Hey everyone,

So after some research and initial 'field testing' I've put together some exercises and workouts for the gym. I'll have the final list, etc ready soon. For now though, could I get you fit (and more knowledgeable in biology than me) have a look at the layout below, see if you can make any more recommendations for exercises, etc?

Cheers

Ok so here are some of the exercises to get you started. Go easy and don't kill yourselves:

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Pectoral:

(I recommend dumbell instead of barbell because it will distribute weight equally on both sides and you'll have to make really sure you are doing the right form)

Horizontal Dumbell chest press
Horizontal Dumbell fly
Inclined Dumbell chest press
Inclined Dumbell fly
dips
Push up with hands at different widths

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Biceps:

Dumbell curls (seated so you avoid using your back for momentum)
Isolated dumbell curls
Chin-up

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Triceps:

Lying dumbell tricep extension
Dumbell tricep kick back
Bench tricep dips

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Back:

Rowing
One arm dumbell row
Reverse dumbell fly
Lap pulldown (wide grip for good workout on the lats)
pull-ups

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Deltoid:

Shoulder press (dumbell)
Barbell Thrusters (it'll workout your legs too)
Handstand push-ups


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Forearms?

If you do enough pullups and deadlifts (and mix up with some pushups) these will be burning

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Warm-up well before each session (some 5-10 mins cardio should help) and warm up your joints too. There's plenty of good cardio to do: running, cycling, rowing rope skipping the choice is yours.

Don't stretch before lifting weights, this will reduce your strength. Leave strecthing to end of the session.

A good way to warm up before the exercises would be to do the exercises that you are about to do with very low weights.

When you're working out focus on getting the form correct and doing the full range of motion rather than going for heavy loads and high reps. For example, when you're doing push-ups make sure your chest and head touch the floor. It is better to do one well than 15 reps badly done.

When lifting weights do the movements slowly (especially the negatives such as going down on your bicep curls)

When working out always use the same weight for both sides of your body!!

I would also recommend working on your lower back and core so you can improve your stance.

Some other great exercises for improving stance are barbell deadlifts, clean, clean and jerk, thrusters, front squat and overhead squat. However these need to be done with perfect form. Kettlebell exercises are also great. I you advise you to have someone from the gym demonstrate and teach you these. I also suggest trying out some compound exercises which will work several parts of your body at once (examples: burpees)

Take water with you, when you dehydrate the chances of injury increase


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Prepare a good targeted workout plan:

example:

warm up: run 5 mins
warm up joints
dumbell bicep curls (1-2kg)
dumbell tricep extensions (1-2kg)

Biceps and triceps workout
4 sets of 8 reps of seated dumbell bicep curls (both arms same time)
4 sets of 8 reps of lying dumbell tricep extensions
4 sets of 8 reps of isolated dumbell bicep curls (8 reps right arm then 8 reps left arm= 1 set)
4 sets of 8 reps of dumbell tricep kickbacks (8 reps right arm then 8 reps left arm= 1 set)
3 sets of chin-ups until failure (in each set try to do as many as you can)

Warm down (5 mins bike)
stretching

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Try to workout one specific area at a time and over your training week rotate your exercises, for example:

Monday: biceps and triceps
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: Back
Thursday: rest
Friday: Chest and shoulders
saturday:rest
Sunday:rest

This will allow your muscles to get enough time to recover before the next gym session.

Also try to make sure your workout is not the same everyweek. Change slightly (either decrease reps/increase weight or do similar exercises)

You can also try and do crosstraining once in a while. This will workout different areas of your body at once. here's an example:

Try to do as many round in 20 mins of:
5 pullups
10 push ups
15 sit ups
20 air squats

This could be good to break routine.

Make sure you try and have enough time to sleep since this will help your muscles to recover and hopefully minimize the pain.

And whatever you do NEVER get a lifting glove!! There's only two types of ppl that use them: big power lifters and douchebag posers!!