Lighten Method Sumo Deadlift

Resistance is a key factor when you look at any successful training system. You have to learn how to accommodate resistance. There are various tools that can help you with this resistance accommodation. Weight releasers, chains, bands, and different specialty bars can all be used. When you learn about all of these different tools, it will allow you to create more variations within your training system.

Additionally, you can target specific weak points at the same time. Each time you incorporate a different tool, such as a band, weight releaser, or specialty bar, you are establishing a new variation.

Remember, you must work at all angles of a lift in order to eliminate your glaring weaknesses. Good equipment is important to optimize your training. However, you have to learn how to correctly use the training equipment at your disposal. Coach Louie Simmons says:

Today on the Conjugate Fitness Blog I am demonstrating a max effort sumo deadlift with a reverse band setup. I have the bands attached from the pins, about six feet up on the power rack.

As I’ve mentioned before, the reason this program is so successful is because of the constant rotation of exercises. So even though you are changing the different variations of your conventional lifts every week, you are still doing a deadlift.

Many athletes, when they first take a look at this variation set-up they assume it is an easier variation of the lift, but it’s not the case. I ask our athletes all the time, “Do you guys think this variation is easier than the conventional sumo deadlift? And most of the time…

…well, the majority of the time, they assume it’s easier. This line of thought might make sense because the band tension is making the lift lighter at the bottom, but as you approach the top the band starts to loose tension placing more of the load onto your body. This will allow your central nervous system to adapt to the heavier load placed upon it, hence making you stronger. The lift becomes exponentially harder especially as you approach the top of your lift where the band tension lightens.

The only way to optimize your training is to add some type of accommodating resistance to your exercises for example using bands or chains. While it is not necessary to do this all the time, but the majority of the time you’re going to see us using a setup with bands or chains.

That is precisely what we do. Don’t let resistance stop you in your tracks. Use it to your advantage. Because the human body is stronger at some positions than at others, we are limited as to the amount of weight we can use in a certain movement. There are limitations based on the position and angle of the lift, and it is important to know your limitations.

Using chains, bands, or weight releasers is known as the contrast method. This method is where the weight is different at different points of the lift.

Investing in resistance bands at the very least will allow you to gain the full benefits of the Conjugate Fitness training that I have covered. Your improved performance as a result of being able to accommodate resistance will be astonishing.