Do you need to talk to your doctor first?
If you have not been very active for a long time or are an older individual or have any type of illness you should first consult with your family doctor to do a check up on you. Inform the doctor that you intend to start weight training and want to make sure your body and mind are in proper health to safely move forward with it.
Most personal trainers and gym memberships will usually ask to see a document from your doctor before they grant you a membership and you can use their facilities. Make sure that you doctor has cleared you to use all equipment and you talk with him or her about all exercise you intend on doing.
Get your apparel together- Shoes
If you do have some health problems they can be worked through but it is important to make sure if you are using a personal trainer or gym membership that the staff and your doctor are all aware of your health problems and can put together a plan to allow you to safely achieve your weight training goals.
It is also important to note that as you work out you will naturally start to sweat and as such your shoes will probably smell a little funny after a good work out so this is a very good reason to get yourself a second pair of shoes as you don't want to be wearing smelly shoes back to work or when you go see family or friends
Cross training shoes or tennis shoes should be flexible and strong enough to provide a good all around platform for you to do your exercises as well as any type of treadmill or aerobic work. They will allow your feet to breathe and still provide a flexible but strong foundation for you to do your exercises.
Managing your time
If you are deciding to work out at home you need to really develop discipline and time management skills for yourself and your workout. Set aside some time for yourself away from work, kids, pets and your family and friends to focus at least 1 hour per day on your workout routine.
It is also very important that you be able to concentrate on what you are doing as handling heavy equipment like dumbbells and using exercise machines can be dangerous if you have distractions.
If you are working out at a gym or with a personal trainer they can help keep you focused on what you are doing. One main benefit of using a personal trainer and a gym membership is that you are in a structured environment so it is easier to stay on task and focus your attention. Another benefit is that with a personal trainer you can be pushed past your comfort zone and your personal trainer can help keep you motivated when you feel like you are too tired to continue and help push you to past what you may have thought to be impossible.
Stretch Warm Muscles Not Cold Ones
It is very important that you stretch and warm up first before you start to do any type of heavy lifting. Even if you are very strong it is very important that you do a 10-15 minute warm up and stretch your muscles before you start to work them out to avoid injuries.
It is also important to note that your muscles must have oxygen flowing to them and be warm when you stretch them. So start by doing some light jogging and some push ups and sit ups to get your core muscles warmed up to be stretched to prevent injuries.
Once your muscles are warmed up then you can do a simple stretching routine for at least 10-20 minutes to make sure your muscles are relaxed and there are not any muscles that are stiff. You should be sweating and warm before you even start to work out and make sure you ware well hydrated before you start your workout routine.