Intermediate

Dumbbell Sumo High Pull

The sumo high pull uses a wide stance to bias the glutes and inner thighs while a single dumbbell is ripped from the floor up to the chin with high elbows. The wide setup shortens the pull and lets the hips do more of the work, making it a great power and conditioning movement for the posterior chain and upper back. Keep it explosive and light for the best effect.

Equipment
Dumbbell
Body part
Glutes, Traps
Type
Functional, Strength
Browse by movement
Hinge, Shoulder Raise
Muscles worked
Target
Trapezius Upper, Deltoid Middle, Gluteus Maximus
Secondary
Deltoid Posterior, Biceps Femoris, Adductor Magnus, Erector Spinae, Brachioradialis
Tertiary
Trapezius Middle, Vastus Lateralis, Rectus Femoris, Semitendinosus

How to do it

  1. 1

    Stand over one dumbbell in a wide, toes-out sumo stance and hinge down to grip it with both hands.

  2. 2

    Keep your chest up and your back flat with the hips loaded.

  3. 3

    Drive through the heels and extend the hips explosively to start the dumbbell upward.

  4. 4

    Pull the elbows high and wide to bring the dumbbell up to chin height.

  5. 5

    Lower the dumbbell back between your legs under control and re-load the hips.

  6. 6

    Exhale sharply on the pull and keep the core braced.

Tips

  • Keep the elbows above the wrists and leading the pull.
  • Let hip drive, not the arms, do most of the work.
  • Sit the hips back rather than squatting straight down so the glutes stay loaded.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The stance is set wide but the toes stay pointing forward, which jams the hip at the bottom instead of letting the knees track out over the feet.
  • The knees cave inward on the drive out of the bottom, which is easy to miss in a wide stance and hard on the joint at this speed.
  • Chin height gets chased with a backward lean once the dumbbell is heavy, so the low back finishes a rep the hips should have finished.
  • A single heavy dumbbell hangs from one narrow handle, and a grip that fades mid-set drops it straight between your feet; match the bell to your grip and stand over open floor.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the dumbbell sumo high pull should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Pick one of two jobs. For power, do four sets of 6 to 8 fast reps with a moderate dumbbell and full rest between sets. For conditioning, do five rounds of 20 seconds on and 40 off with a lighter bell. Either way, progress by pulling faster at the same weight before reaching for a heavier one, since speed is the whole point and a heavy dumbbell is the first thing that takes it away.
What can I do instead of the dumbbell sumo high pull without a dumbbell?
A kettlebell held by the horns works better than a dumbbell here, because the handle stays closer to the hands at the top of the pull. A weight plate gripped by the edges or a duffel bag held by its handle both pull well from a sumo stance as well.
What is the dumbbell sumo high pull good for?
The wide stance shortens the pull and puts the glutes and inner thighs in charge of launching it, so it works as a power and conditioning piece in circuits and finishers and teaches hip drive without a barbell. It is a poor choice for heavy strength work, since the load is capped by one grip on one dumbbell. It is also the wrong movement if you cannot yet hinge with a flat back at that stance width; fix the sumo deadlift first.

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