T Nation

Deadlift Variations

Bodybuilding
#1

I think I’ve all but given up on the deadlift… I don’t know why, but I simply can’t do it without going insane. Sometimes it feels like I’m doing an RDL, sometimes a good fucking morning, and if I get my hips a bit lower and bend my knees so it doesn’t feel like i’m doing one of those two exercises, it feels like I’m doing a squat, or else I simply lift my hips up without putting any force on the weight and I’m back to my RDL or good morning.

That being said, are sumo deads just as good normal deads? If I want to have a good hamstring/glute leg exercise, what other variations do I have? I just need one big, hip-dominant compound leg movement to replace my deads.

#2

I would say if you want hip development start pulling sumo. I built myself up to a near 500 max pulling conventional about three months ago, but every time I would pull heavy I felt crippled for days after. I switched to sumo and my max was about 60 lbs less than my conventional.

After working hard at sumo I surpassed my conventional PR with a 500 pull on Labor Day at a bodyweight of 195. Sumo just feels so much more natural to me. I just got a DL suit, and I am excited to start working in that. I want a triple BW pull so bad I can taste it.

#3

RDL’s, sumo deads, and wide-stance squats are all big hip dominant moves.

-Dan

#4

I was in the same boat - conventional deads just felt awkward. I recently switched to sumo and like it a lot. Yes, sumo does feel a lot like a squat, but that’s okay. I figure that if I combine sumo DLs with RDLs and/or GMs for assistance, that’ll result in some pretty good work for the posterior chain.