When you first walked into the gym, your goal was most likely to lose weight and/or gain muscle strength. Even if it was something else, to accomplish the goals you set out to achieve and continue making significant progress, it’s first critical to understand the basics of strength and conditioning. Below is a list of 5 strength and conditioning basics we put together for you to get started.

Going to the gym with an exercise plan in mind is the best way to maximize your workout. But because there are so many strength exercises to choose from, things can start to get confusing. You may be familiar with certain exercises, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get the best results from doing them. And, just because you see everyone else in the gym doing a specific exercise doesn’t mean it’s a good one or even safe for that matter. As a disclaimer, most of these exercises are fine if you are a beginner. For those who are in the more intermediate and advanced levels of fitness, the alternatives are what’s recommended.