Sumo Deadlift

A upper legs exercise targeting the hamstrings, performed with barbell.

Sumo Deadlift demonstration
Sumo Deadlift — demonstration

Body part

Upper Legs

Equipment

Barbell

Target muscles

Hamstrings

Secondary muscles

Adductors, Forearms, Glutes, Lower Back, Middle Back, Quadriceps, Traps

How to do Sumo Deadlift

  1. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.

  2. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.

  3. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.

  4. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.

Muscles worked

Primary (target)

Hamstrings

Secondary

AdductorsForearmsGlutesLower BackMiddle BackQuadricepsTraps

Related exercises

All upper legs exercises →

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