Conventional Deadlift Stance

[PillarofBalance]

Lately I've been working on my sumo pull. Its been an adjustment for sure, but feels somewhat natural. I know I'm able to pull more, but I don't have the speed like I do with a conventional pull. I'll keep working on that...

But in this thread I'm curious to hear some thoughts on conventional deadlifting stance form. When I first began deadlifting my stance was just at shoulder width. Not sure why, I suppose its just how I stepped up to the bar. Over time, my stance has gotten narrower and narrower. Currently, when I pull with conventional form, my heels are about 4-5 inches from eachother, toes slightly out, grip is over-under and just outside the width of my thighs and I bend at the knees to an almost 90 degree angle.

I've seen some guys with stances outside shoulder width (not a hybrid pull like Ed Coan just really wide) with a grip width 5 inches away from their body. Then on the opposite extreme I see come guys who put their heels together with their toes out. It seems as if their legs for a sort of bow.

So how are you set up for a conventional pull? And while you're at it whats your deadlift PR at these days.

 

[Rottenrogue]

My stance tends to be a bit wide and I get yelled at to pull it in.I tell them I have wide shoulders and I pull where it is comfortable. My hands are about 2-3 inches from my legs. My current max is set at 405 but I think I am good for more.

 

[400Lb Gorilla]

i tend to have a very narrow stance. feet are about 3ish inches apart and my hands are just outside of touching my thighs.

my best pull is 515 but i am hoping when i learn to get my legs more into the lift that i will pull much more

 

[SFGiants]

Narrow stance help the most off the floor and a wide stance helps the most locking out so I pull narrow raw but wider in a suit as the suit already pops from the floor and the lockout is were I should take the advantage.

For Sumo speed bro do speed pulls once a week, lighten the weight to were it is fast and that can be from 45% to 65% and higher for some find you spot.

 

[SFGiants]

i tend to have a very narrow stance. feet are about 3ish inches apart and my hands are just outside of touching my thighs.

my best pull is 515 but i am hoping when i learn to get my legs more into the lift that i will pull much more

515 is respectable mine ain't all that great I have a 585 raw and in suit can pass 600, this was pre injury though I last about 20 to 30 pounds on my pull

 

[HisAngriness]

i've used the sumo stance ever since my knee injury and it seems to be easier on my lower back as well. i have been told my height plays a role since a wider stance makes for less travel off the floor but i'm 6' 1" so its not as if i'm Brittny Griner tall.
my grip is just inside my legs, about shoulder width.
i also avoid the "over under" grip because i know a dude that tore his bicep all to shit that way. i'd rather use straps if need be.
my best pull is only 420-425. i'm a big pussy

 

[porky little keg]

i've used the sumo stance ever since my knee injury and it seems to be easier on my lower back as well. i have been told my height plays a role since a wider stance makes for less travel off the floor but i'm 6' 1" so its not as if i'm Brittny Griner tall.
my grip is just inside my legs, about shoulder width.
i also avoid the "over under" grip because i know a dude that tore his bicep all to shit that way. i'd rather use straps if need be.
my best pull is only 420-425. i'm a big pussy

Lots of height has a long track record of favoring conventional stance pulling. Most of the 900+ deads have been taller guys pulling conventional. I'm a few inches taller than you and pull better conventional.
Tearing biceps happens to the best of us, but in contest you can't use straps so you learn how to master technique and keep your bi's out of harms way...... builds better forearms too.


As for the OP's question.... I pulled sumo for a few years and as good as it was in the gym it sucked at meets because I'd be gassed. I pulled 600 conventional in '08 and 625 in '09 in meets. Switched to sumo and didn't pull over 600 again until this year when I figured out how to train my conventional pull and took it to the mid 700's in a meet ( missed 8+ at my knees ) I've been doing a lot of raw pulls against bands with 400-600 bar weight set to overload to 700-1100 at the top when the bands really kick in, helped my speed off of the floor a lot.... Either way, Stance should be wherever is comfortable for your leverages. I line my feet up so that my shins are just inside the knurling of our okie DL bar ( a little inside shoulder width) and pull with my hands just barely outside of that. Feet should be wherever is comfortable with your hands as narrow as you can while staying outside your hips ( so you can lock it out )

Really big guys like Donnie Thompson, Benedikt Magnusson, Andy Bolton, and even just really stacked, wide framed guys like the whole Lilliebridge family pull strong with their feet a little wider. Shoulder width or for guys like Donnie wider to clear the belly.

At the same time guys like Matt Wenning and the few times Chuck Vogelpohl has pulled conventional in meets both pull with their heels almost touching.... like 1-3 inches apart. Some guys, especially skinnier taller guys like Chris Hickson pull with a narrow stance but not that narrow.

Here's the point.... I'm not just trying to name drop....... go look these guys up on YouTube. Figure out who is built like you and try their stance/set up out. It might work or it might not, but it might be a good starting point to figure out what works best for you. Good Luck

 

[Rottenrogue]

The build thing rings a bell. As I said I tend to pull wider . It is the smaller guys bellering at me to pull my stance in .

 

[SFGiants]

The build thing rings a bell. As I said I tend to pull wider . It is the smaller guys bellering at me to pull my stance in .

Tell them littler guys when they can pull half what you do then you'll think about it lol

I suck Sumo and when I was with Team Wild Iron everytime I would say I wasn't to change to Sumo I was told not to that my conventional was good and strong and that I should only make the move if I sucked at conventional.

 

[HisAngriness]

Lots of height has a long track record of favoring conventional stance pulling. Most of the 900+ deads have been taller guys pulling conventional. I'm a few inches taller than you and pull better conventional.
Tearing biceps happens to the best of us, but in contest you can't use straps so you learn how to master technique and keep your bi's out of harms way...... builds better forearms too.


As for the OP's question.... I pulled sumo for a few years and as good as it was in the gym it sucked at meets because I'd be gassed. I pulled 600 conventional in '08 and 625 in '09 in meets. Switched to sumo and didn't pull over 600 again until this year when I figured out how to train my conventional pull and took it to the mid 700's in a meet ( missed 8+ at my knees ) I've been doing a lot of raw pulls against bands with 400-600 bar weight set to overload to 700-1100 at the top when the bands really kick in, helped my speed off of the floor a lot.... Either way, Stance should be wherever is comfortable for your leverages. I line my feet up so that my shins are just inside the knurling of our okie DL bar ( a little inside shoulder width) and pull with my hands just barely outside of that. Feet should be wherever is comfortable with your hands as narrow as you can while staying outside your hips ( so you can lock it out )

Really big guys like Donnie Thompson, Benedikt Magnusson, Andy Bolton, and even just really stacked, wide framed guys like the whole Lilliebridge family pull strong with their feet a little wider. Shoulder width or for guys like Donnie wider to clear the belly.

At the same time guys like Matt Wenning and the few times Chuck Vogelpohl has pulled conventional in meets both pull with their heels almost touching.... like 1-3 inches apart. Some guys, especially skinnier taller guys like Chris Hickson pull with a narrow stance but not that narrow.

Here's the point.... I'm not just trying to name drop....... go look these guys up on YouTube. Figure out who is built like you and try their stance/set up out. It might work or it might not, but it might be a good starting point to figure out what works best for you. Good Luck

excellent info here porky. thanks

 

[SAD]

I'm pulling a little over 500 for a double right now, but that's at the end of a session so I'm pretty sure I'm good for mid 500s with the right progression. I'm between 6'2" and 6'3" depending on the day and the measure-er. I pull with feet shoulder width and hands just barely outside of that. Toes are very slightly pointed out. I've never been coached in person or worked with any high level powerlifters though, so I'm still willing/wanting to tweak and refine and learn and grow.

 

[BrotherIron]

.....had a brain fart so no need to even keep this stupid post. And no I'm not blonde, lol.