Relação entre o estilo sumô ou convencional de levantamento terra e a categoria de peso no powerlifting

Abstract

Powerlifting is a sport of relative and absolute maximum strength comprised of three movements: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Among these, the deadlift contributes significantly to the total score achieved by athletes in competitions. In this context, different technical styles can be employed during the execution of the movement, the most common being the conventional deadlift and the sumo deadlift. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between weight category and the deadlift style used by powerlifting athletes, as well as to verify the influence of anthropometric variables on this choice. This is an exploratory, descriptive, analytical, and cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 47 male athletes participating in a classic powerlifting state championship in Minas Gerais, with a minimum age of 18 years. Anthropometric variables were collected, including height, body mass, body mass index, and the lengths of the arms, forearms, thighs, legs, and trunk, as well as wingspan and other absolute and relative measures. Each athlete's best valid lift was obtained through the Brazilian Confederation of Basic Lifts (CBLB) website. Participants were grouped according to the lifting style utilized (sumo or conventional) and into three broad weight categories: light, middle, and heavy. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, group comparison tests, association tests between categorical variables, and correlation analysis. Results demonstrated a statistically significant association between weight category and lifting style (p = 0.046), indicating a higher utilization of the sumo style in intermediate categories and a predominance of the conventional style in heavier categories. Among the anthropometric variables evaluated, only absolute trunk length showed a significant difference between lifting styles. Furthermore, a positive relationship was observed between body mass and deadlift performance. It is concluded that weight category influences the choice of technical style used in the deadlift by powerlifting athletes and that the relative anthropometric characteristics analyzed do not determine this choice.