Dumbbell Sumo High Pull
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Movement
- High pull
- Tracks
- Weight & Reps
Works
Traps Shoulders Glutes Back Hamstrings Quadriceps Adductors Forearms Abdominals Lower Back
How to do it
- Stand with feet wider than shoulders, toes pointed out, and one dumbbell on the floor between your feet.
- Hinge at the hips with a flat back to grip the handles with both hands.
- Drive through the floor to extend hips and knees explosively.
- Pull the dumbbells vertically toward your chin while leading with high elbows.
- Guide the weight back down by hinging the hips first.
- Reset your stance and grip before starting the next repetition.
Common mistakes
- Pulling with the arms before fully extending the hips.
- Allowing the knees to cave inward during the drive.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears prematurely.
- Leaning too far forward instead of driving vertically.
- Using a dumbbell so large that the plates collide with the thighs and break the pull path.
Safety
Avoid rounding the lower back when setting up or returning the dumbbell to the floor.
Keep the dumbbell clear of the knees and thighs on the way up and down to prevent banging the plates against your legs.
Tips
- Keep the dumbbell close to your body as it travels up and down.
- Think of your arms as hooks rather than actively pulling with your biceps.
- Finish the hip extension before initiating the upward pull.
- Grip firmly and keep the wrists neutral so the dumbbell does not swing.
Details
- Base movement
- High pull
- Load position
- dumbbell held between feet
- Arms
- Both
- Legs
- Both
- Hand orientation
- Pronated (palms down / away)
- Stance
- Wide
