Beginning bench set?

violet976

I'm completely new to weight lifting. So far my exercise routine has been very mild - a few mile uphill walk daily, some bicycling, beginner dvds. My overall goal is not to lose weight but to tone up. I'd prefer to gain weight, but as I've been very inactive the past 10 years many of my previously firm areas have turned, well, jiggly.

I'm honestly not sure where to begin, but I definitely want to incorporate weights and work out at home. My reading so far seems to point in the direction of at least a weight bench, but I'd like to get opinions to make sure I'm buying the right starting point.

I can currently do under 10 or so standard pushups with good form, not a single pull up, and have trouble with squats/lunges due to some knee pains. Would something like this be the proper starting point for me, or should I be looking for something else?
http://medford.craigslist.org/spo/4566437535.html

Ideally, my target zones are my butt and thighs, but I certainly wouldn't mind a little toning up everywhere else as well. I'm completely new to weight lifting. So far my exercise routine has been very mild - a few mile uphill walk daily, some bicycling, beginner dvds. My overall goal is not to lose weight but to tone up. I'd prefer to gain weight, but as I've been very inactive the past 10 years many of my previously firm areas have turned, well, jiggly.

I'm honestly not sure where to begin, but I definitely want to incorporate weights and work out at home. My reading so far seems to point in the direction of at least a weight bench, but I'd like to get opinions to make sure I'm buying the right starting point.

I can currently do under 10 or so standard pushups with good form, not a single pull up, and have trouble with squats/lunges due to some knee pains. Would something like this be the proper starting point for me, or should I be looking for something else?
http://medford.craigslist.org/spo/4566437535.html

Ideally, my target zones are my butt and thighs, but I certainly wouldn't mind a little toning up everywhere else as well.

fooninie

IMHO all you need is a barbell with 100lbs worth of weight to start and a couple dumbells. You could throw in a bench for good measure (I like chest exercises using flat, decline and incline).

butt and thighs = squats, deadlifts, barbell lunges

GL!

paleonista

If you get a barbell with 100 pounds of weights like @fooninie said you can even do floor presses which mean you lie on the floor and roll the barbell over yourself and lift from lying flat on the floor. Its a good way to bench press.