OK PEEPS! I want to start weight training AGAIN - and I know full body, 3 x's a week! I also know compound exercises. But whats the order of body parts?? I know I can easily beg for a routine or google it - but I want to be able to put it together myself so I can change it up every month or so - so what basics do I really need to know?? PLEASE!!??

The principles to follow are basically those you listed. Compound exercises like squats, deads, presses, and pulls start first...followed by whatever else. Realize that if you want the basic principles they will be basic and general. If you're short on time you can superset or run a circut where you would typically put opposite or non-related movements back to back. An example would be pairing pressing with pulling.

Am I just being scared -I have such an issue with deads!* I have no confidence that I'm doing them right -even though from previous workouts they seemed to work the proper areas.* Whats with that?* Any suggestions to what else can replace them, or should I just study a video and have some faith in myself?!ALso - whats the order of muscles??* I know laregest to smallest (legs to tri's) right??* But whats in between?? Also Iam proof how you can learn so much from here, even from this basic stuff I just said!

hhhmmmm........ If you are looking for variety, or ability to change, within a guideline or plan. Here are some ideas.

If you are doing 3 FBW per week, think of all the workouts the same. Like this.

Lower Body Pushing Exercise
Lower Pulling Exercise
Upper Body Pushing Exercise
Upper Body Pulling Exercise
Arms / other assistance exercise (anything you need to work on)
Abs / Low Back

Now that there is a layout, pick and choose different exercises for each part of the workout. A couple possibilities are these

Squat
RDL
Overhead Press
Lat Pull-Downs
Triceps Extensions / Reverse shoulder raise (super set)
Plank Exercise / Back Extensions (super set)

or

Lunge
Single Leg RDL
DB Bench Press
DB Bent Row
DB Curls / Side Shoulder Raise (super set)
Leg Raises / Reverse Hypers on Swiss Ball (super set)

Starting with a concept will ensure that you do not neglect any part of your body. It also allows for tons of variability in exercises.

You can also do some workouts circuit style if you like.

Or change the number of sets and reps.

Doing things this way will allow you to try many different exercises, rep ranges, circuits, and other types of training. You will find what you enjoy the most as well as what works best for you. All within the constructs of a basic layout.

Once you have had a chance to learn what exercises, rep ranges, set ranges, work best for you, then you can start changing the basic construct of the program based upon your specific goals, strengths, and weaknesses.

I hope I explained this well.

I sort of covered the whole full-body training thing in this thread: http://training.fitness.com/248621-post83.html

It is a long post, sorry. The part that is relevant to you is the last half if you want to skip ahead.

do the hardest exercises first, especially the ones where fatigue in the lower back could cause you to round it, and injure yourself.

in other words, squats, deadlifts...then pull-ups and presses.

as far as being worried about deadlifts....study, practice, have someone shoot video of you and post it here, or just watch yourself. they do take time.

rack pulls are another option...basically its the upper half of the movement only which can help you train up the lower back and posterior chain, plus build confidence do to regular deadlifts.

romanian deads and stiff leg deads are also variations you can rotate though.

the first deadlifts I ever did were with a trapezoidal bar...basically a big diamond shaped bar and you stood in the center. the grip was neutral at your sides, and you just stood up with it. however it really seemed like the emphasis was quads and glutes.

since learning more about muscles and training, I've never seen another bar like that to try out and compare to real/regular deadlifts.

Do legs have to be before upper body or can be between sets of upper body work?

Does it have to be performed in this order with the legs first and then upper body second, and then core third? What are the pro's and cons of a certain movement being done before the other?

I know that before lifting, an actual dynamic warm up and mobility drills should be done first and then plyometrics if the person wants to.

Movements with example of lifts
Quad Dominant - ex. Lunges or Squat
Hip Dominant - ex. Deadlift or RDL
Upper Body Horizontal Push with Upper Body Horizontal Pull right after each other or vise versa - ex. Push=Bench Press or Push Up | Pull=Bent Over Row or Inverted Row
Upper Body Vertical Push with Upper Body vertical Pull right after each other or vise versa - ex. Push=Front Squat to Push Press | Pull=Lat Pulldown or Pull Up
Any extra shoulder/rotator cuff work - ex. lateral raises, front raises, external/internal rotations, and so on
Core Work - woodchops or reverse crunches or planks or whatever

Do it how you want. There are plenty of times we go into the gym with our plans and somebody is using the equipment we need. Do we sit and wait, absolutely not! We reorganize and usually have just as great of a workout.

It also depends on your goals IMO. If you want to deadlift heavy weight, then you probably should do those first. But if you're not into that, then you certainly can do something else first. However if you become fatigued, recognize that and dont try to overdo it. Ex: Your fatigued from your back exercises and now when you deadlift you dont feel the weight is appropriate because you're alittle tired. Recognize you are not as fresh as the previous workout and lower the weight.

All you need is a stimulus.

Okay, thanks! I am staying away from the squats and deadlifts right now though until I can get one of my legs to get the same length. One leg is longer than the other (left leg is shorter, right leg is longer), so one leg gets worked more than the other during squats or deadlift. My right QL is tight, probably because of the inbalance and maybe other tight spots somewhere, so I have to work on my left side and get that stronger until its even with my right side.

How are you getting your legs the same "length"? Saw? File?

You could do single leg movements.

Thats what I am planning on doing. I see a chiropractor and he makes my legs the same length, but then somehow the left leg keeps getting short after like a day later or so. Do you know what might be causing it to not stay where it should be? I do have tight hip flexors and glutes (right glute and right hip abductor is tighter than the left when I do the glute stretch or 90 degree hip abductor stretch). As far as hip flexors go, my left I think is tighter. and I also have a tight QL.

Oh and I play softball. left handed batter, right handed thrower. Maybe that might be a cause. I don't know. I was never aware of the one leg shorter or longer until I went to see the chiropractor.

My options for lifting...
Lunges or Single Leg Squats for Quad Dominant
Single Leg RDL's (still working on my balance for these though and I cant get my leg straight without tilting, so it has to be bent)) for Hip Dominant and I can't think of another for hip dominant unilateral

So I am assuming then that your leg isnt longer by measurement, but rather your spinal alignment?

I cannot say for sure because I do not know much about alignment and such. If I did, it would of been fixed and I would not have this problem. As you could also tell, I do not know much about exercising or if I am doing the right exercises for my goal and such. Do you want to see pictures of me from all 4 angles and then you could tell me what I may need to work on, weaknesses, and what I should avoid and such? Its hard to explain by words.

Work "outward." Start each exercise working the large "central" muscles first (chest/back/shoulders/legs) and the smaller afterwards (biceps/triceps/calves/etc).

Your leg isn't any shorter... Your hip flexors are just so tight on one side that they are pulling your leg deeper up into the socket. You really should be careful with that... If you ever go bone to bone your looking at full hip replacement surgery.

Sorry, but chiros are not real docs. They give you temp relief, but their entire business model is based on turning you into residual income, not getting you out of rehab as quickly as possible. Bone doesn't move muscle... Muscle moves bone! That's why the "fix" he does for you is only temporary. Until you address the issues making that side so much tighter, you are going to continue to have shoulder problems.

I would recommend foam rolling, and maybe start doing some band resisted lateral hip movement (like shuffle drills).

Even saying that is just guess though. Without actually testing you that's all I can do. The problem could exist in your feet for all I know (you'd be surprised how many people have that problem). All force starts at the big toe. If one area along that chain is not doing it's job...