The Banded Wide-Stance Ground Rip

Trail Log · Movement Breakdown

The sumo deadlift is already a distinct animal — feet wide, hands inside the legs, shorter range of motion — and when you add reverse bands to it, you've got a very particular beast that's lighter off the floor and heavier at the top. It's a training tool designed for sumo pullers who need lockout strength without the lower-back fatigue of pulling full-range heavy every session.

You start with a loaded barbell on the floor inside a power rack, bands anchored from the top of the rack to the bar. You approach with your feet very wide — close to the plates, like you're about to do the splits — and bend at the hips to grab the bar with your arms hanging straight down inside your legs. Your grip can be overhand, mixed, or hook — whichever lets you hold on when things get serious.

Take a breath, drop your hips, get your chest up and eyes forward, and drive across the floor by spreading your feet apart and pushing through the back half of your foot. Extend through your hips and knees as the bar rises, keeping it close to your body. As the bar passes your knees, lean back and drive your hips into it, squeezing your shoulder blades together at lockout. Then bend at the hips to return the weight to the floor under control. The band assistance at the bottom lets you handle heavier loads, while the reduced assistance at the top forces you to earn every inch of that lockout. It's precision training for the sumo deadlifter who's serious about getting stronger.