Barbell Sumo Deadlift Pain

[mrdave100]

I recently posted how I switched to Sumo style, but after a few weeks I've developed a pain in both hips. If you were to bend forward, the pain was in the crease of the top of my thigh. I thought it may be due to not warming up properly??? I've been following Easy Strength style training so the weight wasn't much beyond 80% of my max. Maybe I need to warmup more in my advancing years? Anyone else ever experience this?

I switched back to conventional and after 4-5 days the pain disappeared.

 

[Steve Freides]

Video, please.

-S-

 

[mrdave100]

As requested.

 

[Steve Freides]

When you are grabbing the bar, have a look at your shins. IMHO, if they're not vertical, but instead your knees are closer together than your feet, your stance is too wide.

Go back to a narrow sumo, basically the stance width you use to swing a kettlebell, and work gradually out from there to find a good stance width and foot angle.

Watch Ed Coan coach the sumo deadlift. Go to 2:32 of the video, but watch the whole thing.



-S-

 

[Philippe Geoffrion]

I think @Steve Freides is on the money with stance width issue. It takes time to get the mobility to go that wide, if you even really desire to do so. I had issues as well and moved my feet so my calves are literally just outside my grip. No problems, and I feel with my leg length (long), I get much better leverage and strength in this position. Also, flaring your toes outward at the closer width will let you get your shins a bit closer to the bar, almost frog stance style. Toy with it until you find a strong position.

 

[Antti]

I agree with both @Steve Freides and @Philippe Geoffrion .

Try to get your knees over your heels when you start the lift. Push your hips aggressively closer to the bar, both before and after you start the lift. Try and see if opening your foot angle helps. The legs and the hips can be opened really wide with sumo deadlifts.

I think I wrote about it in the earlier thread a bit, I will repeat that I got really nasty aches for a month, about ten sessions, when I started to train the sumo deadlift. I kept to it, did long bodyweight squat holds at home, foam rolled and stretched the hip flexors, etc, and the aches eventually subsided and went away, never to return, even if I only sumo deadlift occasionally. But of course, it is my experience, and better you be careful. Just trying to point out that good sumo form demands mobility and flexibility and it may take a while before it happens.

The video that Steve posted is excellent. The same channel has a video with Chris Duffing coaching the deadlift and it is excellent as well.

 

[mrdave100]

Thanks for the feedback and recommendations. I have narrowed my stance and so far so good. I'll post a video soon so you guys can evaluate for any potential problems, poor technique, etc. Thanks for the videos as well!! I've downloaded and watched both Ed and Duffing.