Got a barbell and don't know where to start

smotheredincheese

I've used dumbells before to work out with while doing fitnessblender videos, but I've never really considered strength training in a serious way.
Recently I was given a weights bench, barbell and set of weights and I haven't got a clue where to begin. It's like a big scary monster lurking in my spare room.
Can I start lifting weights on my own or do I need someone with me to help? I know there are various lifting programmes online but don't know what would be suitable for me.
I'm maybe ten pounds off my goal weight, would like to be less flabby, how many times a week would I need to lift?
I know these are probably dumb newbie questions but I don't know anyone irl who lifts so any advice would be appreciated

nordlead2005

StrongLifts5x5.com is a great place to start. It has everything you need to know (Mark Rippetoe videos on youtube and his book StartingStrength are also excellent resources), is simple (5 lifts) and is 2-3x/week (3x/week is the recommended schedule, but 2x/week works as well).

you can do everything yourself, but since you won't have someone else checking your form you need to study and make sure you are doing it right. You can post videos here or on other forums for a form check if you need help.

As you said, there are various good programs out there, so really just pick one that looks interesting to you and as you learn more and define your goals you can switch to a program that better suits your needs.

shagerty777

I started out with this program: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843. Read the thread info, he answers a lot of questions. As nordlead said, Rippetoe's videos are tops for learning your form. http://startingstrength.com/video is his site. I moved from the beginner's program into the Stronglift's 5x5 program after about 6 or 7 months of lifting and I'm seeing nice results.

Both programs concentrate on basic compound lifts that will get you building strength quickly and safely as long as you practice good form. Both are 3 day a week programs too.