Grip Spacing in Sumo Deadlift

i would put this in the beginner forum, but it seems it would fit in here better.

for sumo deadlifts (actually for all deadlifts), the closer the grip, the less distance the bar has to travel. but is there any safety issues when sumo deadlifting with a close hand spacing.

i pull sumo, but not very wide. my hand spacing is really close, and my arms don’t bend at all with that close of a hand spacing because i flex my triceps before pulling.

thanks in advance!

No issues I’ve ever heard of. I usually place my hands so that 1/2 is on the knurling, just to help ensure a good grip.

No that is not true. There is an optimum hand spacing. If you go less than the optimum, i.e. when your arms are not perpendicular to the ground you will have to bend over more, just like if your hands are too wide.

To answer your original question, you should try to have your grip so your arms are perpendicular to the ground.

beef

just drop your arms straight down. i don’t think i’ve ever seen it done any other way for sumo

[quote]beefcakemdphd wrote:
No that is not true. There is an optimum hand spacing. If you go less than the optimum, i.e. when your arms are not perpendicular to the ground you will have to bend over more, just like if your hands are too wide.

To answer your original question, you should try to have your grip so your arms are perpendicular to the ground.

beef[/quote]

Agreed, but his question was about safety, not the optimal position to pull big

[quote]deadliftgoal500 wrote:
i would put this in the beginner forum, but it seems it would fit in here better.

for sumo deadlifts (actually for all deadlifts), the closer the grip, the less distance the bar has to travel. but is there any safety issues when sumo deadlifting with a close hand spacing.

i pull sumo, but not very wide. my hand spacing is really close, and my arms don’t bend at all with that close of a hand spacing because i flex my triceps before pulling.

thanks in advance![/quote]

My issue with gripping close is that I’m right on the bare metal and it’s very slippery. I can
't use a mixed grip either. I’m thinking about playing around with a hook-grip but I has stumpy thumbs. I’m very frustrated.

[quote]logosolos wrote:

[quote]deadliftgoal500 wrote:
i would put this in the beginner forum, but it seems it would fit in here better.

for sumo deadlifts (actually for all deadlifts), the closer the grip, the less distance the bar has to travel. but is there any safety issues when sumo deadlifting with a close hand spacing.

i pull sumo, but not very wide. my hand spacing is really close, and my arms don’t bend at all with that close of a hand spacing because i flex my triceps before pulling.

thanks in advance![/quote]

My issue with gripping close is that I’m right on the bare metal and it’s very slippery. I can
't use a mixed grip either. I’m thinking about playing around with a hook-grip but I has stumpy thumbs. I’m very frustrated.[/quote]

curious, why no mixed grip?

putting my arms straight down has worked great for me (yes, i know, liftin straps, no chalk was allowed in the gym, my gym now though does…win)

For whatever reason, when I use a mixed grip, I manage to twist my body. I think it’s because I’m favoring one side… or I’m trying to curl it. I have a slipped disc in my lower back and separated my shoulder a few years back. When I switched to double overhand I added almost a hundred lbs.

[quote]logosolos wrote:

For whatever reason, when I use a mixed grip, I manage to twist my body. I think it’s because I’m favoring one side… or I’m trying to curl it. I have a slipped disc in my lower back and separated my shoulder a few years back. When I switched to double overhand I added almost a hundred lbs.[/quote]

gotcha. well if double overhand works, stick with it.

Yeah that’s what I was thinking. I’ve been working my hook-grip on other lifts too. It doesn’t hurt my thumbs like I thought it would but it does put a lot of strain on the outsides of my hands.