Here are some common exercises that people do in the gym or at home, yet, as basic as they are, these exercises can be done many different and creative ways to further stimulate both muscle growth AND fat loss (in some cases).

SQUAT
		The Squat is the best overall exercise you can do for your body when you decide to make the transition to free weights. Did you know you can burn more calories doing one lightweight squat as opposed to doing 100 sit ups? The mistake most people make is in HOW they actually do a SQUAT. Some tips would be- 1. Take a barbell from a squat rack and hold it at the back of your neck with your hands on the bar. Keep you back and head straight. Your feet should be spaced at shoulder width. If you cannot squat flat footed, try placing a two by four block of wood under your heel to improve balance. 2. Grasp the bar with your hands spaced slightly wider than shoulder width apart. 3. The bar should be resting comfortably across your trapezius muscle. 4. In a controlled fashion, slowly squat down until your knees are parallel to the floor. Remember not to bounce at the bottom of the movement. 5. Slowly straighten your legs and return to the start position. Keep your head level at all times. 6. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.

Bench Press
		For Upper Body strength the King of them all. To build Upper Body strength and size you cannot avoid this exercise. Some tips would be- 1. Lie back on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor and back pressed firmly against the padding. 2. Take a tight grip of the barbell (overhand) with your thumbs roughly 3 feet (90cm) apart. Make sure that your grip is balanced between both sides of your body. Once your grip is set, press your shoulders down and back into the bench. This will push up your pectoral girdle and allow for a much better stimulation. 3. Lift the bar from the rack. 4. Take the barbell from the rack and lock your elbows at the top position. Lower the barbell to the nipple area of the chest, slowly and under control, keeping your elbows away and outward from the trunk of your body. 5. As the weight lowers, be sure not to bounce the weight - very important - do not bounce the weight from the chest. Lightly touch the chest and push the weight back up in a controlled fashion. Beginners may find that the weight starts to fall forward or backward or that the weight is rising unevenly because one arm is stronger than the other. Don’t worry too much about this and concentrate on the movement itself. After a couple of weeks you will develop a groove and this movement will be second nature.

Bent Rows
		The barbell bent over row exercise is a pure muscle building exercise. This one’s a must if you want to build a thick powerful back. Some tips would be- 1. This exercise can be done while on a block or bench. Grab a barbell with your hands placed about 24" (60cm) apart and remove the bar from the racks. 2. Place your feet at shoulder width and keep them flat on the ground. 3. Slowly bend forward at the hips keeping your back flat. 4. Slightly bend your knees and keep your head as high as possible. Remember to keep your torso parallel to the floor and keep your lower back flat and your butt thrust outward. 5. In a controlled fashion, pull the bar upwards until you touch the lower part of your rib cage. 6. Lower the weight until your arms are straight. Repeat the movement without letting the bar rest on the bench. 7. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.