Training tips to remember for getting started

Check with your physician before starting any exercise routine.

Stretch properly to loosen up before doing any exercises, especially when heavy weight is involved.

Warm up properly before hitting the weights and start off slowly.

Do the hardest exercise first. I call these power exercises. They are the hardest to do and produce the best results.

Use free weights if you want your muscles to look rock solid and strong. I would recommend free weights to the machines. They give you a more rugged look than the machines give you.

Always finish. Finishing is extremely important. If you go into an exercise program, you had better do everything you set out to do, even if the last few reps or sets are just going through the motions. It’s good discipline, and you won't have any regrets after the workout.

Stomach and calves daily. These body parts do not need the time to recover as major body parts do and can be worked daily. I never use heavy weight when training stomach. You don’t want to build up the muscle in your abdominals, or you will look fat. I do leg raises and twists with the pole for stomach and sometimes sit ups.

Stomach and abs can be worked every day. They don’t need the healing time like the major body parts, and you should increase the repetitions when working them.

Train hard. If I am not sore the next day, I feel the workout was a waste of time.

I feel lucky because I have always loved working out. I started when I was 14 years old and have not missed more than a week since that first day in the gym.

The feeling of getting under heavy weight and then controlling it always gave me a spiritual lift. In my opinion, there is nothing greater than the feeling of being fit and carry lots of muscle.