Strength training – weight lifting, or “pumping iron,” if you insist – remains the quintessential manly sport. That doesn't mean women can't be or aren't weight lifters (reference, please, Wendy Lindquist) but the whole Popeye pop culture just associates deadlifting with dudes.

But where is a young man (or a middle-aged guy) to start? Dumbbells or barbells? Rarely has anything so physically uncomplicated as two circular weights connected by a bar appear so intimidating as when they are sitting in a gym corner waiting for you to do your first curl.

The best approach to strength training – as it is with so many exercise regimens – begins in your head.

Remember that there is no one single end game in strength training, and each different goal has different meant to its end. Are you looking to build an awesome V-shaped back, broad shoulders and killer biceps? That's great, but yours will be a different journey from the man who is lifting to lose weight, or recover strength after an injury. No two paths will be the same.

But all paths will require you paying attention to what you put in your stomach if you want the fastest and maximum effects. How you eat will account for 80 to 90 percent of your success. Strength trainers refer to the “three macronutrients” of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, and they will tell you that the right combination, consumed at the right time, is what separates the Popeyes from the Blutos. There are plenty of resources online to help you do the math, but don't approach a strength training program without giving your diet a cold, hard appraisal.

At one point you'll want to put down the calculator and get to the gym. And Keep Getting To The Gym! Set a realistic plan, then stick to it!

You'll want to begin by putting form over mass. Starting out lifting the wrong way is not only dangerous, but can run you the risk of slowing your muscle growth. Place caution and safety first before any lift.

For this reason, start with a comfortable, but challenging, weight. Only when that weight becomes easy for the particular lift you are performing should you up the ante.

So... dumbbells or barbells? The answer is “whichever you feel most comfortable with.” Dumbbells are a little less intimidating (and a little less dangerous should you drop one) but the two-handed grip the barbells affords makes for more stable footing.