So you want to start lifting? Great!

RECowgill wrote: »

This is very good advice of course, I would go a bit further and simplify your list of information personally. There are lots of different exercises to do, but only 5 that someone who is new should do:

* Back Squat --- http://youtu.be/dQFsSj2IUAo
* Bench press --- http://youtu.be/34XRmd3a8_0
* Deadlift --- http://youtu.be/nXfzWe-6t0w
* Standing Overhead press
* Bent over row
(I'm adding in a few example vids that I like, but please do your own research).

You already mentioned them, but I would really emphasize these 5. These 5 are the only lifts a new lifter needs to do. They are the most rudimentary lifts every lifter should know. It took me months to figure that out, wish I would've had someone spell that out for me in the beginning. Do these 5 and ignore everything else. Literally. Until you get good at them, everything else is wasting time.

These 5 compounds can be a little bit scary for newbies, they were for me. I suggest you go on YouTube and search "how to" on each one (how to deadlift, how to bench, etc). Lots of good proper instruction will come up. Watch and learn at least a few videos on each move to get a sample for the different subtleties and nuances from different instructors.

A word of advice: maybe you're a dude who thinks he knows how to do one of these already, like benching. You probably don't, actually. Learn from these people who really know what they're doing and please study proper form. Even if you think you know, review the basics. Do it periodically. The last thing you want when lifting is an injury.

The worst thing you can do is copy what others do at the gym. Please don't, people at the gym don't know what they're doing. The reason: people don't study. They don't ask critical questions. Some do, most don't. If you copy others you see, listen to your boyfriend or whatever, odds are their knowledge is incomplete and probably bad. YouTube videos are your best crowd sourced knowledge base. Do your own research. Please get in the habit of researching and studying.

I'd skip pushups, pull-ups, chin-ups and dips to start. They are good compounds sure, but many new people don't have the strength to do 1 pull-up. Build some strength using the 5 then start incorporating other compounds like those. Really, every exercise is superfluous outside of the basic 5 lifts. I'd also argue they just aren't as good, pull-ups are a good compound but they only work a subset if the body. Squats etc work the entire body, and really need to be learned first.

And the sooner you do and learn the 5 compounds the better off you'll be. If you're serious about lifting it will take you years to master all 5. They inform so many other lifts (there are many variants of them, related lifts etc) and it's almost impossible to know them all. But to start it's really that simple, the more complex and deeper stuff will come later.

And as some twins say, it's just advice. Do your own research and figure it out.

Fujiberry wrote: »

fatcity66 wrote: »

Thanks for this! So, a push-up is basically the same as a bench press, right? I ask because I don't have access to much equipment right now. Any suggestions for body weight exercises, or with dumbells, for beginners?

I prefer barbells to dumbbells, but if you have limited equipment, you have to make do with what you got! :P

Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Row

Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell deadlift
Lunges
Calf raises

You'll need a wider variety of dumbbells, but you can always try to make do. You can fill sacks with sand, jugs with water, etc.

chrisdavey wrote: »

One thing I will mention is that even though I am a huge fan of compound lifts they aren't actually "required". For people with injuries or mobility issues some of these can actually be dangerous so it is important to make sure that you are able to do them safely. And there is no reason why you can't switch in leg presses for squats while you work on hip/ankle mobility for example.
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