The dumbbell sumo deadlift builds your glutes, hamstrings and inner thighs with nothing but one dumbbell. The wide stance shortens the range and puts more of the work on the glutes and adductors.

Turn your toes out. A wide stance with the feet pointed straight ahead doesn't let the hips open, so the knees cave in and you lose most of the glute work you came for.

What the dumbbell sumo deadlift is and why it works

It's a wide stance deadlift. I use it to build glute and hamstring strength, and you should feel it in the top of the thighs, the hamstrings and the glutes.

Going wide shortens how far the weight travels and shifts the work toward the glutes and adductors. It's also friendlier on the low back than conventional pulling. That's why I like it for higher reps.

And all you need is one dumbbell. If you train at home, this is an easy way to get real glute work in. For a hinge with more hamstring stretch, look at the dumbbell RDL.

How to do a dumbbell sumo deadlift

1. Set your feet. Take a wide stance with your toes turned out about 30 to 45 degrees. The dumbbell sits between your feet.
2. Brace. Tuck your abs underneath you before you go down.
3. Hips back, knees out. Push your hips back and let your knees track out over your toes. Think about pushing the floor apart.
4. Grab and set. Grip the dumbbell with your chest up and your back flat. Don't round to reach lower.
5. Stand up. Drive through the whole foot and push your hips forward. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top.
6. Sit back down. Lower it under control, hips back and knees out again, and go into the next rep.

Common dumbbell sumo deadlift mistakes

Mistake	What it does	The fix
Knees caving in	Kills the glute involvement	Push the floor apart and keep the knees tracking out over the toes
Toes pointed forward with a wide stance	Your hips can't open	Turn the toes out 30 to 45 degrees
Squatting the weight down	Turns a hinge into a squat	Lead with the hips going back, then grip
Rounding the back to reach lower	Takes the flat back away	Chest up, back flat, and only go as low as you can hold that

One note on that third one. I still want you sitting down nice and low with your chest up. The point is that your hips go back first, so it's a hinge with a deep position, not a squat with a dumbbell hanging between your legs.

Sets and reps

I program the dumbbell sumo deadlift for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Because the wide stance is easier on the low back, this is a good lift to push for higher reps when you only have one heavy dumbbell to work with.

If you want to finish off your glutes after this, a hip thrust pairs well with it.

Single leg deadlift variations

Once you've got the sumo pattern down, single leg deadlifts are where I go next. They'll show you any asymmetries or imbalances in your hinge, meaning whether one hip tracks differently than the other. Hip mobility and stability come first if you want sound pulling technique, and these will tell you pretty quickly where you stand.

Single leg landmine deadlift

The landmine gives you a little support, which makes it a great place to learn the single leg hinge. It's a good way to hit imbalances in the hamstrings and the hip hinge that can hold your deadlift back.

1. Stand far enough from the post. Your hand should land on the bar where it would in a normal deadlift grip, on the same side as your working leg.
2. Use a kickstand to start. Keep your outside foot on its toe for balance. That's just a helper.
3. Tip forward. As you get comfortable, tip forward over the top, find your balance and drive through.
4. Keep the hips square. Your hips should stay stacked and parallel to the floor the whole time.

Single leg kettlebell deadlift

Same idea, free standing with a kettlebell. Without the landmine to lean on, any difference between your left and right hinge shows up fast. Use it to check whether your hips are tracking the same on both sides.

FAQ

What muscles does the dumbbell sumo deadlift work?

The glutes, hamstrings and adductors. You should feel it in the top of the thighs, the hamstrings and the glutes.

How far should I turn my toes out?

About 30 to 45 degrees. A wide stance with the toes pointed forward won't let your hips open.

Is the sumo deadlift easier on the lower back?

It's friendlier on the low back than conventional pulling, which is one reason I like it for higher rep work.

Can I do a sumo deadlift with one dumbbell?

Yes. One dumbbell held between your feet is all you need.

The bottom line

Get the toes turned out and push the floor apart on every rep so the knees stay over your toes. One heavy dumbbell and 8 to 12 good reps will give your glutes plenty to do.

If you want a plan built around moves like this, start with my free dumbbell program, or get every J2FIT program in one app for $29/month.

Coach Mike Dewar, MA, USAW2. Founder, J2FIT Strength & Conditioning. 20+ years coaching, D1 and D3 strength coach.