Can anyone suggest a good general weight lifting routine and an approximation of how many sets/reps would be a good starting number? I am not asking anyone to prescribe me a routine I just need to know what a good starting point is. I used to lift and I developed my own system of which exercise I was doing and how many reps/sets I was doing and while I did a decent amount I never felt like I acomplished anything. I developed it out of sheer frustration at the fact that while there is a lot of weight lifting info on the net most of what I found is vague and doesnt help you even begin to come up with a place to start.

I see alot about low weight/high rep being good for tone and high weight/low rep being good for building muscle. Which is best for weight loss? I am assuming low weight/high rep?

I very much want to start weight lifting to speed my weight loss but I am one of those freaks that needs a base to build off when I start something like this and I just dont have the money to hire a trainer.

hey dem...i can understand your frustration. i wanted to start a weight program myself, but was unsure how to approach it. i got together with a trainer; ive had 4 sessions with him so far. but even before training, they did a physical assesment to see what my physical condition was, and developed a program based on my goals. i do think thats the best approach. i didnt want to jump into the gym and start doing some things i was competely unfamiliar with. with your previous experience, maybe its different for you. ive started a weight training program a month ago. the routine i had is posted a page or two back in my journal. hope you can make sense of it. but this week ive started a new set of workouts. the first exercises had smaller weights, more reps and shorter rest times. this set is more intense; higher weights and longer rest. i hope to get these workout posted in my journal when i can. im combining my weight training with swimming 3 times per week; its best to get aerobic exercise with resistance training as well.

not sure if any of this blurb helps....but good luck!

joe

I do powerlifting. The main lifts I do are squats and deadlift. These are both core exercises that work the entire body. I do each lift once a week, with HIIT cardio and kettlebell weights in between. I vary my heavy lifting routine every 5 weeks- squats 2 sets, 5 reps and deadlift 5 sets, 5 reps, vice versa.

I have come to believe, after regarding many valid sources, that the idea of high rep, low weight being good for toning is FALSE. It is a waste of time, IMHO. Heavier weight, fewer reps, with a focus on CORE STRENGTH, is the way to go.

I have come to love working out with kettlebells. I like them much more than traditional dumbbells- they seem easier, and to flow better with natural movement. They are, basically, iron bowling balls with handles. when my boyfriend started using them, i thought he was NUTS...But i've since been converted and have my own set! They are great for the whole body. And especially great for losing fat thru weightlifting!!! I HIGHLY recommend this investment. There is a website for them (as well as other weightlifting info)-
dragondoor.com
Check out the book "kettlebell workout for a femme fatale" (title is something like that). It talks a lot about lifts that work womens problem areas, as well as overall conditioning.

Thanks for the responses. I dont think I will need the femme fatale though since I am male

here is a pretty balanced routine suitable for beginner or experienced alike - lots of compound movements and a variety of intensity.
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/284big.jsp

I agree with lilli's post. Do a google search for Power of Ten and SuperSlow. I'm doing lunges, squats, bench press, bicep curls, side raises, one arm rows, and deadlifts. I'm lifting weights once a week, one set of each. I'm following the SuperSlow protocol http://www.seriousexercise.com/arti...perslow_qa.html (ignore the diet part)

There is a beginner's thread at the top of this forum ... In the Helpful Links section. Should give you a good idea of where to start.

Thanks guys. All those are great suggestions! Its the exercises themselves that I dont know how to do. I have figured most of them out(I think, the obvious ones were a no-brainer) and the links at the top of this forum helped too but it seems like most of them require a gym membership to do. I am probably going to have to stay in the realm of my free weights I have at home. I am still searching for a way to do things like rows and squats at home with what I have and what space I have to do it in.

http://exrx.net/Lists/WtMale.html Click on a muscle and it'll list the exercises and equipment you can use to do them as well as show clips illustrating proper form. I also agree with lilli's post. I may check out that book lilli, I'm intested in PL.

I just wanted to post one more link to designing a beginning full-body routine: this from the strength & conditioning coaches at UC Riverside
http://www.athletics.ucr.edu/streng.../tbworkout.html

do you have a Swiss ball at home? Deep wall squats w/swiss ball holding a DB (or plate) will give you a good squat workout. Or without the ball, just hold the DB/plates on your chest for an approximation of a BB front squat. Put the weights in a backpack for an approximation of a back squat if you are fearfull to squat with a BB (or don't have one). You can deadlift DB off a couple of telephone books - or put the weights in a backback, set it on the floor, grab it low on the sides and deadlift that. Or do one-arm DB snatches.
You can do bent-over rows with BB or DB at home. If you have a bench, you can experiment with lying face down and doing DB rows - on flat, incline or decline. You can also one-arm row with DB or BB (yes, you really can).

Here's an at-home program that I designed for a client of mine years ago ... your goals may not be the same, but you will get the general idea I think.

Apartment Workout

Nice workout plan Dan Very well put together! You should make it a sticky if you haven't, it's good info.

ps: I did cardio this week!

Good job Lotus! I have been slacking on my promise to hound you about cardio ... ...

Wow! Thank you guys I cant begin to tell you how much I appriciate all the help. In a one day I have found out more then I could have by myself looking on the Internet alone. Thank you trainer dan. I am going to get on that asap. Its exactly what I was looking for.