This month: the total-body workout, starting with the deadlift

THE FACTS

Isolating muscle groups by using exercises that prevent other muscles from helping out can make the targeted muscles grow stronger and larger. But forcing your muscles to work with each other has tremendous benefits. Compound exercises like the deadlift, squat, and bench press allow you to handle heavier amounts of weight, for even greater gains in strength--they work more than 85 percent of your body's muscles. Your legs, chest, and back are all primary muscle groups that require other, secondary muscle groups--the shoulders, triceps, biceps, abdominals, and calves--to assist in every exercise. When it comes to a full-body building workout, it's crucial to exhaust your primary muscles first and your secondary muscles last. The smartest order: legs first, upper body second, abs last.

THE MAIN MOVE

The deadlift is a simple, powerful exercise that adds size and strength from head to toe. Done correctly, the move requires many muscles to work together to lift the weight.

HOW TO DO IT

Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and a light barbell on the floor in front of you, with the bar directly over your toes. Bend your knees and grasp the bar with an alternating grip (one palm facing you, the other facing away), your hands just outside your knees. Keeping your head and back straight, slowly stand, keeping the bar close to your body as you lift, until your legs are straight (knees unlocked). Pause, then slowly lower the bar to the floor.

MIX AND MAX

VARY YOUR STANCE. Instead of holding the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, space them wider than shoulder width.

CHANGE TOOLS. Trade the barbell for a pair of dumbbells. You'll lift less weight, but having your arms down along your sides--palms facing in--can make it easier to balance as you go.

ADJUST YOUR APPROACH. Instead of lifting the bar from the floor, try placing it on a squat rack or blocks so the bottoms of the weight plates are off the ground. This reduces the distance that you move the weight, allowing you to use heavier weights than usual.

THE PAYOFF

A BETTER BODY! Most total-body workouts use compound movements that require many muscles to work together. The end result is greater functional strength that can help improve your athletic performance and daily life.

BIGGER MUSCLES! Most compound exercises allow you to lift heavier amounts of weight than other exercises do. The more weight you're able to handle, the more your muscles are forced to grow.

A QUICKER WORKOUT! An exercise plan that targets every major muscle group in one session gives you a complete body building workout in less time than a plan that focuses on each muscle group individually.

MORE POWER! Explosive movements such as jumping, sprinting, and throwing require all your muscles to work in cooperation. Creating that type of connection is easier when you perform exercises that leave your muscles no choice but to work together.

• ARMS Keep your arms straight throughout the move. Don't shrug your shoulders or bend your elbows to help lift the weight.
• ABS Pull your abs in before you lift. This helps flatten your lower back for better support as you perform the move.
• HANDS Space your hands shoulder-width apart and grab the bar using an alternating grip. Holding the bar this way helps you keep it from slipping.
• LEGS Begin to straighten your legs before you start to pull the weight from the floor so that there's tension in your arms. You should feel the bar comfortably sliding up and down your legs throughout the lift.
• KNEES Avoid locking your knees as you straighten your legs at the top of the lift.
• HEAD Keep your head in line with your neck and back at all times. Tilting your head down to look at the bar places stress on your neck and trapezius muscles.
• LOWER BACK Keep your back flat and in line with your head and neck. Arching your back redirects more effort onto your lower-back muscles, placing them at a greater risk of injury.
• BUTT Squeeze your glutes at the start of the movement.
• FEET Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor at all times.