Anthropometrical Determinants of Deadlift Variant Performance

The barbell deadlift is a popular exercise and one of the three lifts in competitive powerlifting. While muscle activation has been tested between the sumo (SDL) and conventional deadlift (CDL), the relationships between anthropometrics and deadlift performance in the two styles is not yet known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between anthropometrics and SDL versus CDL performance (SDL:CDL strength ratio). Forty-seven (n = 28 male, n = 19 female) deadlift naïve subjects participated in this study. Anthropometric measurements were arm and hand length, wrist and ankle girth, seated height, thigh length, and lower leg length. Deadlift instructions for the two styles were provided on day 1 and 2. On day 3 and 4, deadlift 1RM was tested for the SDL or CDL in random order, and then deadlift repetitions to volitional fatigue with 60% of 1RM were measured. No significant differences between CDL 1RM and SDL 1RM were found. The only significant correlation found between the anthropometric predictors and the SDL:CDL strength ratio was an inverse relationship with the sitting height to total height ratio (r = 0.297, p = 0.043). Total repetitions to volitional fatigue was higher in females compared to males for both lifts (p = 0.041). Our findings suggest that the sumo deadlift may be slightly mechanically advantageous for deadlift naïve individuals with longer torsos, while the conventional deadlift may be better suited for those with shorter torsos.