[dmarchand90]

I strongly urge you to either hire a trainer to go over form or, at least, carefully watch some YouTube videos on form. Weight lifting is a wonderful form of exercise and probably the safest when done correctly. However, it's really easy to hurt yourself if you lift too much in the wrong way.

My quick advice is (1) go light at first [nobody cares how much you lift] (2) go slowly and try to feel tension in the correct muscles for the exercise if you don't know which muscles you should be feeling you should look it up (3) go over form very carefully with videos or a trainer

[mudrockbestgirl]

Strong agree. I started with programs like Starting Strength but I regret not working with a trainer earlier. There were so many technical mistakes I made that I never noticed myself. Worst case I would've hurt myself in the future, best case my progress would have stalled due to bad technique. There is only so much you can learn from YouTube videos because you need to know what you're looking for. Nothing wrong with these programs, but having someone experienced correct your technique is invaluable. That's perhaps less the case for simpler lifts like bench press, but I can't imagine someone learning to properly clean, snatch or jerk all by themselves.

If you can't afford to hire a trainer, start with going to a weightlifting group class to learn technique. Even Crossfit is good for that (just don't learn your pull-ups there :)). At least you will have someone correcting you. Once you're confident in your technique you can quite and start following your own program.

[dlivingston]

Seconded on CrossFit! Every CrossFit gym I’ve been to has a weekly Olympic lifting class, explicitly focusing on proper form and movement.

Also - CrossFit-style pull-ups might be a little goofy, but CrossFit burpees are the way to go. :)

[throw1234651234]

I will third this with a caveat that MOST trainers are either incompetent or don't care. But you will literally save years of wasted time and injury if you do it right from the start. Just find the right person or cross-check with multiple. There is also a program called "5x5" which is ok for beginners. Don't forget to do pull ups and crunches too. The whole "liftings works your abs" enough thing is a myth. Maybe some cardio too.

[wainstead]

Gotta 2x this comment: hire a trainer. It’s changed my life. You are accountable to someone who is invested in seeing you make progress and get better.

Because I work out three times a week my life is better on multiple fronts, including my concentration and coding.

Two years on I’m down 27 pounds and can do push-ups. I have never been able to do push-ups.