Female weakling wants to build strength. Advice?

Following. Would love to read the responses you get

Here is what I did. I was pretty athletic. Then I got sick...I was diagnosed with Lupus. I have been in full remission - no medication or anything - for nearly a year. I went straight back to the gym and did a few challenges to bring back my muscles. But since you are starting out - you want to build your own strength back slowly. Have you ever tried yoga? That's the first thing I did. It helped me be able to life myself again. How many push ups can you do? Amazingly I was shocked at how I could barely do one without shaking when I started up. This one is pretty easy - found it on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhXdSo-8nQw

Also my fav exercises to do that require nothing but space are planks and burpees.

I've used this workout plan for the past year or so (I just keep repeating phase 2). I like it because, for each exercise, there's a video with a voiceover that explains each step in the exercise,a detailed explanation of how the perform the exercise, and a list of alternative exercises that work the same muscle area. (I don't follow the diet and supplements recommendations, though there are some tasty protein bar recipes.)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-1.html

Another recommendation for New Rules, but if you are that weak you might want to talk to a doctor first, maybe ask about some physical therapy or something first. Backs are not something to mess around with.

If your back is giving you trouble now, then I would suggest walking (not running) and yoga to start. Since you already have a problem in that area the first exercises you do for your back should all be based upon only your body weight with no added weight. Only add weights once moving your own body weight is not a challenge.

Your arms and legs you can go ahead and use the weights you bought if your own body weight is not challenging. That may sound strange, but there are some rotor cuff muscles in your shoulder that, starting out, often have a hard time just lifting the weight of your arms, if you put your arms into a position that isolates a single small muscle out of the group.

It is best if you have someone who knows free-weights teach you how to use them, but you can also use a combination of book learning and online videos. I suggest trying each lift as full reps and sets with imaginary weights the first time, to make sure your own body weight is not a challenge for those muscle groups and so you can focus on the form you have read or watched about. You may have old injuries you don't recall that speak up when you do this. When you know you're ok, then try adding weight.

If you bought the kind of weights that has a bar with plate-weights added to the ends, remember that the empty bar also is a weight on its own and for some small muscle groups this may be enough to start with.

I learned basic principles of lifting from a competitive power-lifter who was a college classmate and from books, but don't recall specific exercises and so don't consider myself particularly knowledgeable about weight-lifting. So I'm open to corrections from current experts, with the caveat the OP mentions being unusually weak and having back pain, so I'm going to guess maybe other past injuries to work around too.

I never lifted weights. Then i joined a crossfit gym. I have no interest in competitions or having 10% body fat... But if helped me get into the best shape I have ever been in... still have a way to go before goal... but My upper body strength and tone/definition is unlike anything I have ever had. I LOVE IT.

Short Answer: Lift heavy things.

First of all, 30 Day Shred isn't going to help you build muscle. It's cardio. You need to lift weights like everyone else that wants to gain a considerable amount of strength. Start a program like StrongLifts 5x5, Strong Curves, Starting Strength, or New Rules of Lifting for Women.

I've used this workout plan for the past year or so (I just keep repeating phase 2). I like it because, for each exercise, there's a video with a voiceover that explains each step in the exercise,a detailed explanation of how the perform the exercise, and a list of alternative exercises that work the same muscle area. (I don't follow the diet and supplements recommendations, though there are some tasty protein bar recipes.)

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-phase-1.html

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately the program seems to mainly use studio equipment. Maybe I should have mentioned that I need something I can do at home... I have crazy schedule sometimes and it's a lot easier for me to squeeze in a workout at home.

Convict Conditioning

I recommend New Rules of Lifting for Women as well.

When I started the program, I wasn't a "newbie" to weight lifting. I have still had great success with it and have made some pretty awesome strength gains in just Stage 1 of the program. The book is very informative, has pictures of the moves, and offers a bunch of variations if you are unable to do some of the moves.