Exercise Comparison
Alternating Hang Clean vs Sumo Deadlift with Chains




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Alternating Hang Clean
Only in Sumo Deadlift with Chains
Instructions
Alternating Hang Clean
Place two kettlebells between your feet. To get in the starting position, push your butt back and look straight ahead.
Clean one kettlebell to your shoulder and hold on to the other kettlebell in a hanging position. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrist as you do so.
Lower the cleaned kettlebell to a hanging position and clean the alternate kettlebell. Repeat.
Sumo Deadlift with Chains
You can attach the chains to the sleeves of the bar, or just drape the middle over the bar so there is a greater weight increase as you lift. Attempt to keep the ends of the chains away from the plates so you don't hit them when you lower the weight.
Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.
Verdict
Both exercises target the hamstrings. Alternating Hang Clean is a intermediate exercise using kettlebells, while Sumo Deadlift with Chains is intermediate and uses barbell. Choose Alternating Hang Clean if you have access to kettlebells, or Sumo Deadlift with Chains if you prefer barbell.