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Females Deadlifting

gymbunny

gymbunny

New member
I'm curious to know if Im the only female training that finds it easier to lift heavy whilst maintaining form by doing Semi Sumo deadlifts? It just felt so much more natural to lift in this style.

Ive done a little bit of reading of the pros/cons of doing Sumo deadlifts vs conventional deadlifts (read through a few previous threads). If you are semi sumo lifting are you doing alternative exercise to make up for not doing the conventional style? If so what exercise?

Also was told that doing dead lifts will give you the appearance of a thicker midsection is this true or a totally unfounded theory?
 
I deadlift semi-sumo :)
I've read that female hips are built better for sumo style which is why it feels more natural. If you are doing Sumo properly you are still hitting hamstrings. I have been doing Glute Hamstring Raises, SLDL and UDL's for assistance in the past.
I don't train Conventional Deadlifts but throw them in occasionally to mix up assistance and keep form.
 
I love sumo deadlifts although I'm sticking with conventional until my psoas injury heals fully as I still can't squat properly.

I like both styles tbh but i think sumo makes it easier as I'd say a 65kg DL feels much lighter and easier sumo style than conventional.

Agree with Kaz, I think our hips are probably more geared for that.
Sumo is also easier if your hamstrings and glutes are already strong, I guess.

never heard the thicker midsection thing though???

I mean, i have a slightly thicker midsection now than I did 12 months ago but not from DLs (at least i doubt it) .. just from getting obliques from other stuff.

Kaz? thoughts on the midsection idea?
 
My biggest notable difference between 2 Dexa scans, one pre-Powerlifting and focussing on midsection (Crossfit), the other 6 months into Powerlifting and not directly targeting the midsection, my trunk gained the highest LBM of all the mass improvements.
While it is inconclusive that it was directly to do with Deadlifts, 6 months gave me 1.5kg of LBM just on the trunk.


http://ausbb.com/411457-post169.html
 
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You will gain mass through the torso, but you'll only look blocky if your hips, lats and shoulders are the same width
If you pull sumo it is generally recommended to do Romanian deads, good mornings or close stands deads for back/erector strength (from a performance/powerlifting perspective)
 
The Hamburgler said:
You will gain mass through the torso, but you'll only look blocky if your hips, lats and shoulders are the same width
If you pull sumo it is generally recommended to do Romanian deads, good mornings or close stands deads for back/erector strength (from a performance/powerlifting perspective)
Click to expand...

this

if your running sumo you should do convetional along side it, if your not going to do conventional with sumo you need to do back work like graham said, rdls, good mornings, hyper externtions, sldl etc

if you are going to do both sumo and coventional. of course do your sumo first, then conventional after
 
OK guys, so are we saying that DLs do in fact create a thicker midsection (possibly due to back development)?

If so, which one does so most of all, or is it both?
 
chocchillimango said:
OK guys, so are we saying that DLs do in fact create a thicker midsection (possibly due to back development)?

If so, which one does so most of all, or is it both?
Click to expand...

Thicker erectors maybe but I wouldn't say noticeably thicker or wider midsection.

I wouldn't use the dexa scan as evidence. I was told the way they cut up the sections of the body for each dexa isn't exact each time and will have variation.

I'm deadlifting 280 and my waist isn't noticeable any bigger than when I deadlifted 100kg.
 
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An exercise that works the muscles, including the erectors and surrounding musculature would make them bigger would it not, just like any other exercise.
 
Darkoz said:
An exercise that works the muscles, including the erectors and surrounding musculature would make them bigger would it not, just like any other exercise.
Click to expand...

The difference is how much room for growth do muscles like obliques have for making the waist wider and how much growth are they going to get from women deadlifting in the 100kg range.

Would struggle to even notice it.
 
If you're doing squats, you're working your legs so chances are the quads will grow, same with working any other exercise that targets a muscle group, deadlifts would be no different.
 
Darkoz said:
If you're doing squats, you're working your legs so chances are the quads will grow, same with working any other exercise that targets a muscle group, deadlifts would be no different.
Click to expand...

To add to this good answer...

Any muscle that performs mechanical work will stimulate growth of that muscle.
As opposed to muscle that is static or supportive will be stimulated to a lesser degree.
 
Darkoz said:
If you're doing squats, you're working your legs so chances are the quads will grow, same with working any other exercise that targets a muscle group, deadlifts would be no different.
Click to expand...

Difference being

Midsection doesn't have much potential for hypertrophy anyway.

Deadlifts are not going to be the best exercise at stimulating midsection muscle growth.

Waist thickness is mostly genetics and bodyfat levels. Deadlifts aren't going to turn you into the human fridge.
 
Hi bunny. I pull conventional, that’s the way I was taught - have tried sumo a couple of times but it’s never felt right for me.
Even training conventional I still do a fair bit of acccessory work for back & hams: SLDL (heavy), weighted hyperextensions, lat pulls, t-bar rows, seated rows, chins & hammie curls. Hopefully your coach has included something along these lines for your back & hammie development?
 
BeeWS said:
Hi bunny. I pull conventional, that’s the way I was taught - have tried sumo a couple of times but it’s never felt right for me.
Even training conventional I still do a fair bit of acccessory work for back & hams: SLDL (heavy), weighted hyperextensions, lat pulls, t-bar rows, seated rows, chins & hammie curls. Hopefully your coach has included something along these lines for your back & hammie development?
Click to expand...

I havent done SLDL before, might talk to my coach about it.

I already have the following in my program wide grip lat pull downs, underhanded bent over row, seated row, closed grip pull downs, hammie curls :)

I might consider putting in weighted hyper extensions into my program.

so the general agreed theory is that dead-lifts wont thicken the midsection?
 
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