By: MuscleSports.net

It a process of converting over from conventional deadlifting to sumo style!

When converting over from a more conventional deadlift to sumo style one thing becomes very evident from the first pull, your hips lower abdomen and groin area will be stretched and contracted way more then was previously necessary to complete the movement. The first thing most guys say when switching is that their groin is sore and sometime people have pulled a groin trying to make the switch. The benefits are a flat back, head erect, less bicep pressure, and more legs and a little glutes. Below are some key suggestions to make your transition from conventional to sumo more easy.

Our first suggestion may sound a little feminine but the shit works. You need to get your fat ass over to the hip abductor machine and start using it. You know the machine, the one why women cover themselves because some perverts are always trying to watch them on the thing. Yeah that machine. You will need this machine or some form of it be it with bands or towel resistance from your workout partner, but abductors need to be worked. Our second exercise for this are Jefferson Squats deep down in the hole. You may never have seen them so we will explain: Take the bar off the rack as if to do a regular high bar squat, not a power squat. Place your feet 1 foot wider than shoulder width on each side, point your toes out to the side as if your a ballet dancer - Oh Yeah! Squat as low as you can, you will feel that groin stretching as you go lower and lower, but this will strengthen you sumo deadlift quicker when done along with the abductor exercise.

Limit your deadlifting to once every two weeks. Doing your deadlifts only once every two weeks help you work on getting those portions that need the work the effort they need. Most people won't to attach a bodypart or lift every week as if the lift is going to magically get better because of shear force of will. Not going to happen. We must strengthen the weak point as we strength the entire lift, that how you reach big numbers not the other way around.

Strengthen your lower back using good mornings and hyperextensions. One of the benefits of performing deadlifts with a sumo stance is that there is less flexion and strain on the lower back. This doesn't mean you should neglect strengthen your lower back. On the weeks that you take off from deadlifting, we recommend working in good mornings or hyperextensions into there place in your work schedule. We will neglect no piece of the strength chain.

Strengthen your hamstrings with glute ham raises. So people if you have access to a Glute/Ham bench then you know what it is so get to using it on you off weeks. For those who don't have access to one we can make do with the regular hyperextensions bench. So say you can't do this because the Glute/Ham bench is designed different(Its got a round bench - WOW Wi). Get on the hyper extension as if you going to do a regular hyper. Now slide your hips back until you navel is at the front of the pad adjust the foot pads so your knees are slightly bent. Now stand up and fold your self a couple of towels and place them on the pads and hop back up into position. Now as if starting to do a hyper let your body descend forward while raising your hip and extending your hamstrings. Not at the bottom raise your upper body by pulling first with your hamstrings then your glute and lower back. The movement is not easy but very concentrated and all that required to get stringer is your own bodyweight. The glute ham raise is the ideal exercise for strengthening the hamstrings for hip flexion and improved deadlift strength.

Ab work! You must strength your entire abdominal core. Your no in a bodybuilding contest but your core has to be strong for you to be a great deadlifter, conventional or sumo. Lower abs, upper abs, and obliques all need to be strengthened and never neglected.

Neck Neck Neck! Traps and neck work are a must to keep every thing in line when completing a very heavy deadlift. So trap and neck work is a must.

There you go! You may find others say you may need to do more or less but you will have to make adjustments to your training to become a great sumo deadlifter. Train Smart, Train Hard, Train Heavy, but alway TRAIN!

Later....

Tags: deadlift