In the setup for a sumo-deadlift high pull, how should the stance width be described?

• A. Slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• B. Hands inside legs with a full grip on the bar.
• C. Shoulders slightly in front of or over the bar.
• D. Knees in line with toes.

Answer: (A)

Stance width sets up how hips, knees, and spine align when you initiate the lift. For a sumo-deadlift high pull, the stance is intentionally wider than shoulder width. This wider setup lets the hips drop into a deep hinge with feet externally rotated, creating a solid base and enabling the bar to stay close to the body while you drive with the hips. It also shortens the bar path and helps keep the torso more upright as you pull. The other cues—hands inside the legs, bar position under the shoulders, and knee tracking—are important for setup, but they don’t define the stance width. So the description that matches the setup is slightly wider than shoulder-width.