While I agree sumo deadlifts are not for everyone, my stance on them is a little bit different than yours. Here's my take on it:

As a powerlifter:
I'll chose the form that give me the best longevity in the sport based on my mobility and pre-existing injuries even if it meant to lift a little bit less on the short term. Thankfully I can lift more with sumo but if it wasn't the case i'd still be pulling sumo. I'd hate to live with the injury I had in 2014-2015 because it's ''better'' to get cool points for pulling conventional lol.

As a coach:
Last spring I coached 75 football players from 12 to 17 years old and none of them used sumo deadlift. I'd rather teach them proper technique on conventional with lower weight than going crazy on variations. When I'm coaching powerlifting i'll make the same coaching call aka teaching proper technique on conventional and then looking at the options for longevity in the sport. My current sub-jr lifter has done 3 meets conventional and 1 sumo. He has pulled 500 conv and 507 sumo. I made him train conv for the whole summer while working on mobility/flexibility and now we are reintroducing sumo heading for the provincial. I made sure he's as good with either form so he's not fucked down the road.

This post was edited by Aube on Aug 22 2016 08:05am

does sumo count in competition tho?

It does, doesnt mean I have to agree with it fundamentally. I'm not trying to offend anyone I just think it's a movement compromise

are you sure?

Ive seen women do sumo deadlift in compeition but i didnt know it was allowed in mens proper open age comps

edit: for example i know its not allowed in strongman comps

This post was edited by RyanDyerProtein on Aug 22 2016 09:45am

I assumed it does but ur probably right. I don't compete I was just guessing

Have you seen Layne do conventional? You'd probably eat up his form.

In a good or bad way? From what I saw briefly on YouTube he has quite a lot of global spinal flexion in his deadlift

This post was edited by cloudkicker on Aug 23 2016 11:59am

bad lol he claims to have extra long femurs iirc

Would you agree sumos are safer for people who are more prone to lower back than adductor issues?

Hiho!