Muscle Building: Compound Exercise - Deadlifts: Stiff Legged

Place a barbell on the floor and stand behind it with your shins touching the bar. Bend over, take a shoulder width overgrip on the bar and stand erect. Your arms should be straight and at your sides, with the bar resting across your upper thighs. That is the starting position.

Stiffen your legs, leaving just the slightest bend at the knees, and keep them that way throughout the set. slowly bend at the waist and lower the barbell until the plates touch the floor, then slowly stand erect again to return to the starting position. Exhale as you bend over and inhale as you return to the starting position.

For a variation on the basic exercise, you can perform stiff legged deadlifts with two dumbbells instead of a barbell.