If you could only do 5 resistance exercises

Squats, lunges, push ups, sit ups, tricep dips, pull ups, reverse lunges and burpees. That's more than five and not really traditional lifting exercises. I do more of a cross fit style circuit training work out. But these work for me!

Don't be so scared of the barbell and deadlifts! If you start off light and work up, you'll have the opportunity to get your form down. Dumbbells can be used in place of the barbell, but eventually you will max out on the weights you can lift because of wrist strength limitations.

The 5 exercises I'd go with are all the SL lifts.

1. OHP
2. Squat
3. Deadlift
4. Bench
5. Barbell rows

thats pretty much my whole routine. everything else i do is just to supplement these 5 base lifts

Pushups, pullups, dips, squats & planks.

1. OHP
2. Squat
3. Deadlift
4. Bench
5. Barbell rows

thats pretty much my whole routine. everything else i do is just to supplement these 5 base lifts

Yup.

I've recently started AllPro's beginner routine (http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=155009423&page=1) since, for some reason, it seemed far less intimidating to me than SL, SS etc. The routine already includes warm-up sets.

It consists of

Squats (-> Goblin Squats)
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls (I do Standing Upright Rows instead.)
Calf Raises

As far as I understand which muscles do what, the last two would probably not be strictly necessary but I have riddiculously weak arms, shoulders and calves so I'm happy to do them.

I do everything with dumbbells except for the deadlifts since I actually found those easier with the bar when I tried all the exercises. (Even if I wanted to, I'm not strong enough to even lift the empty bar for any of the other exercises.) I go to my uni gym and there aren't any trainers there so I watched a bunch of youtube videos and practiced form with 1 kg dumbbells at home first. In a way I actually think the heavy weights help with form cause they make it impossible to just go through the motion but force you to move very consciously, at least for me. If I didn't continuously pay attention, I'd probably fall over squatting with the heavy dumbbell whereas I find it pretty easy to mentally trail off when I do bodyweight squats. Nevertheless I still plan to ask a friend who's been lifting for years to come and check my form when he has time - maybe you know someone who could do that for you as well?

squats
deadlifts
bench press
standing press
pull-ups

squats
deadlifts
bench press
standing overhead press
pull-ups/ chin ups


I can't stress enough how important form is for generating power and preventing injury, so get a personal trainer for 1 week of working just these exercises.

Then get another trainer. And the following month another. Out of three certified strength trainers you should be educated enough on how to properly do these exercises with a barbell inside a rack!

happy training,
Teresa, advanced CPT

By asking for a short list you're asking for a list of complex compound movements. Anyone who wants to get the most out of the fewest number of lifts will inherently choose ones that use as many muscle groups as possible (or they don't know f all about training). So, maybe asking for 5 wont net the responses you're looking for.

No, I think that's exactly what I'm looking for. I'd like to use bars eventually, but I feel like it would be better to start off with dumbbells since I'm slightly more comfortable with them. I can really only curl like 8 lbs for more than a set, so I will probably need to work up to a 45 lb bar. I want to hit as many muscle groups as I can so I can focus on getting the form down on a few exercises instead of the seemingly endless lists I find when I search.

Curls only use a couple of relatively small muscles, so it's not really a good indicator of whether you can do the big lifts with a barbell. Even the bench press uses far more muscles than just the biceps.

To be honest, the only way to stop fearing the bar (or yourself with the bar) is to suck it up and start doing it. Talk to some of the people who are lifting and see if they'll be willing to spot you and help you. Don't be ashamed to acknowledge that you're new and are starting with just the bar.

You mentioned that you fear deadlifts, specifically. Why is that?

Are you afraid of dropping it on your feet? Rest assured, if you drop it, your feet are safe if you're lifting anything more than the bar (which you should be able to do, because it's a full body lift). The plates raise the bar off the ground enough to keep it from going anywhere near.

Are you afraid of doing it wrong? Look up deadlift form videos on YouTube, especially Mark Rippetoe's videos (for all lifts, really), and ask someone at the gym for help on form, or get a trainer (you don't have to use the ones at the gym, there are others that aren't associated with the gyms).

Fear is usually just a reaction to the unknown. Knowledge is the cure. So find out why you're fearful, and learn about it.