#AskKenneth | Sumo vs Conventional Deadlift

#AskKenneth | Sumo vs Conventional Deadlift

The 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 is one of the complicated exercises, and people always ask me some questions about it. I love those questions.

➡️Here is a question:

What is the different between Sumo 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 and Conventional (Clean-grip) 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃? I know the difference in the form, but not sure about the part of muscles are used in these 2 different exercises.

➡️Here are my answers:

The variations of 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 are Rack Pull above the knees, and Rack Pull below the knees, Sumo, Conventional, Deficit & Snatch grip.

It's like cooking a bowl of rice. For instance, a barbell is a rice. We can have a bowl of white rice , and we can have a bowl of fried rice, a plate of curry rice, Hai nan chicken rice, congee...炒飯、叉燒飯、叉燒油雞飯、咖喱飯、海南雞飯、楊州炒飯....All about the variations.

Although we perform different variations, our training goal is the same - Transform your body!

“Variety is vital for training.”

We not only can change the reps & sets, but we also can change the feet width and the gripping methods.

➡️What are the Differences between Sumo DL and Conventional DL:

1️⃣ Feet Width

Conventional, Feet width is in hip width.

Toes & knees are pointing forward.

Sumo DL, feet width is wider than hip-width.

Toes and knees are out (external rotation).

2️⃣Body Posture

Sumo DL, Chest up, body posture is more upright. From the video, you can see my body is more upright when I'm doing Sumo DL.

3️⃣ Intensity

The trainee can lift Sumo DL heavier than Con DL be used the leverage. At least 10kg-20kg heavier than Con. DL

4️⃣ Hand Width

Conventional DL, hands are outside the feet stance.

Sumo DL, hands are inside l the feet stance.

5️⃣ Injury

According to the experience of the world record holder Matt Wenning, he claimed that the risk of injury is lower when the trainees are performing Sumo DL.

➡️Target Muscles

The target muscles of both exercises are quads, hamstrings, glutes, erector spine, lats, traps, arms, abs....because 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 is the compound exercise.

⭐️Bonus points:

When I’m performing 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 , Squat, I focus on the movement; if I’m performing leg curl and back extension, biceps curl, I focus on the muscles.

➡️ Coaching notes of Deadlift:

Chest up ✅

Lats tight✅

Abs tight✅

Leg drive! ✅Think about pressing the floor, but NOT pulling up the weight from the floor.

Remember, legs up, weight up!✅

A common mistake is leg up, but the weight is not coming up together.❎

➡️ Which grip should I do?

Pronated grip if you are not Powerlifters.

➡️ Which 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 is the best?

The deadlift is the entire body exercise. You can perform all 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝙸𝙵𝚃 variations. They are so-called “bang-for-the-buck” exercises.