Well my problem is there's too much jargon. It's incredibly hard to understand what lat this, trap that, con this, fro that means, especially when people like to exclaim "what does this movement for you get you towards" like I'm already deep into the process. It makes me flustered because I feel like I'm expected to respond with "this times that = omg awesome muscle name, brah".
Secondly, I don't particularly feel like I know my body and/or anatomy as well as I should to be using those programs, since I won't be sure of what I'm doing.
So I'm just doing the machines that feel like they're doing their job, and maintaining a good amount of use on each, to keep a steady rhythm of workout.
Thirdly, I don't have access to all the machines the other guides ask for or suggest you do, so I can't "do the routine". So I've made my own.
Jargon is a part of every hobby, industry, and friendship. There's a special language for everything. Don't be discouraged if you don't know something. Everyone has to start from the beginning.
Speaking of which, to (intelligently) get involved in fitness, you obviously had some a goal in mind. What do you want to get out of working out? Looks? Strength? Improved fitness? Knowing what your goal is, is probably the most important thing each time you enter the gym. Having a specific goal helps you and us better understand what exercises you should be doing. Goals help you understand what muscles you need to improve and knowing your major muscle groups is pretty important. Lats and Traps are muscles high on your back. Both are used extensively in shoulder and back exercises.
Machines are good, but they focus on movements that are isolated to only one or two muscles. That may be good if you're trying to improve the strength of one particular muscle, but using them exclusively is not as efficient as doing compound exercises.
Squats, benching, shoulder pressing with an Olympic bar are all compound exercises. That means that a variety of muscles are working hard to push or pull that bar, stabilize your body from being crushed by the weight, and helping other larger muscles from popping under the weight. You and your body get more out of doing compound lifts than you ever will with an isolated exercise from a machine.
Although compound lifts are better, it all depends on what you have around you. One thing you should always ask yourself is if you have the right equipment to meet your goals, and how can you improvise with the equipment that you have. Do you have a gym membership?
I know this can all be overwhelming, especially in the beginning; you just want to work out.
"Why are these guys saying I'm doing the wrong thing? I just want to look good and these machines look like they'll get me there."
Be patient and open to what we have to say here. Guys like Cooter and Darth were once in your current position. They didn't know shit about weight lifting, nutrition, and fitness. They had to learn from someone else, and that's okay. Be open to what we have to say here and again, best of luck!
