Barbell Sumo Romanian Deadlift

Description

How to Do Barbell Sumo Romanian Deadlift

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out at approximately 45 degrees. Position the barbell over your midfoot.

2. 2
   Setup

   Hinge at your hips and slightly bend your knees to grip the barbell with an overhand or mixed grip, hands inside your knees and slightly narrower than shoulder-width. Ensure your back is neutral and chest is up.

3. 3

   Initiate the lift by driving through your heels and extending your hips and knees simultaneously, pulling the barbell up your shins. Keep the bar close to your body and maintain a neutral spine.

4. 4

   Stand tall at the top, squeezing your glutes, but avoid hyperextending your lower back.

5. 5

   To lower the barbell, hinge at your hips first, pushing your glutes backward. Allow a slight bend in your knees as the barbell descends along your thighs and shins, maintaining a neutral spine.

6. 6

   Lower the barbell until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings and adductors, typically just below the knees or mid-shin, before reversing the motion to begin the next repetition.

Tips

• Maintain a "proud chest" throughout the movement to help keep your spine neutral and prevent rounding of the upper back.
• Focus on driving your hips backward during the eccentric (lowering) phase to maximize hamstring and glute stretch, rather than just dropping the weight.
• Keep the barbell extremely close to your body, almost brushing your shins and thighs, to maintain optimal leverage and protect your lower back.
• Engage your lats by imagining "tucking your shoulder blades into your back pockets" to create upper back tension and help stabilize the spine.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rounding the lower back during the lift puts excessive strain on the spine; fix this by actively bracing your core and maintaining a neutral lumbar curve throughout the movement.
• ×Squatting too much instead of hinging reduces glute and hamstring engagement; fix this by initiating the movement by pushing your hips back first, rather than bending your knees excessively.
• ×Letting the barbell drift too far away from the body increases leverage on the lower back; fix this by actively pulling the bar into your body path throughout the entire range of motion.