Conventional Deadlifts Vs Sumo Deadlifts

[cuts280]

What do you prefer guys?? What according to you are the pros & cons of each over the other?

[Grant]

I think most bodybuilders prefer conventional because it places more emphasis on the back area. At least it did for me. Seems like most bodybuilders who do deads do them conventional.

For powerlifting, I think it depends on which method let you pull more. My hips were never that strong so I alwasy did mine conventional. Just my experience.

[Mystic79]

If trained right I believe you could handle MORE weight in the sumo dead than conventional mainly because you are lower to the ground with less of a distance for the bar to travel. Sumo hits the hamstrings and legs alot more., whereas conventional more so the back. I always do them conventional with a very narrow stance.

[mrky03]

For bodybuilding I believe traditional deads are the best.

[beckie]

Regular ones seem to be what most bb'ers do but I do remember seeing an article on Mike O'Hearn in which he performed Sumo's over regulars.

[youngblood]

mystic79 said:

If trained right I believe you could handle MORE weight in the sumo dead than conventional mainly because you are lower to the ground with less of a distance for the bar to travel. Sumo hits the hamstrings and legs alot more., whereas conventional more so the back. I always do them conventional with a very narrow stance.

I was told this by my gym owner, saying that if I could do 3 plates for 8 on the conventional, I could probably do 4 on the sumo. So, certainly this sounded appealing, and for about 4-5 weeks I tried out the sumo stance. Played with my feet angles, and the width of my hips/legs.
Just didn't feel right to me at all. And it wasn't my hips, those felt good and strong, but when I got up to 3 plates on the sumo (never really went higher) my knee would be in pain. So, I went back to conventional deads, the knee problem went away immediately, and my gym owner and I summed up that I wasn't built for sumo deadlifts.
Oh well. Try it and find what you like best, be it the form or the weight you feel most comfortable with.

[RUBICON19]

I can do much better w/ regular conventional style

[cuts280]

The reason I asked is b'cos I believe I have kind of stagnated on the conventional one's recently. I wanted a substitue as I am doing DC. Rack deads is out of question b'cos we don't have a powercage. Doing T-bar and Barbell Rows for the other two workouts hence I decided the only option I was left with was sumo. Now when I was on cruising I had an urge to try Sumo and to my amazement in my very first workout I ended up doing 405 for 4 reps and it totally felt natural. I contacted Doug, and he too thought that it would be ideal for me to replace the conventional deads with sumo.

[Grant]

You can also do deads off plates or blocks so you have a greater range of motion.

[masterschamp]

If you have access to a Smith Machine, you could do "rack" deads in there.

Keith

[Karrie]

I do sumo deadlifts. I am MUCH stronger b/c my long legs are out of the way and I do not have that far to pull it up. I used to do the conventional ones, but I have noticed again being stronger, but along with that I have muscle on in my back.

[cuts280]

Hey Beckie, if I am not mistaken Mike O hearn was a competitive powerlifter who was very strong. As a matter of fact my favorite bodybuilder Mike Francois used to believe a lot in doing sumo's.

Kieth, that's an excellent suggestion which I never thought of. Shall definitely use it in the near future.

As for now I shall give sumo a go from my positive experience and see what happens.

[RUBICON19]

Go for Sumo then. Whtever exercises you can move the most weight in would be the ones to use for DC

[youngblood]

Also, try a "snatch deadlift." Charles Poliquin advises to use it and it's a pretty kick ass one to use.

Stand on a 3-4" block of wood, and take a snatch grip (I put my index fingers outside the rings on the bar, about as wide as I can get comfortably). Use the same stance that you would in a conventional dead.
The thing to watch out for, here, is use very lightweight to start. And watch your vastus medialis (teardrop) muscle burst with growth. Very potent exercise.

[Maximum6]

I almost think
sumo dl: powerlifting style squat
conventional dl: olympic squat

but i'm biased like that.

I say whichever you feel most comfortable with is usually the best movement because you can naturally move more weight using that form.

[beckie]

I guess you could use the sumos as part of a progression to build up your regular deads-if you do them for say 6 weeks then go back to the regulars you may find you have gotten out of whatever plateau you are in currently?

[cuts280]

Thanx guy's. That's the whole game plan now, to use sumo deads as a part of a progression to build up on the regular deads and switch back later to the conventional deads.

[denverbroncos10]

if sumo is stronger, than why are all of the top deadlifts done conventional?

Few people have pull over 850 sumo, quite a few conv.


from a powerlifters point of view- I can do sumo deads for days which is how i pull in comp. Mostly all of the work i feel is in traps and legs, while doing conv , my entire back is fried

[Karrie]

denverbroncos10 said:

if sumo is stronger, than why are all of the top deadlifts done conventional?

Few people have pull over 850 sumo, quite a few conv.


from a powerlifters point of view- I can do sumo deads for days which is how i pull in comp. Mostly all of the work i feel is in traps and legs, while doing conv , my entire back is fried

I think it depends on the individual. I have LONG legs and on conventional deads I am not nearly as strong as I am on the sumo style b/c my legs are out of the way. I get VERY sore AND my back has gotten wider in the process. I think it just depends on each person. ;D