Being flexible - having well lubricated joints and stretchable muscles - is one of the best ways to reduce the prospect of injury and give you the basis for a wide variety of workout routines.

Your overall goal is to attain good range of motion, while gradually extending that range to a degree appropriate to your fitness level and body type. There are several different ways to accomplish that goal, and you should use at least a few of them before every workout.

Gyms offer a number of benefits, both practical and psychological. But there are a few caveats to consider before taking the plunge.

Few could afford to buy the variety of equipment that gyms typically offer. Multi-station weight machines are just the beginning. Most gyms have treadmills, stationary rowing equipment, stretching bars, etc.

Most articles on fitness, when discussing routines and exercises will recommend consulting a physician first. That isn't just a means of covering the author against potential legal action. It's recognition of the fact that exercise, done improperly, can be harmful and sometimes you can't get everything you need to know with a few web searches.

A medical doctor, especially one that specializes in sports medicine - a relatively new focus - can check your overall fitness before beginning, help you define your limits and recommend specific routines to help you accomplish your chosen goals.

Though stereotypes are dissolving with each generation, there are some that persist - in part, because they are based on real differences between men and women.

While some women can and do achieve the upper body strength of some (even very fit) men, the overwhelming majority of males have a natural advantage in this area. Male aesthetic values, the source of which isn't clear, reinforce this and so they tend to work on upper body more than some other areas, relative to women's efforts.

During any exercise and diet regimen, losing the first few pounds is often very easy. That's good because it's a great motivator when you see results right away. But as you lose more, the rate of loss, and the speed with which you see visible effects, slows down. It's hard to keep going when you aren't seeing the benefits.