10 Best Barbell Sumo Deadlift Alternatives for Glute Strength

The Barbell Sumo Deadlift is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Barbell Rack Pull, the Barbell Deadlift and the Trap Bar Deadlift.

The Barbell Rack Pull is the closest swap because it keeps the same barbell and the same standing hip hinge as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift, just starting the bar at knee height so the pull is shorter and your grip and lower back spend less time under load. Away from a barbell altogether, the Kettlebell Swing keeps you snapping your hips forward and finishing tall without ever pulling a bar off the ground.

Barbell Sumo DeadliftWatch the Barbell Sumo Deadlift

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Barbell Sumo Deadlift

The steps for the Barbell Sumo Deadlift itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Glutes, with hamstrings, quadriceps, lower back · Barbell · Advanced · Compound

  1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outwards.
  2. Place a barbell on the ground in front of you, centered between your feet.
  3. Bend your knees and lower your hips, keeping your back straight and chest up, to grip the barbell with an overhand grip.
  4. Engage your core and drive through your heels to lift the barbell off the ground, extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
  5. As you lift, keep your chest up and back straight, and push your hips forward to fully engage your glutes.
  6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Barbell Sumo Deadlift Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Sumo Deadlift on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Barbell Rack PullPlay demonstration

    1. Barbell Rack Pull

    96% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the glutes.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Set up a barbell on a rack at knee height.
    2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards.
    3. Bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself down and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
    4. Engage your core and lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees, pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your glutes at the top.
    5. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position by bending at the hips and knees.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
  2. Barbell DeadliftPlay demonstration

    2. Barbell Deadlift

    94% match

    Glutes · Advanced · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the glutes.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the ground in front of you.
    2. Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to lower your torso and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Keep your back straight and chest lifted as you drive through your heels to lift the barbell off the ground, extending your hips and knees.
    4. As you stand up straight, squeeze your glutes and keep your core engaged.
    5. Lower the barbell back down to the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
  3. Trap Bar DeadliftPlay demonstration

    3. Trap Bar Deadlift

    90% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a trap bar to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    • Trap-bar
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the trap bar on the ground in front of you.
    2. Bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself down and grip the handles of the trap bar with an overhand grip.
    3. Keep your back straight and chest up as you begin to lift the trap bar off the ground by extending your hips and knees.
    4. As you lift, focus on driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
    5. Lower the trap bar back down to the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight throughout the movement.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
  4. Barbell One Arm Side DeadliftPlay demonstration

    4. Barbell One Arm Side Deadlift

    87% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier single-arm version that still works the glutes.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell in one hand with an overhand grip.
    2. Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Bend at the hips and lower the barbell towards the outside of your leg, keeping your arm straight and your chest up.
    4. Lower the barbell as far as you can while maintaining good form.
    5. Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
  5. Dumbbell DeadliftPlay demonstration

    5. Dumbbell Deadlift

    86% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
    2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, arms extended downwards.
    3. Bend at your hips and knees, lowering the dumbbells towards the ground while keeping your back straight.
    4. Push through your heels and extend your hips and knees, lifting the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
  6. Cable DeadliftPlay demonstration

    6. Cable Deadlift

    85% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Bend at the hips and knees, lowering your torso until your back is parallel to the ground.
    3. Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight and your shoulders back.
    4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings to lift the cable handles, extending your hips and standing up straight.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the cable handles back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: deadlift hinge, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: a cable, not free weights
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
  7. Kettlebell SwingPlay demonstration

    7. Kettlebell Swing

    82% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a kettlebell to work with, and it still works the glutes.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward.
    2. Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of your body, arms extended.
    3. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips, pushing your butt back.
    4. Swing the kettlebell back between your legs, keeping your arms straight and maintaining a flat back.
    5. Drive your hips forward and swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height, using the momentum generated by your hips.
    6. Allow the kettlebell to swing back down between your legs and repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift

Why You Might Need a Barbell Sumo Deadlift Alternative

A busy squat rack or deadlift platform is enough to send you looking for another way to train the same hip hinge the Barbell Sumo Deadlift builds, and so is a wide stance that doesn't suit your hips today. The Barbell Sumo Deadlift asks you to grip a bar off the floor with your feet turned out and your chest up, and that setup is what a swap has to replace. Some alternatives here use the same barbell from a higher start, some trade the bar for a trap bar, dumbbells or a kettlebell, and one, the Barbell Hip Thrust, puts the bar across your hips with your back on a bench so you get hip extension without a lift off the floor. Pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the stance your hips can manage today.

How to Choose the Right Barbell Sumo Deadlift Substitute

If your only problem with the Barbell Sumo Deadlift is the deep pull off the floor, the Barbell Rack Pull uses the same barbell and the same standing hip hinge but starts higher, so your grip and lower back see less time under load. Want the full pull back with a narrower stance? The Barbell Deadlift is close, just without the wide, toes-out setup. With a trap bar on hand, the Trap Bar Deadlift bends at the hips and knees, but you grip handles at your sides instead of a bar in front of your shins, then drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes at the top. Training without a barbell, the Dumbbell Deadlift gives you a slow, controlled pull, while the Kettlebell Swing trades that pull for a fast, hip-driven swing that still finishes standing tall.

Barbell Sumo Deadlift FAQ

Can I do the Barbell Sumo Deadlift at home?

Not the barbell version without a loaded bar, but the hinge transfers well. The Dumbbell Deadlift trades the bar for a dumbbell in each hand at your sides and keeps the same standing hip hinge, lowering and lifting under control. The Kettlebell Swing needs only a kettlebell and drives the hips forward with speed instead of a heavy grind. Both fit a small space with one piece of equipment.

Which Barbell Sumo Deadlift alternative uses a narrower stance?

The Barbell Deadlift and the Trap Bar Deadlift pull from a stance closer to shoulder width instead of the wide sumo setup, while still working the hip hinge and the glutes. The Barbell Stiff Leg Good Morning keeps that narrow stance too, but carries the bar across your back instead of pulling it off the floor.

Which Barbell Sumo Deadlift alternative uses a trap bar?

The Trap Bar Deadlift does. You step inside the frame and grip a pair of handles at your sides instead of a bar in front of your shins, then drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes at the top. It still works through the same hip hinge as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift, so the glutes and hamstrings pick up the same load.

Which Barbell Sumo Deadlift alternative skips the pull off the floor?

The Barbell Hip Thrust does. You load the bar across your hips from a bench and drive through your heels into hip extension, training the same glutes as the Barbell Sumo Deadlift without ever gripping a bar on the ground. It suits a day when you want to train the glutes without gripping a bar.

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