To SDHP or not to SDHP?

[Ben Bergeron]

The Sumo Deadlift High Pull is one of the 9 essential CrossFit movements, but should it be? There has been much debate about the compromised position of the shoulder at the top of the movement.

Tennis players and swimmers are very familiar with the injuries that pop up due to the impingement that happens when elevating the shoulder without external rotation (this is why overhead pressing is safe and upright rows are not).

I know Rippetoe doesn't like it, and many affiliates that have eliminated this move all together.

What is the consensus on the efficacy of the SDHP?

[Jared Ashley]

OK, I'm asking these as honest questions, not an attack:

Why is an SDHP bad for the shoulder, but a clean and it's variations are not? Or is the contention that those are also a bad idea?

And what exactly do you mean by elevating the shoulder without "external rotation"? I'm trying to picture what would be different if you elevated WITH external rotation, and it's not happening for me. I also don't understand why any of that is relevant to overhead pressing.

[Donald Lee]

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...row_052606&cr=

(wfs if you don't scroll down)

That's why the upright row is bad.

[Robert Callahan]

When done correctly the SDHP is not really a high pull at all. The explosive opening of the hips is what is supposed to impart momentum on the bar and carry it upwards. The arms will just bend to accommodate that vertical travel, they should not be actively pulling the bar up at all. Problem is while this is cool in theory it is very often not what happens in practice. A high pull is a very bad exercise and because of the confusion many beginners have with the SDHP vs a high pull Rip, and many affiliates do not use it. Whether that means CF shouldn't use it... well it is not up to me

-Robert

[Júlíus Magnússon]

Originally Posted by Robert Callahan

When done correctly the SDHP is not really a high pull at all. The explosive opening of the hips is what is supposed to impart momentum on the bar and carry it upwards. The arms will just bend to accommodate that vertical travel, they should not be actively pulling the bar up at all. Problem is while this is cool in theory it is very often not what happens in practice. A high pull is a very bad exercise and because of the confusion many beginners have with the SDHP vs a high pull Rip, and many affiliates do not use it. Whether that means CF shouldn't use it... well it is not up to me

-Robert

I thought the arms were supposed to pull the bar up in the same fashion as in a push press; the main force is generated by the hips.

So the SDHP would be to the power clean what the push press is to the push jerk.

Does that make sense to anyone else?

I mean, if the arms have no say in the matter what so ever, why don't we just power clean instead of SDHP?

[Matthew Vassallo]

i hate that exercise, and will do cleans, snatches, clean pulls, deadlift jump shrugs, basically anything i can possibly do to not do that exercise.

it really really bothers my shoulders.

[Stephen Flamm]

When performed correctly, it has a very high cycle rate - faster than a clean - which makes the SDLHP a brutal metcon movement. I think as an affiliate you will have to scale appropriately, and watch and correct form very closely and precisely.

[Justin Gross]

By this logic, wouldn't the C2 rower be out? Honest question.

[Blair Robert Lowe]

i'm gonna guess the load while rowing isn't that high even when it's set to max tension

so long as nobody gets crazy when pulling high loads on sdhp, even relatively for fitness level; most people should be fine. if it's supposed to be a metcon movement, load shouldn't be that high anyways

[Lee Austin]

Originally Posted by Justin Gross

By this logic, wouldn't the C2 rower be out? Honest question.

You shouldn't be pulling the handle up to your neck; pull it into your body to either sports bra level or just above. It's a row, not a high pull.