If you are just starting out weight training then there are a couple of things that you will have to be aware of if you are going to make the most out of your training time and effort.

The first, and perhaps the most important thing to remember is to always warm up before you being each weight training session. Many people do not think this is important as they are not going to be doing an aerobic exercise that involves a lot of movement but the possibility of injury is just as real for weight training as it is for any other exercise routine. By stretching your muscles properly and taking time to warm up before each training session, you will dramatically reduce your chances of being injured in a number of ways.

The other important point is that stretching and warming up will actually make your weight training session more effective. Your muscle development will be smoother and more even and you may even notice that the shapes you are achieving are better formed. As well as this warming up, you should also be warming down after each training session. This is important as it will again reduce the risk of injury but will also help your muscles to recover faster and more efficiently. This will mean both that you will get more out of your training session, and also that you will be able to train more often, thus dramatically increasing the speed at which you notice progress with your body.

As far as equipment goes, this will really only be necessary if you do not have access to a gym or do not want to join one. However, many serious weight trainers who train regularly at gyms also like to have certain equipment available at home so that they can fit in training more regularly, especially short sessions, and also so that they can train when they do not have a chance to go down to the gym.

The most common weight training equipment that people buy for home use is dumbbells. These are the small bars that you can lift with one arm at a time. You will also need a selection of weights to put on them. With this you can do a number of good weights for different muscles in your arms. If you are more serious you can also invest in a bench and a long Olympic bar which will allow you to bench press. Once you have these you can invest in more specialised equipment for the rest of your body.