Sumo vs Conventional Deadlift

I have a problem keeping my upper back straight with conventional deadlifts, and lately I’ve been trying sumos with what I think is success.

I find it easier to lift sumo deads with good form (upper back straight), should I continue to do these instead of conventionals?

IF you are finding sumo is easier and you keep your form then Yes, stick with them. You might want to continue to try conventional with your lower weight sets just to train the different areas more, but stick with what works for ya.

[quote]firebug9 wrote:
IF you are finding sumo is easier and you keep your form then Yes, stick with them. You might want to continue to try conventional with your lower weight sets just to train the different areas more, but stick with what works for ya.

[/quote]

I’m thinking that the reason it is easier (to keep the up-back straight) is because there is less range of motion, and the farther I have to bend down (like with conventionals) the harder it is to keep my back straight.

Am I still going to get at least the same effect if not better by doing sumos? Or am I cheating with my particular weakness?

Also a side question: I was doing them today and I felt a bit of a pain in one of my knees, but only on one of the first sets. Are the knees more vulnerable to injury with the sumo dead? Or was my form just a bit off?

[quote]crazyman wrote:
firebug9 wrote:
IF you are finding sumo is easier and you keep your form then Yes, stick with them. You might want to continue to try conventional with your lower weight sets just to train the different areas more, but stick with what works for ya.

I’m thinking that the reason it is easier (to keep the up-back straight) is because there is less range of motion, and the farther I have to bend down (like with conventionals) the harder it is to keep my back straight.

Am I still going to get at least the same effect if not better by doing sumos? Or am I cheating with my particular weakness?

Also a side question: I was doing them today and I felt a bit of a pain in one of my knees, but only on one of the first sets. Are the knees more vulnerable to injury with the sumo dead? Or was my form just a bit off?[/quote]

They are two completely different exercises. Just because they have the word deadlift in the title doesn’t necessarily mean much. Sumo deadlifts are great for the hips and hamstrings, but do very little for the back. Conventional deadlifts work the hips to a lesser extent, but incorporate a lot of back. I personally perform both movements, but I pull conventional in competition, so several weeks out of a comp I drop the sumos and just perform conventionals.

How long have you been doing sumos? If not long, chances are your knee hurt simply from the new movement. Sumos require you to force your knees out, something you probably aren’t used to doing…

I used to have this problem. I didn’t have the mobility to get in position with conventional deads when I first started. Doing sumos will definitly open those hips up.

side note: I agree that conventional dead put more stress on the lower back, but to say that sumo’s do next to nothing for you back is completely wrong.

What are your goals? Are you a bodybuilder or a powerlifter? Depending on your inclination, your exercise selection should follow.

[quote]OneDay wrote:
crazyman wrote:
firebug9 wrote:
IF you are finding sumo is easier and you keep your form then Yes, stick with them. You might want to continue to try conventional with your lower weight sets just to train the different areas more, but stick with what works for ya.

I’m thinking that the reason it is easier (to keep the up-back straight) is because there is less range of motion, and the farther I have to bend down (like with conventionals) the harder it is to keep my back straight.

Am I still going to get at least the same effect if not better by doing sumos? Or am I cheating with my particular weakness?

Also a side question: I was doing them today and I felt a bit of a pain in one of my knees, but only on one of the first sets. Are the knees more vulnerable to injury with the sumo dead? Or was my form just a bit off?

They are two completely different exercises. Just because they have the word deadlift in the title doesn’t necessarily mean much. Sumo deadlifts are great for the hips and hamstrings, but do very little for the back. Conventional deadlifts work the hips to a lesser extent, but incorporate a lot of back. I personally perform both movements, but I pull conventional in competition, so several weeks out of a comp I drop the sumos and just perform conventionals.

How long have you been doing sumos? If not long, chances are your knee hurt simply from the new movement. Sumos require you to force your knees out, something you probably aren’t used to doing…

[/quote]

I tried sumos last week for the first time, but only one set. And today I did 6x4. I did them with a wide stance and with a narrower grip, and my feet were turned out a little less than a 45 degree angle, sound about right?

I’m thinking of doing sumos mondays and conventionals thursdays, what do you think?

[quote]Pemdas wrote:
I used to have this problem. I didn’t have the mobility to get in position with conventional deads when I first started. Doing sumos will definitly open those hips up.

side note: I agree that conventional dead put more stress on the lower back, but to say that sumo’s do next to nothing for you back is completely wrong. [/quote]

I definitely felt it in my back today, mainly the middle. Experimenting, I did them a couple different ways too, one way I squatted more and bent less at the hips-this is where I would think he was thinking that sumos use more hams, and the other way I bent very little at the knees but bent much more at the hips, and I really felt the pull in my back.

I don’t know which way to do though. Maybe it would be better to bend more at the hips for now to try and strengthen that upper back problem, cuz my hams and glutes are (relatively with deadlifts)WAY above the strength of my middle/upper back. What do you think?

[quote]undeadlift wrote:
What are your goals? Are you a bodybuilder or a powerlifter? Depending on your inclination, your exercise selection should follow.[/quote]

Hmmm, that’s kind of a tricky question for me (I’m a newb BTW, not that you didn’t know). I guess it would have to be powerlifting FOR NOW, I really want to build up my strength, but after I have some decent strength built up I’d like to change to bodybuilder. I don’t know if that’s the best idea, but I know a lot of the great bodybuilders trained this way…

And which exercise do you think should follow which inclination?

[quote]crazyman wrote:
OneDay wrote:
crazyman wrote:
firebug9 wrote:
IF you are finding sumo is easier and you keep your form then Yes, stick with them. You might want to continue to try conventional with your lower weight sets just to train the different areas more, but stick with what works for ya.

I’m thinking that the reason it is easier (to keep the up-back straight) is because there is less range of motion, and the farther I have to bend down (like with conventionals) the harder it is to keep my back straight.

Am I still going to get at least the same effect if not better by doing sumos? Or am I cheating with my particular weakness?

Also a side question: I was doing them today and I felt a bit of a pain in one of my knees, but only on one of the first sets. Are the knees more vulnerable to injury with the sumo dead? Or was my form just a bit off?

They are two completely different exercises. Just because they have the word deadlift in the title doesn’t necessarily mean much. Sumo deadlifts are great for the hips and hamstrings, but do very little for the back. Conventional deadlifts work the hips to a lesser extent, but incorporate a lot of back. I personally perform both movements, but I pull conventional in competition, so several weeks out of a comp I drop the sumos and just perform conventionals.

How long have you been doing sumos? If not long, chances are your knee hurt simply from the new movement. Sumos require you to force your knees out, something you probably aren’t used to doing…

I tried sumos last week for the first time, but only one set. And today I did 6x4. I did them with a wide stance and with a narrower grip, and my feet were turned out a little less than a 45 degree angle, sound about right?

I’m thinking of doing sumos mondays and conventionals thursdays, what do you think?[/quote]

I would definitely alternate exercise selection, maybe not twice a week though. That could be a little bit too much volume.

Also, if you are gonna be competing, you have to find out which particular stance is best for your build. In general, taller guys pull conventional, shorter guys pull sumo. I would experiment with both for a few weeks before making a decision. Your form sounds pretty good…

[quote]Pemdas wrote:
I used to have this problem. I didn’t have the mobility to get in position with conventional deads when I first started. Doing sumos will definitly open those hips up.

side note: I agree that conventional dead put more stress on the lower back, but to say that sumo’s do next to nothing for you back is completely wrong. [/quote]

I wasn’t insinuating that sumos don’t work your back at all, mainly that conventionals work your back more. Sumos are clearly more of a hip exercise then a back exercise.

Are you still pissed about the twinkie thing?

[quote]crazyman wrote:
undeadlift wrote:
What are your goals? Are you a bodybuilder or a powerlifter? Depending on your inclination, your exercise selection should follow.

Hmmm, that’s kind of a tricky question for me (I’m a newb BTW, not that you didn’t know). I guess it would have to be powerlifting FOR NOW, I really want to build up my strength, but after I have some decent strength built up I’d like to change to bodybuilder. I don’t know if that’s the best idea, but I know a lot of the great bodybuilders trained this way…

And which exercise do you think should follow which inclination? [/quote]

If you are looking to compete in powerlifting, then you should do whatever gives you a higher pull. I would never totally abandon one form of deadlift over another, however.

If you are interested in bodybuilding, than the superior back development caused by conventinal pulling would make it a better choice in general.