The sumo deadlift high pull is an explosive barbell lift performed from a wide stance and narrow grip, pulling the bar from the floor to the collarbones to train the hips, traps and shoulders. It is a sumo deadlift that does not stop at the hips: the legs and glutes finish extending, the traps shrug, and the elbows drive high and outside to carry the bar the rest of the way. Unlike a clean, nothing is caught. CrossFit programs it in conditioning pieces; strength lifters use it as a light power drill.
What Muscles Does the Sumo Deadlift High Pull Work?
- Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, upper trapezius
- Secondary: Medial deltoid, posterior deltoid, adductors, erector spinae
- Tertiary: Biceps brachii, forearm flexors, rectus abdominis
How Do You Set Up for the Sumo Deadlift High Pull?
Load abarbellon the floor and stand with the bar over the middle of the feet. Take a stance wider than the shoulders with the toes turned out about thirty degrees. Squat down with the knees pushed out over the toes and grasp the bar inside the knees, hands about a fist width apart, palms down. Set the back flat, chest up, arms straight.
How Do You Perform the Sumo Deadlift High Pull?
- Brace and take the slack out, hips low, knees out, arms long and back flat.
- Drive the floor away with the legs, standing the bar up the shins and thighs with straight arms until the hips and knees are extended.
- Shrug hard at full extension, rising onto the toes as the shoulders snap toward the ears.
- Pull the elbows high and outside as the bar leaves the thighs, finishing with the bar at the collarbones and the elbows above the hands.
- Reverse the arm pull first, pushing the elbows down so the bar returns to the thighs before the hips bend.
- Sit the hips back and bend the knees to lower the bar under control to the floor and reset the stance.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Legs, then shrug, then arms: let the bar pass the knees on leg drive alone and bend the elbows only after the shoulders have shrugged.
- Elbows high and outside: think of pulling a rope apart at the collarbones so the bar rises close to the body.
- Push the knees out over the toes on the way down and keep them there through the drive.
- Keep the bar brushing the thighs so it travels in a straight vertical line.
- Sit the hips back before the bar passes the knees on the way down, not after.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Loading the bar too heavy: the leg drive stalls and the arms muscle the bar up early, turning it into a slow upright row; use a weight that reaches the collarbones in one motion.
- Bending the arms before the hips finish: the biceps take the load the hips should deliver and the bar slows; keep the arms straight until full extension.
- Pulling above the collarbones with the elbows drawn back: the humeral head is driven up under the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons are pinched; stop at the collarbones with the elbows wide.
- Rounding the back off the floor: the hips shoot up and the lumbar spine takes the first pull; set the chest first.
- Dropping the bar from the top: the hinge is skipped and the bar hits the shins; return it to the thighs, then hinge.
What Are the Best Sumo Deadlift High Pull Variations?
- Kettlebell sumo deadlift high pull: one bell between the feet, lighter load and an easier path, for lifters learning the sequence.
- Sumo deadlift high pull from blocks: the bar starts at the knees, removing the first pull.
- Sumo deadlift high pull to the sternum: a shorter pull for lifters with limited shoulder range.
- Single-arm kettlebell high pull: one arm, forcing the trunk to resist rotation.
- Dumbbell sumo deadlift high pull: a dumbbell held by one end, the same wide stance and pull.
How Do You Progress the Sumo Deadlift High Pull?
- Add 5 to 10 pounds once every rep of every set reaches the collarbones without the arms starting early.
- Build from 5 reps a set to 10 before each load increase.
- Add a fifth set when four no longer tax the hips and traps.
- Pause for one count at the knees on the way up to sharpen the leg drive, or lower on a three-count.
How Should You Program the Sumo Deadlift High Pull?
Place the sumo deadlift high pull first in a session, after a warm-up and before slower lifts, one or two times a week. For power, work 4 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps with 2 to 3 minutes of rest; in a conditioning piece, keep the load light for 8 to 15 reps. Pair it with front squats or push presses so the pull is followed by a push.