• Bench Press: this is the classic laying on your back and thrusting upward on the bar from about chest level lift. Position your hands equally to each side of your torso, at about each shoulder or a bit wider. The bench press is one I prefer doing with a machine (such as a universal gym) rather than with "free" weights. Why? I usually lift alone and this lift can kill if you fail to get the weight back up into the rack and end up with the bar lying across your chest. NOT good, it can and has squeezed even pro lifters to death. But if the weight amounts are smaller (as in around 100 lbs) you can safely do the free weight lift alone. Do light enough weight that you can repeat this exercise 8 to 12 times.
• Dumbell flies: Lying on your back on the bench, take two dumbbells and extend them up over your chest. In a smooth movement, with your elbows slightly cocked, stretch them out to your sides until they are the same height from the floor as your body is. Then lift them again up over your chest. Repeat 8 to 12 times, or 'reps.'
• Bent-over rows: use a bare bar on this one (most Olympic-sized bars weigh 45lbs with nothing on them). Then add weight after you're convinced you can. You bend your knees, sink down until you can grasp the bar on each side. Your grip should be a wide overhand (knuckles up) grip, hands only four or five inches from the collars of the bar. Then stand up, but bent over at the waist with your trunk parallel to the floor. Pull the bar in an upward motion to your chest until it touches, this without unbending your trunk at all. Smoothy let the bar sink back down until your arms are again extended. Repeat for between 8 and 12 reps.
• Standing Press: This one's easy to remember, also called the "military" press. Start again with a bare bar if you wish, then add weights once you have the feel for the lift. Start as with the Bent-over row, but place hands at about shoulder-width on the bar instead of wide. Pull upward and as you come up, smoothly unbend from the waist and push the bar over your head until arms are extended. Then lower the bar to shoulder height, in front of your face (not behind). Push it back up again and repeat this eight to twelve times. Lower again to the floor when done.
• Left/Right Dumbbell rows: This is a sort of repeat of the bent-over rows, but requires a single medium-weight hand-weight or "dumbbell." I use one between 35-45lbs. Take the weight to the bench, then lay it on the floor next to the end of the bench (not the end where the weight rack is). Place one knee on the end of the bench (say, your left knee). Bend over and place the same hand (left) on the bench. Reach down and grab the weight from this bent over position, which you will maintain through the lift. Pull the weight upward, but not toward your face. Pull it up alongside your torso, about nipple-height. Then take it straight down smoothly again, keeping your same bent position. Do this 8 to 12 times, then reverse sides (right knee, right hand on bench, left leg supporting you, left hand lifting the dumbbell).
• Standing Curls: You can do this one with either dumbbells or a barbell; I prefer the bar myself and will describe it that way. Again, use a bare bar the first time so you can get a feel for this lift. Add weights to what you can stand (ha, ha!) later. Being as if you're doing the standing press, except grasp the bar with an underhand rather than overhand grip, about shoulder-width again. Stand with the bar cradled in your hands. Without arching your back or your upper arms (which should remain as if "stuck" to your ribcage) curl the bar with only the elbows-down arm muscles until you raise it to your chin. Lower it and again repeat, eight to twelve times.

• Squats: I hope you have access to a squat rack; if not, you may wish to use dead lifts alone w/o any squats, but add weight to the d.l.s in order to compensate. One other warning: Doing squats without someone helping is very iffy. I do it, but I also don't "max out" on the weight amount I use. For me, 225 lbs. is very manageable. For you, that may be like lifting 300 or more would be to me. My legs are quite strong (better than my arms for sure). This lift will hurt you if not done properly! Okay, it is also hard to explain this without seeing it. You should be standing up for this lift's standard execution. If you have a squat rack available, the bar should go just slightly under shoulder height as you stand between the rack's holders. Since racks are quite different, I can't tell what yours looks like. This will take the gym folks helping you figure out how to set up the rack for that result… they of course will show you how to do this lift and the others as well… who needs me?! Anyway, you place the bar on your shoulders (start again with a bare bar to get the idea), and your hands out near the collars. Lift the bar from its resting place with your shoulders and a slight upward thrust to free it, then, with your feet spaced about shoulder width, slowly bend your knees with back erect. Try not to stick your behind out, though this will seem natural. Your knees should be out in front of you rather than your derriere sticking out behind you. Once you go down to where your upper legs are nearly parallel to the floor, go smoothly back up to a full standing position. Repeat this eight to twelve times. Squats are tough to get the hang of, but very very awesome as far as their effect on your overall exercise. They work the largest muscle groups intensely!
• Leg Press [alternative to Squats for those with no squat rack or for those not wishing to involve their back]: I've only rarely done these, due to my intense preference for squats, but if you have access to a universal gym, these are an option. There is a 'chair' on the Universal that has two silver footrests. One sits in the chair after setting the weight at an appropriate level and smoothly "presses" the footrests forward. The weights lift. Smoothly one brings the knees up and back, until the footrests are again at the start. Go for desired number of reps.
• Dead Lifts (D.L.s): Dead lifts can be done in conjunction with or in place of squats. I do both. Put a bar with a couple 25lb plates on it onto the floor (this to get the feel of d.l.s safely). Bend down to the bar as though you're going to do a bent-over row, but grip the bar with the left hand underhand gripped and the right hand overhand gripped. Place your hands wider than shoulder-width but not as wide as if doing a bent-over row. Think about your back being as straight as possible as you use your legs and knees to rise up, ending with a slight shoulder shrug to completely straighten your posture. Maintain for a second, then slowly lower again to the floor with back taking as little of the load as possible. Repeat eight to twelve times.
• Lunges. I do not do these since injuring myself with them a year or so back (an injury which still isn't fully healed, by the way). But if you want to, they are a standard lift. One takes a dumbbell in each hand (I was using two 60lb dbs myself) and while keeping the back totally upright, striding forward with first one leg, then the other. One goes from a full standing position to a sort of arrested stride where first one leg is fully extended, then pulled back into a full stand again, then the other leg is extended. I I don't like the quick moves of this exercise, it seems designed for injury. It is the only time I've been hurt lifting, so I'm biased. If you do it, do each leg 8 to 12 times. I do the Deadlifts instead of this one.
• Leg curls. Look for the leg bench, the one with a foot rack (usually a single rod sticking out for the plates). Put on maybe 50lbs total for starters. Laying on your stomach, hook your feet under the padded (on my bench at least) foot rests provided. Curl your legs up toward your behind, then curl down smoothly and fairly slowly. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
• Leg extensions. On the same leg bench with the same weight (hey, make it easy on yourself) sit at the end of the bench. Hook your feet this time under the second set of foot rests located on either side of the plates (you should look like you're sitting at a table now). Where before you began with your legs straight, and curled them, this exercise requires the reverse. Straighten your legs out in front of you so that they end up parallel to the floor. Lower them smoothly and fairly slowly back to your sitting position. (Your hands are best placed behind your head while you do this.) Repeat 8 to 12 times.
• Ankle raises. This can be done either on a standing press rack or with free weights. I use two dumbbells (60lbs each) myself. Using a raised platform or piece of wood your gym likely has for the exercise, place the balls of your feet on the edge of the wood and your heels on the floor or lower level. There should be around 2 inches differential between the ball and the heel of your feet. Now, in a slow, measured motion, rise up off your heels onto the balls of your feet with the weights in your hands. Lower down again onto the heels with a gentle measured motion. Do this eight to twelve times.
• Crunches (also called 'sit-ups'). This one requires no weight at all, only your own body. But it can be more demanding than you imagine. I use a very minimalist crunch, one relying only on raising my shoulder blades up off the bench or floor until I feel my stomach and abdominal muscles saying "howdy, that hurts!" The old-time sit-up, where one sits up entirely, is said to be more stressful on the back while not any more helpful in working those abdominals we're really after. I do seventy-five crunches of these on each lower body cycle, usually just two these days. Start with twenty or thirty per cycle... you'll feel 'em the next day!

Just a few final notes: Don't overwork yourself initially! If anything, start off with weights lighter than you think you should. Then slowly, a week at at time, raise your weight load by 2 and 1/2 to five pounds on the various exercises. For me, I am not doing this as much for the nice visual looks as I am for the increased feeling of physical and mental alertness and well-being I get out of it. But sure, I do like looking a bit more muscular as well... vanity of vanities.

To maintain the exercise regimen for the long haul is key, and that is why you want to be realistic in your approach. Start really light if you've not lifted before, and do only one set of each exercise and only 6 to 8 repetitions in each. If you ache afterward, that usually is a good thing; it means you did it right. If you HURT, as in something feels pulled or pinched, you're overdoing it.

Well, that's it for now. Remember, I'm not a professional trainer or anything, just a guy who reads a lot and has lifted for a few years. Take the above information with that in mind.