Sumo vs Conventional DLs (Back Injury)

kruddy123 2011-11-19 02:45:03 UTC #1

hey guys i have i baad back so i am going to try doing sumo deadlifts instead of conv deadlifs, because i read it is less stress on the lower back.

so my question is have you guys had similar problems with lower back problmes and has sumo deadlifts worked?

and did if so did they help you get back to conventional deeadlfts?

please read this post for more information about my lower back

http://tnation.T-Nation.com/hub/kruddy123;jsessionid=98B58E04D7E53F57242C996FC9B9F85E-mcd02.hydra#myForums/thread/4904137/

Doomed 2011-11-19 10:38:52 UTC #2

I had issues with my back too. Switched to sumo. Its basically saved my lifting career so to speak. I can deadlift without any back troubles and I am actually much stronger from that position.

As with anything, let your back heal up and start slowly, let your body adapt to the position, it can beat your hips up if you're not used to it. Also experiment with foot position, foot angle, grip width.

The other thing that really helped my back and subsequently the deadlift was zercher lifts from the rack.

In terms of going back to conv, I have no plans to do so, however I'm sure I could if i wanted without any back issues.

Sutebun 2011-11-19 12:34:12 UTC #3

I just kind of sucked at deads in general. The owner of my gym told me to try sumos and had me do an inside grip and all of a sudden I could deadlift a lot more and maintain better form. I've had flexibility problems with my hamstrings/lower-back and in general my hams and back are my weakest spots, so I guess it works.

Doesn't hurt to try for two weeks and see what happens!

mpg 2011-11-19 13:18:11 UTC #4

Conventional would leave my back aching for most of the week. Sumo: a few hours. Def worth it to switch for that reason alone. Unfortunately my max went down 100 lbs (I hate to go backwards but sometimes going backwards can be the smart farsighted approach.) It is slow going to make my way back up to what I used to do. Now I have closed the gap to 50 lbs but it took me about 5 months to do so and I figure it will take another 5 months to get back where I was doing conventional.

I agree with Doomed in that it will "save my lifting career."

kruddy123 2011-11-19 22:29:45 UTC #5

cheers guys am excited to try it now =)
i am gonna start with 15 kg on each side and increase by 5 kg every, sumo deadlift once a week and after every 3rd week have a deload

kruddy123 2011-11-21 17:46:33 UTC #6

tried sumo deadlifting and my right hip kept clicking in and out of place? do you whats wrong?

niksamaras 2011-11-21 20:40:24 UTC #7

Any pain during the clicking? If you moved your stance in a bit, do you still hear the clicking?

kruddy123 2011-11-22 23:09:36 UTC #8

no pain but it does,nt feel nice, also i was only using light weights aswell. well i did,nt have my legs super wide to begin with because i read on eric ressey website having feet to wide can cause hip irritation. so i had them about the same width as Eric Cressey in this vid(//www.ericcressey.com/how-to-deadlift-which-variation-is-right-for-you-2)
i did play around with the width a little bit but not much wider or shorter

StormTheBeach 2011-11-23 12:41:56 UTC #9

Do you do soft tissue/mobility work? Clicking can mean a bunch of things. Usually its a sliding surface or a capsule problem that is easliy fixed by either jamming a lax ball in there or putting the joint into traction and moving around for a few minutes.

Dan_Harrison 2011-11-25 04:51:34 UTC #10

It means you're probably going to die.

kruddy123 2011-12-01 02:04:12 UTC #11

where abouts? in side my hip next to my groin or side of my hip?

patrick4588 2011-12-01 05:17:04 UTC #12

I prefer conventional, but sumo is alright. Less rom, so i can see it being beneficial in some way

rambodian 2011-12-01 05:25:43 UTC #13

I do conventional, but a friend who trains with me sometimes does a semi-sumo stance, I've tried sumo, semi-sumo and conventional but seem to be more comfortable with the conventional, I can pull more conventional too. But if I had a lower back issue i would see no issue with semi-sumo or full sumo deads, they are just another way of doing one of the best compound movements possible.

kruddy123 2011-12-01 11:50:38 UTC #14

yeah thats why i am keen to try them i can,t squat because my lower back injury, so i am planning to do semi stance sumo dl and lunges. put when i tried them like i said my hip was cracking n popping so i don't want to load them up until i sort that out =(

MuscleHamster 2011-12-02 23:48:41 UTC #15

I conventional deadlifted for a long time but after i injured my back, i ended up doing a semi sumo like rambodian's friend. I feel you get greater leverage and can keep the bar closer. I just dont like the consept of a really wide sumo. Its like not even deadlifting anymore lol however, you use more ham and glute i feel. Conventional works your upper back better, so if you do semi or full sumo, like me, make sure you work on that upper back too!

MuscleHamster 2011-12-02 23:50:57 UTC #16

Simple answer, alternate stances, and your better lift is your competition lift. The other works as a great accessory. Like doing floor presses for your bench

gurbob 2011-12-03 12:43:18 UTC #17

hurt my back a few months back, switched to sumo...damned things kicked my hips in the ass.
also found that if i do speed pulls with a hurt back, i could continue with convo, and very minimal back pain.
a few months of speed pulls can be a very good thing.

kruddy123 2011-12-08 23:08:50 UTC #18

cheers muscle hamster. i do alot of pull ups and rows any way =)
i boxed squatted and semi stiff legged today back feels o.k so far but see how it feels in morning lol

gurbob, so are u just doing speed deads at moment?