The deadlift is one of the best exercises for building muscle, strength, and all-around athleticism. A proficient deadlifter needs clean hip-hinge mechanics, mobility, and raw strength. Not only does the deadlift test all of these traits — it builds them up. So when someone asks “Should I deadlift?” the answer is a no-brainer (assuming one’s back is healthy) — of course. Yet, the answer changes when someone says, “Should I pull sumo or conventional?” Then the answer takes a weird form because the answer becomes “It depends.”
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