Weight Training 101

All good questions. I'm just starting too, the gym I'm at is very small and doesn't have a rack either so that discourages me from bench pressing. I'd like to know these things too.

I always just sat on the bench with my bar, and then lowered myself backwards to the lying position, then lift up. Same idea for getting up... I would sit up. I don't think it really matters whether you sit or lie during the rest, it's up to you. As for sets/reps, I started off with a book that recommended doing 3 sets of the same exercise and then moving on to doing 3 sets of the next exercise & so in. I took a college weight lifting course that also recommended this.

If you want to tone up:
3 sets, 13-15 reps each, moderate weight (Challenging, but can keep good form throughout).

If you want to build muscle:
3 sets, 10-12 reps each, heavy weight (Where you are just barely able to finish the last rep).

It is best to alternate between "upper body days" & "lower body days." That way you give your muscles rest instead of overworking all of them every day. When you work upper body, your legs get a rest. When you work lower body, your arms get a rest. Abs workouts can be done every day though because they are more numerous/smaller muscles that repair themselves easier.

For example:
Monday- Upper body
Tuesday- Lower body
Wednesday- Upper body
Thursday- Lower body
Friday- Upper body
Saturday- Rest
Sunday- Rest

A body workout can be as simple as 8-10 exercises, or more if you feel up to it. You don't have to do 30 different exercises, that's way too much.

Definitely reading that link as taking these tips into consideration. Thanks

When I do something like a dumbell chest press, I hold one weight in each hand with an inward grip and sit down on the bench. I rest the weights on my legs, close to my stomach. As I lean back, I keep the weights close to my chest and when I am on my back I press them up to starting position. When I am done with the set, I hold them just above my stomach and sit up, setting them on my legs as I am sitting up.

As far as order, I usually do my exercises in circuits. If I am doing 15 exercises, I'll do 3 circuits of 5 exercises each. In each circuit, I'll do one exercise immediately after another without resting. After I've completed all 5 exercises in the circuit, I'll rest 1-2 minutes and then repeat the circuit twice. Then I'll do the same thing for the second and third circuit.

When I first started, I found the Women's Health Big Book of Exercises very helpful for putting together workout routines. THey totally guide you through it step by step.

Research has demonstrated you get better results when you do full body workouts several days a week (always rest at least one day in between) compared to doing upper body and lower body workouts on different days.