Sumo or Regular Deadlift?

[smcfay]

Which one works more legs(quads especially)? Also which one is more safe? and last but not least...which one is the best for bodybuilding?

My current max is 305x8 using regular form. Today some old guy told me to go sumo style if i wanna see results???

 

[El Freako]

Its all relative to body mechanics, the world record holder for deadlifting, Andy Bolton, pulls with a conventional stance so it isn't necessarily the best for for you. What it does do is shorten the ROM for your lift. I'd suggest using both stances until you can work out which suits you best.

Try trawling through Elitefts and read some of their articles regarding deadlift stances.

In regards to safety, a deadlift is only as safe as the person doing it. If you're a fucking idiot, you'll end up hurting yourself. If you educate yourself and use proper form and preparation you'll be fine.

Which is best for bodybuilding? The deadlift is by far the best mass building exercise out there, no matter the stance.

 

[MrChewiebitums]

wouldnt the sumo give you a bigger waist?

 

[El Freako]

wouldnt the sumo give you a bigger waist?

Why?

 

[El Freako]

Here's an article poster by Timbo in a different thread regarding the muscles used in sumo and conventional stance:

An electromyographic analysis of sumo and conventional style deadliftsESCAMILLA, RAFAEL F.; FRANCISCO, ANTHONY C.; KAYES, ANDREW V.; SPEER, KEVIN P.; MOORMAN, CLAUDE T. III

Abstract
An electromyographic analysis of sumo and conventional style deadlifts. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 682–688, 2002.

Purpose: Strength athletes often employ the deadlift in their training or rehabilitation regimens. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity between sumo and conventional style deadlifts, and between belt and no-belt conditions.

Methods: Six cameras collected 60-Hz video data and 960-Hz electromyographic data from 13 collegiate football players who performed sumo and conventional deadlifts with and without a lifting belt, employing a 12-RM intensity. Variables measured were knee angles and EMG measurements from 16 muscles. Muscle activity were averaged and compared within three 30° knee angle intervals from 90 to 0° during the ascent, and three 30° knee angle intervals from 0 to 90° during the descent.

Results: Overall EMG activity from the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and tibialis anterior were significantly greater in the sumo deadlift, whereas overall EMG activity from the medial gastrocnemius was significantly greater in the conventional deadlift. Compared with the no-belt condition, the belt condition produced significantly greater rectus abdominis activity and significantly less external oblique activity. For most muscles, EMG activity was significantly greater in the knee extending intervals compared with the corresponding knee flexing intervals. Quadriceps, tibialis anterior, hip adductor, gluteus maximus, L3 and T12 paraspinal, and middle trapezius activity were significantly greater in higher knee flexion intervals compared with lower knee flexion intervals, whereas hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and upper trapezius activity were greater in lower knee flexion intervals compared with higher knee flexion intervals.

Conclusions: Athletes may choose to employ either the sumo or conventional deadlift style, depending on which muscles are considered most important according to their training protocols. Moderate to high co-contractions from the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gastrocnemius imply that the deadlift may be an effective closed kinetic chain exercise for strength athletes to employ during knee rehabilitation.

And you should probably give these a read too:

 

[philosopher]

Sumo DL's would be better suited for guys with strong or longer legs. The shorter ROM could give you a benefid strength wise. But as a bodybuilder your searching for hypertrophy this changes things. I would go with a regular DL from a bb standpoint although mixing it up once in a while could never hurt

 

[Skeptic]

You shouldn't permanently do Sumo's though because it's tough on the hips and stuff.... so regular switching up of exercises is necessary anyway?

 

[lifterdead]

I can definitely move more weight with a sumo deadlift, but save it only for single rep max efforts. Otherwise, I feel I get more out of a CV deadlift.

Some good articles HERE:

 

[smcfay]

Thanks for the great articles and tips fellas

 

[CombBoy]

I just do regular DL's.

 

[Adam23]

Sumo DL's would be better suited for guys with strong or longer legs. The shorter ROM could give you a benefid strength wise. But as a bodybuilder your searching for hypertrophy this changes things. I would go with a regular DL from a bb standpoint although mixing it up once in a while could never hurt

agree 100% !!!

regular DL is better for bodybuilding

 

[Achilles]

Thsoe sumo deads really dont fee that great on my knee's. Anyone noticed that to?

 

[El Freako]

This is Chuck Vogelpohl. He squats and deadlifts sumo and doesn't have small legs.

But I would agree, deadlifting conventionally provides a greater ROM and would be better for hypertrophy, but it couldn't hurt to work sumo every now and again to focus on different muscles. However if you discover that you are a better sumo deadlifter than than conventional then I would be doing sumos more often.

 

[Daniel Andersson]

Sumos involve legs much more then normal ones

 

[Skeptic]

Sumos involve Hips much more then normal ones

Fixed :gaysign:

 

[tim290280]

Fixed :gaysign:

Actually Dan was right:

Results: Overall EMG activity from the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and tibialis anterior were significantly greater in the sumo deadlift, whereas overall EMG activity from the medial gastrocnemius was significantly greater in the conventional deadlift

 

[Skeptic]

fair enough then lol

 

[Big_Guns_Lance]

^ lol

 

[Skeptic]

Well I was half right... Sumo's do involve hips much more lol