[sage63]

There may be others that disagree with me but when I got started, I used the machines for a while. It developed some "muscle sense" - the ability to feel which muscles I was working and how they should feel when I do the exercises. Something most beginners don't have naturally. It also kept my form more strict as I learned the movements. *Then* I moved to the free weights and cables.

I was quite a student at the gym and really studied what the personal trainers were doing with their clients (taking mental notes of both what TO and NOT to do.) I then hired a PT for a session just to have them check my form on the exercises I was doing. I did an upper body/lower body split (as specified in Body For Life) 3x a week...alternating the split (M,W,F), I ran 3x a week (T,TH,Sa) 4 miles. I got pretty cut. (I lift as heavy as I possibly can for 10-12 reps, 3 sets.) You may see your weight loss slow down but you'll lose inches as muscle weighs more per volume than fat (think of a lb of feathers compared to a lb of gold!!)

If you work out at home, you might start off with a set of dumbells and either the Firm videos or Cathe videos. This can teach you moves and form and get you on the road. (The Firm is how I got interested in lifting in the first place!) Read this site....read these boards...I've learned a lot here.

Hope this helps a little! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]