question about deadlifts

[Shangrilah]

why is the classic deadlift done with the arms hanging outside the knees? I always do them with the arms inside the knees (kind of like a sumo deadlift) because it feels more natural (and it's more similar to how I'd pick up a heavy object)

I'm sure there's a reason, anyone know what it is?

 

[joshetc]

it isnt. that is why the deadlift is the best lift ever. If you want to put your hands outside your knees you can, or not.

 

[Tosa]

Originally there wasn't so much of a distinction between powerlifting, weightlifting, bodybuilding etc. Those who deadlifted, would probably also train the snatch and C&J. Similarly, powerlifting, as a sport has it's roots in Olympic lifting. So for a good chunk of time, anyone who deadlifted would probably train the Olympic lifts as well (likely with the Oly lifts being the priority). So deadlifting with hands on the outside would have felt much more natural than hands on the inside.

*the above contains some speculation

I always do them with the arms inside the knees (kind of like a sumo deadlift)

That's not "kind of like" sumo, it is sumo.

 

[pliftkl]

I deadlifted sumo style until the beginning of this year. After really paying attention to and working on my form, my conventional deadlifts feel much more natural to me than the sumos.

 

[joshetc]

Originally there wasn't so much of a distinction between powerlifting, weightlifting, bodybuilding etc. Those who deadlifted, would probably also train the snatch and C&J. Similarly, powerlifting, as a sport has it's roots in Olympic lifting. So for a good chunk of time, anyone who deadlifted would probably train the Olympic lifts as well (likely with the Oly lifts being the priority). So deadlifting with hands on the outside would have felt much more natural than hands on the inside.

*the above contains some speculation



That's not "kind of like" sumo, it is sumo.

My spider sense is telling me the deadlift was invented before the snatch and c&j

 

[Perfect Moo]

My spider sense is telling me the deadlift was invented before the snatch and c&j

I bet if you gave two people who knew nothing about strength training a barbell, they would first try to deadlift it, and then overhead press. Those, in my opinion, are the most simple, primal, pure lifts there are.

 

[Tosa]

My spider sense is telling me the deadlift was invented before the snatch and c&j

Probably, but whether it's variantions were referred to as "conventional" and "sumo" at that point is a different matter.