Instructions

1

Warm up your muscles by walking or jogging for about five to 10 minutes, or until you've broken a light sweat.
2

Use a Smith machine or standalone barbells to perform squats and lunges. Start with the larger muscles first -- the gluteal muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings -- to ensure you don't tire yourself using the smaller muscles first.
3

Pick a barbell weight that allows you to do 12 to 15 repetitions to fatigue, meaning the last few repetitions will be difficult to complete. If you're totally new to strength training, this may mean you're only lifting the barbell for now; if you have a little experience, add 5- or 10-pound weight discs to the barbell. For the squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with the barbell resting on your shoulders and your arms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your buttocks down to a sitting position, tightening your abdominals, and then stand back up. For the lunge, keep the barbell in the same position, but this time step forward with one foot, lowering the back knee to the floor. Stand back up to complete one repetition, and then repeat.
4

Move to a weight bench and perform bench press exercises for the chest and arms, again choosing a weight that allows you to work your muscles to fatigue after 12 to 15 repetitions. Lie on the bench, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and press your arms to a straight position over your chest. Lower the barbell to just above your nipples, and then press it back up.
5

Move to the weight machines and set the bicep curl machine to a relatively low weight, such as the 10-pound weight plate. Perform a set of 12 to 15 bicep curls by holding the handlebars, located near your torso, and curling your arms, moving your hands to just in front of your shoulders. Move to the tricep curl machine and perform a set of those by holding the handlebars, located behind your head, and pressing your hands overhead. Lower them back down to complete one repetition.
6

Move to the pool or to a cardio machine that serves as a resistance exercise as well as a cardiovascular exercise, such as swimming or the rowing machine. Perform 20 to 30 minutes of that exercise, but don't overdo it. While you could do more than that, it's important not to do too much when you're just starting out.
7

Take a break of at least 24 hours in between strength training sessions to allow your muscles the time they need to generate new tissue. However, if you want to continue swimming, rowing or doing some other type of cardio, go for it -- just listen to your body and don't work beyond the point of fatigue.