The deadlift lets you move more total weight than any other lift and trains the entire posterior chain. Good technique is essential both to avoid injury and to get the full strength benefit.
Technique
1Start with the bar over mid-foot, about 2–3 cm from your shins
2Grip just outside your legs, arms vertical when viewed from the front
3Drop your hips, lift your chest and set tension in your back before you pull
4Keep the bar in contact with your body the whole way up
5Lock your hips out fully at the top — do not hyperextend your back