Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Sumo Deadlift
How to do the smith sumo deadlift, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set the Smith bar at mid-shin and stand with feet wider than hip-width, toes turned out, shins close to the bar. Grip inside your legs, then drive your feet into the floor and extend your hips and knees to stand tall. Squeeze your glutes at the top and lower the bar under control.
- 1Glutes, hamstrings, and inner thighs working together off the floor
- 2Chest up and back flat as your hips and legs extend
- 3A firm glute squeeze at the top before lowering
Common mistakes
- Letting your back round or your hips shoot up first
- Allowing your knees to collapse inward
- Jerking the bar up instead of a smooth, steady drive
Muscles worked
The smith sumo deadlift mainly works the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings, with the forearms, quads, adductors, upper traps, upper abs, and calves assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
Kovo programs the smith sumo deadlift for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.