Sumo deadlift

The Sumo Deadlift is a variation of the Conventional Deadlift often adopted by powerlifters.

The difference between the two lies in the setup of the lifter's feet and hands. When the bar is gripped with the lifter's hands inside their legs, the form is considered "Sumo." Traditionally, hip stance is far wider in Sumo Deadlifts, and toes are pointed slightly outwards.^[1]

The Sumo Deadlift is advantageous for people with shorter arms, or worse hip mobility, as it requires a lesser range of motion when pulling the bar from the floor to the locked position. Furthermore, it allows the lifter to start with his/her arms closer to the bar, and thus not require as deep of a squat or hip bend for the starting position.^[2]

References

1. "Deadlift - Robertson Training Systems". Robertson Training Systems. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
2. Nation, Jordan Syatt, T. "Master the Sumo Deadlift | T Nation". www.t-nation.com. Retrieved 2016-03-31.