The stiff-leg deadlift is one of the ultimate measures of strength. It involves lifting a barbell of an extreme weight straight off the floor, using a wide variety of muscles to their absolute maximum. In fact, of all 3 powerlifting moves (exercises that are all considered to be true tests of strength), the deadlift is often considered the most extreme measure of true strength in existence, since balance and stamina are not as important as they are in the other two exercises.

To perform the stiff-leg deadlift, you first find a suitable weight for the barbell and put it down on the ground. Be sure and give both you and the barbell room should any mistakes occur. Stand in front of the barbell on a very shallow platform so that your feet are barely beneath the bar (this is designed to ensure that you are truly lifting the weight from the floor, rather than the bar starting a couple of inches higher on your body.

The shallow platform should be no larger than shoulder width long. Place your hands about shoulder width apart on the barbell, using either an overhand grip (palms inward) or a mixed grip where one hand is out and one is in.

The goal is to lift the weight until you are standing completely straight. This means that your knees are straight and your back is straight. You do not need to lift your arms at all, however - in a way, they are going to be hanging down (though a number of different muscles are still involved to keep it up).

Once you have your grip ready, bend your knees very slightly (too much bend makes it much harder to straighten out) with your waist parallel to the bar (try not to let any part of your hip move - keep it straight). Your hips should be slightly bent as well, because you want to use your hips and knees - not your back - to lift the bar off the ground.

Now that you are in the correct position it is time to lift the bar. Using your knees, your waist, your shoulders, your arms, and your legs, lift the bar up off of the ground until it is hanging a little above the knees.

Your next goal is to make sure that you have holding your body straight. If your shoulders are bent slightly because of the heavy weight, make sure you straighten them. If your back is slightly bent, try to straighten that as well.

Assuming you are not lifting in competition you are using a weight that you can lift more than once. If you are performing the deadlift because you are trying to build strength, repeat the same process, but make sure that you are lowering the bar and starting over, rather than lowering and raising again in one motion, which can injure your back.

The deadlift is one of the truest measures of strength for a reason. It is also a great way to improve the strength of all of the muscles it uses. If your goal is increasing your strength - not necessarily increasing the look of your muscles - you may want to give the deadlift a try.