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you can do one exercise to work most of them at once... pullups and/or chinups. If you hold your legs at a 90* angle, you'll incorporate your abs as well.

Thats honestly a lot to ask. Some of the answer depends on your goals and your diet.
Arms: biceps (brachii and brachialis), triceps (back of arm)
Shoulders: Delts (3heads)
Chest: Pec group (major and minor)
back: traps, lats and rhomboids
abs: rectus
sides: serratus anterior, rectus and external obliques

I may have left something out? Since you are just starting out, I'd say do a full body routine and only one movement per part. Sets of 10 to 12. Once you have become accustomed to training the different muscle groups, you will want to change the routine and start adding different movements and extra sets depending on your goals. There are some great books you can purchase that show pics of basic movements and target muscles and there are some great websites available with tons of info on them. Google is a great tool. I think I may get a TOS violation if I were to post any particular site so I won't. But thats where I'd start. Good luck. Time for me to go train :)

Check out Bodybuilding.com (free site), they have lots of information about different exercises. They also have a forum with suggestions for workout routines (search for something like 'beginner workouts').

Hi there,
Apparently you have to do weight training at least twice a week for results.
Using the free weights in the gym can be far less complicated than using the machines if you are unsure... although the machines usually give instructions.
Women are generally unsure about which weight to pick, but a great rule of thumb is this: if you can do more than 12 reps in a row the weight you are using is too low, if you can't do more than 10 it's too heavy,

I am also 37 and still have a lot to lose, but I use weight training to do it and yes, I do pullups, pushups, squats, deadlifts, etc. You will be amazed at how 2-3 days of weight lifting each week can transform your body.

I agree with the 12 rep upper limit, but I'd reduce that lower limit to 5. Lower rep loading ranges translate to higher levels of muscles recruitment, and therefore a better metabolic response to weight training. That's not to say that lifting for 10 reps is bad, but it will more likely lead to simple muscle fatigue rather than a metabolic boost. As with most things, depends on what you're trying to achieve.

Hi jjeand,
Congrats on deciding to add resistance training to your exercise regime!
Have you ever had any training or guidence in using weights? I totally recommend that you invest a little in yourself, and your future, and hire a trainer for a couple of hours. It may not be something you are comfortable with, or have the resources to do right away, but put it on your longterm goals list.

You can get lots of great advise here from really experienced folks like Nik (hey there... long time no see, Nik) or McDuff. And there are ton of websites for advise and ideas, but nothing beats working with a pro who knows a little about you, specifically, and can watch as you develop the skills. Believe it or not, there are wrong ways of handling weights and as Nik noted above, you can also waste some time and energy not using weights correctly.

At 37, you are in the perfect position to really take advantage of everything resistance training has to offer, so I don't mean to hinder you at all, go for it! I just want you to get the most out of it, 'cuz weight training can really help you find that inner skinny girl!

Pam

Hey Pam, I got a new job so I've been hard at work over there, not so much free time left to get over here!

jjeand, another thing you may want to consider is focus on movement, not so much on muscles. The most valuable movements are those that utilize the most muscles. For example, pull-ups (even the assisted kind) will work lats, rhomboids, and biceps/brachialis. Deadlifts work calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, abs, biceps, and traps. Contrast that with triceps kickbacks, which only work triceps.

I would recommend doing 2 or 3 strength workouts of
overhead push=pike press, pull=pull up
horizontal push=push up, pull=body row
underhead push=dip, pull=high pull.

here is a web site that show exercise movements and variations Exercise & Muscle Directory

here is another that shows how to make a suspension trainer much like the trx system but much cheaper
YouTube - Homemade Suspension Trainer Tutorial - RossTraining.com
with the suspension trainer you can adjust it to your level of fitness.