One reader contacted me with the following question:

“I’ve been doing strength training for a few months now but nothing serious. I work on isolated muscle groups like chest & back on one day, biceps & triceps the second day and shoulders & legs the third day.

I’m interested in trying out your Beginner Strength Training Program but the hitch is I’ve never done any of the exercises you mention except the Bench Press.

I’m kinda concerned that I would end up injuring myself. I’m currently enrolled in a gym that has physical trainers. I could probably ask them but not sure if I need to be in some sort of a program for that.

I found a video on your site for the Deadlift but not for the others. How do I make sure that I’m doing the exercises right?”

Why Exercise Videos Don’t Work. The reason StrongLifts.com hasn’t more videos, is that I feel beginners won’t learn exercise technique by watching videos. Some examples of things you won’t see on a video:

• Pushing from the heels
• Squeezing your glutes
• Bringing hips forward vs. pulling back
• Gripping the bar correctly

If I tell you to do 5 sets of Front Squats, but you never heard of this lift before, then a video of Front Squats will be useful. In other cases it’s not.

How You Can Learn Exercise Technique. Proper exercise technique is absolute priority for beginners. Proper exercise technique will minimize risks of injury. Here’s how you can learn it:

• Videos with Speech. Crossfit has several of these.
• Read. StrongLifts.com has tons of articles about exercise technique. Print articles, take them with you at the gym.
• Starting Strength. Best book on barbell technique you’ll find.
• Coaching. If the physical trainer can explain you the lifts, great. If not: find someone experienced with barbell exercises.
• Practice. You can read a lot, you can be told a lot, but eventually you’ll need to practice. The more the better.

I’m self taught. Never had a coach. Reading & practice did it for me. Once you have a basic understanding of the lifts, you can start taping yourself to see what you’re doing wrong.

Injuries. Lifting weights is easily associated with dangerous & unsafe. I was always less injured than my friends playing soccer & tennis. Statistics show the same thing, weightlifting is one of the safest sports.

Choose a sport, any sport, if you do it a lot, you’ll get injured at one time or another. There’s no point in fearing injuries. I injured myself a lot & will continue to injure myself in the future. Every injury is a lesson learned.

Read a lot, start with an empty barbell, increase the weight gradually, ask questions, practice. Practice a lot.