1. Perform a 5-10 minute warm up prior to lifting

2. Complete the full body flexibility routine (5 minutes) before lifting to minimize the chance of muscle strain.

3. Visualize yourself performing your set immediately before you do it. See it performed intensely with perfect form, and then match the real thing to your vision.

4. Work large muscle groups first. (Legs, Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms, Abs)

5. A full body routine (a workout where you work your entire body) is great for beginners. Pick 1-2 exercises for each muscle group.

6. Perform each set to the point of momentary muscular failure/fatigue to ensure a proper overload (between 10-20 reps).

7. Keep your rest intervals to a minimum to elicit an overall conditioning effect.

8. Increase the resistance slightly once the desired reps have been achieved to ensure progression.

Safety:

· Perfect exercise technique and form prior to utilizing additional resistance.
· Perform every movement in a slow, controlled, and deliberate fashion with special emphasis focused on the eccentric (negative) phase of each lift.
· Work within an appropriate repetition range (10-20 reps/set for most adults).
· Pay close attention to your body position. You want to have the same form and posture on your last rep as you did your first. This will increase the effectiveness and safety of the exercise.

Productivity:

· Train the entire body equally (include all muscle groups) to ensure muscle balance.
· Train at a high level of intensity (as close to muscular fatigue as possible).
· Utilize a predetermined method of progression and record all pertinent workout data.
· Minimize rest intervals (“circuit”) to induce an overall conditioning effect.