advice in this section, this exercise is NOT good for people with knee problems because the knees bear most of the load, especially when they are held at right angles (90 degrees). Equipment Body weight, wall or other flat vertical surface, exercise ball placed behind the back is optional as well. Hamstrings (back of thigh) Deadlift The deadlift is performed by lifting a weight off of the floor until fully upright. This is a compound exercise that also involves the glutes, lower back, lats, trapezius (upper back), and, to a lesser extent, the quadriceps and the calves. Lifting belts are often used to help support the lower back. If performed with a barbell, it can be held with both hands facing backwards or with one hand facing backward and one facing forward. Both hands should not face forwards because this puts excess stress on the inner elbows. Equipment Dumbbells, barbell, trapbar or Smith machine. Major variants Sumo (wider stance to emphasise the inner thighs); stiff legged (emphasizes hamstrings); straight-legged (emphasizes lower back). Stiff-legged deadlift The stiff-legged deadlift is a deadlift variation where little to no knee movement occurs, increasing hamstring, glute, and lower back activation. The bar starts on the floor and the individual sets up like a normal deadlift but the knees are at a 160° angle instead of 135° on the conventional deadlift. Leg curl The leg curl is performed while lying face down on a bench, by raising a weight with the feet towards the buttocks. This is an isolation exercise for the hamstrings. Equipment Dumbbell, cable machine or leg curl machine. Major variants Seated (using a leg curl machine variant); standing (one leg at a time). Snatch The snatch is one of the two current olympic weightlifting events (the other being the clean and jerk). The essence of the event is to lift a barbell from the platform to locked arms overhead in a smooth continuous movement. The barbell is pulled as high as the lifter can manage (typically to mid [ chest] height) (the pull) at which point the barbell is flipped overhead. With relatively light weights (as in the "power snatch") locking of the arms may not require rebending the knees. However, as performed in contests, the weight is always heavy enough to demand that the lifter receive the bar in a squatting position, while at the same time flipping the weight so it