Glutes exercise
Kettlebell Sumo DeadliftHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Also works
- Hamstrings
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift?
- Stand wide with your toes turned out and the kettlebell between your feet.
- Push your hips back, bend your knees out and grip the handle with both hands.
- Flatten your back, lift your chest and brace your stomach.
- Push through your feet and stand up tall.
- Push your hips back and lower the bell to the floor with control.
Cues
- Knees out over your toes.
- Chest up, back flat.
- Bell straight up and down.
Common mistakes
- Knees caving in: push them out over your toes the whole way.
- Rounding your back: brace first and keep your chest up.
- Swinging the bell: lift and lower slowly with the bell under you.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
One kettlebell on the floor centred between the feet, its handle level with the middle of the feet and running side to side (handle about 25 cm up for a 16 kg competition-size bell). Wide stance: heels about 60–70 cm apart (1.5–1.8 × shoulder width), toes turned out about 35°. Push the hips back, bend the knees out over the toes and take an overhand grip with both hands on the handle horns, palms facing back, thumbs wrapped. Arms straight, hanging between the knees.
The movement
The bell travels straight up between the legs over the middle of the feet, without swinging. Knees stay out over the toes as they straighten; hips and shoulders rise together, then the hips push forward to finish. Lowering reverses it, hips back and knees out, and the bell touches the floor lightly without a bounce or letting go.
End position
Standing tall, hips and knees straight (0°), knees still in line with the toes, shoulders back, the bell hanging at arm's length in front of the hips. No lean back. Hold 0.5 s.
Tempo
Bell on the floor 0.5 s / lift 1.5 s / lockout 0.5 s / lower 2 s.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heel spacing | 65 cm | 1.5–1.8 × shoulder width | |
| Toe-out angle | 35° | 30–45° | |
| Handle height at the start | 25 cm | 22–28 cm | |
| Handle fore-aft position | over mid-foot | within 3 cm through the rep | |
| Knee over the toes (front view) | yes | knee within 3 cm of the line over the 2nd toe | |
| Hip and knee extension at lockout | 0° | −5 to 0° (no lean back) |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
