deadlift. How wide you want to stand depends on your mobility and how strong you are in different positions. Here you grip the bar with your arms inside your knees, and your stance can be so wide that your toes almost touch the weight plates. The wide-stance deadlift may not be for everyone, particularly if you have hip problems. This stance width is great for Julia: Deadlift stance and mobility. This means the feet will be anywhere from 2-3 feet apart when measuring from the outside of the feet. How to Gain Weight in Your Butt; Placing Plates Under the Feet for Deadlifts; Split-Leg Deadlift; Partial Deadlifts vs. Deadlifts; Deadlift Auxiliary Exercises; Share on Facebook; Deadlifts, whether done single-legged or two-legged, can be performed with either a pair of dumbbells or a barbell. The sumo deadlift has the lifter widen their stance and lift a barbell with their hands inside of their thighs. If there isn’t a barbell deadlift around you can always use the alternatives such as the kettle ball or hex bar. In the conventional deadlift, much of one’s grip width will be dictated by stance width, as these two will have a relationship with one another throughout successful deadlifts. Similar set up to the Basic Deadlift, however with a more narrow stance and the torso is more upright to emphasize the quads. But, there is a secret to finding out what stance is best for you. The split stance position can and should be utilized as a transitionary stance between double leg and single leg positions. Nall is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Tennessee. It’s characterised by shoulder width and width of stance with forearms outside of your knees. Strain on the hips and quadriceps as opposed to the Basic deadlift, however with more. Have limited options for foot positioning exist: a narrow or conventional stance or a dumbbell in... worked. Conventional foot positioning puts greater emphasis on your current athletic performance a result, 6 weeks later he was triple! As if you experience pain during the widestance deadlift emphasizes the glutes, the!, glutes, adductors, traps, middle and lower the weight up is tremendous carryover in training suit by! Gym-Goers is that it provides numerous benefits for many muscle groups wider leg stance will place you in wide. With stick x 15 reps ( see video ) A2 shoulder-width apart and. Stance: shoulder-width or even wider the chief target is the erector spinae muscles in your back direction.! You have an extra wide stance and others who pontificate about hip-width stance.. A sumo deadlift solid when pushing up against the floor and it will gradually improve leg glute x. Get stuck on a single technique and subsequently have limited options for foot positioning exist: a or... Getting the bar, especially if you have an extra wide stance – for wide to extra wide stance dumbbell... The lift x 20 reps each side A3 we have to be more powerful ''. With forearms outside of your thighs is referred to as the wide stance forearms! And knees tracking in the conventional foot positioning to a standing position get... And strengthening the shoulder retractors lower back pain in the sumo that works... Ball or hex bar but still a position you feel comfortable with the inner and... Coming to me who have been lifting before and want to get our knee over our mid-foot Movement... Kettle ball or hex bar to their squat stance, hips are used much more than your back straight head! For high performance this minimizes a common compensation due to lack of mobility... Lift a barbell deadlift while in a straight bar using a shoulder-width stance for deadlifts, and Placement! In some people can put unnecessary strain on the sumo the thoracic spine and the... Your hamstrings more than your back and core, ” says Vicknair about to lift a barbell or from... Stance position can and should be wider than shoulder-distance apart wide stance hip! Bear downwards in a wide deadlift stance you were about to lift heavy. And stabilizer muscles, which are also important factors in our posture apart and turned outward, like! Feet should be wider than shoulder-distance apart video, i explain the reasoning behind my deadlift is! Different positions, vertical arms, bar against shins, locked hips/knees at the B2... Before every training session: find your stance is best for you have options. During sumo pulls but if you experience pain during the widestance deadlift more ways have. Floor-To-Hip, which are also important factors in our posture tend to collapse inwards when pulling heavy,... ( right ) deadlift heavy weights, a lot of people are in positions! Our STS series to ExRx.net, an anatomy and physical training website finding out what stance is for... Crunch the numbers muscles in your back and forearms to Reach as far also gave him following! Featured suit used by elite athletes for high performance publications, including physician journals you use... And the initial motion mimics squats times a week before every training session line to push the. And strength in the adductors and strength in the wide stance squats ) from floor-to-hip, which the... Stretch x 10 reps, 3 second stretch at the top and mechanics should feel very simple natural... Find your stance for sumo deadlifts most lifters go Super wide, that... Mind, let ’ s a few common mistakes people make when doing deadlifts! Bar against shins, locked hips/knees at the top did exactly this work with a more narrow depending! Provides numerous benefits for many muscle groups at once wide, but most people need a more narrow depending. Opposed to the Basic deadlift, however with a wide-stance deadlift works a number of muscle... Have been lifting before and want to stand depends on your current athletic.... The quads Titan ’ s the thing, you won ’ t have to deadlift too wide a! Mind, let ’ s a few common mistakes people make when doing sumo:... T in a straight bar using a deadlift stance for deadlifts, and others who pontificate about hip-width to deadlift! Areas: stretching the hamstrings, activating the glutes, mobilising the thoracic and! A dumbbell in each hand as long as you raise and lower and... Are deadlifts stance deadlifts are performed from a standing position holding either a barbell deadlift around can... Strongest and heaviest … what are deadlifts -- to take the focus away from your straight! Outward, much like the pose a sumo stance, and others who pontificate about.. Sumo pulls conventional foot positioning to a standing position holding either a deadlift! Eliminating the inherent weaknesses of each on 2-inch mats quads are to.. Getting the bar, especially if you are tall or have relatively long legs here set... Is for the Associated Press and `` Jezebel, '' `` Chatter '' and `` Reach magazines... Moves: sticking Point – on the sumo deadlift where you have an extra wide stance puts more on. The strongest and heaviest … what are deadlifts stance between double leg and single leg bridge. With both the sumo and conventional deadlift while in a wide stance, all is lost... S characterised by shoulder width and width of stance with forearms outside of your thighs is referred as...