Gym Exercise Guide

By TS Jordan, eHow Contributor

Walking into the gym for the first time can be confusing. Sometimes it seems as if everybody knows exactly what they are doing ... except for you, that is. Without paying outrageous fees for personal training sessions, learning what to do in the gym seems like an insurmountable obstacle. By learning a few skills you will have it down in no time.

The Squat

Proper Squat Position
First, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. You should have your toes pointing forward, but it is still acceptable to have them pointing slightly outwards. Now breathe in, expanding your stomach while you tighten your entire core. Bend at the hips and knees and go backwards and down as though you were sitting in a chair. Keep your head held high as you sit back, and your vision focused at a point slightly higher than level. Stop when your thighs are parallel to your knees (use a mirror if it is difficult to gauge this mentally). Now reverse the motion and stand back up as you slowly exhale. The squat is complete.

Although it may look difficult in the gym, you already squat hundreds of times daily. This is a familiar motion and one that should form the backbone of any training program. If you are unsure how much you can lift, or are uncomfortable with the form, practice for a few weeks with nothing more than a unloaded barbell on your back. Do not be embarrassed by this -- the strongest squatters in the world began just as humbly.

The Deadlift

Proper Deadlift Position
With a loaded barbell on the floor, approach the bar with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Get close enough to the bar so that your shins are touching it, then bend forward at the waist and grip the bar with your hands slightly outside of your thighs. Take a deep breath into your stomach and hold it, tightening your core as though you were bracing to receive a punch. Pull your hips downward and expand your chest outward while keeping your hold on the bar. In the bottom position your spine should maintain a neutral arch, as in the attached image. Now stand up, using your legs, hips, and back to lift the bar. Let your arms hang free --they are only there as "hooks" attaching your body to the bar. When you have reached an upright position, the deadlift is complete.

Again, practice the form for a few weeks with a lightly loaded barbell before increasing weight. While the deadlift also looks difficult, you naturally perform this function many times a day as well.

The Bench Press

Finally, the last of the "big 3" lifts in the gym is the one with which everyone is most familiar--the bench press. While everyone thinks they know how to bench, most people have fairly poor technique. The trick to the bench is getting your feet under your body sufficiently enough to create a stable platform for lifting, so do not make the mistake of keeping your feet out wide and far. The second trick involves keeping your elbows tucked in towards the body (as opposed to flared out) to take strain off the shoulders. Keeping your feet under the body and your elbows tucked will allow you to lift more weight safely, with less of a chance for shoulder injuries down the line. Other than that, the bench press is merely lowering the bar to one's chest, then reversing it back until lockout.

Conclusion

While you do not see many people regularly performing the "big 3" in gyms, you will notice a strong correlation between those who regularly squat, deadlift and bench with those who have superior strength and muscular development. Learning these three lifts and making them a lifetime habit will go a long way towards helping you attain your physique goals.