Exercise

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm not the best guy to ask about weight training, but yes, swimming is good for your cardio.

The best long term habit you can do is to walk for about a half hour. If you can do that every day, you'll have a much greater impact on your cardio long term than more intensive exercise that is harder to keep up.

Swimming is very good. Twice a week if you like it and enjoy it. When I swim (which is not enough), I'll do laps:

front stroke
back stroke
butterfly

Alternating every couple of laps between each stroke. After about 15 minutes I'll switch to skulling, I don't know if you know what that is.

Skulling is floating with just your arms or your legs pushing you along. It's a good way to isolate different muscles in your body along with the rest.

Then after about 15 of that, I do another 15 minutes of laps pushing for speed.

If you want to run, let me know and I'll see what I can find.

[Jon Miller]

He is at a university, and has access to a free gym.

Getting stuff for at home would be foolish.

Most likely there are free classes, additionally, he likely has friends who go?

It is best to go with someone.

Find another friend who is interested, and start going together.

If you haven't lifted before, pretty much anything you do will be advantageous (as long as you don't hurt yourself).

JM

[Al B. Sure!]

Just do pushups and pullups, run (both distance and sprints), do squats and lunges without weight, and, if you're up for it, do burpees. Very simple and, except for a pullup bar (which your campus gym certainly has), there's no need for any equipment. Only need about 20 minutes or less of exertion a day and you're good. You could probably do such work everyday, as well, if you're up for it.

No need for weights and especially not machines (I question the validity of 99% of gym machines) for what you're trying to do. No need to worry about 'quads, lats, etc.' or retarded split-body 'arm days, leg days, etc'. You don't want my advice but I just gave you some real ****.

If you must lift, please find someone who actually knows what they're doing to guide you through the motions. You'd be putting yourself at injury risk otherwise.

[Al B. Sure!]

For strength training you should go to a gym and pay for several sessions with a personal trainer. He'll show you the excercises you need.
You'll need to train at least:
Quadriceps femoris
Biceps femoris
Triceps surae
Erector spinae
Latissimus dorsi
Trapezius
Rectus abdominus
Pectoralis major
Deltoides
Biceps brachii
Triceps brachii
And a bunch of forearm muscles

Try to learn at least 2 excercises for each muscle, so you can vary your training regimen.

No. He's not a bodybuilder. He has no reason to worry about specific muscles. Split-body training would be senseless for a 130lb beginner who specifically just wants to be fit, not have bulging muscles.

[Kidlicious]

I cycle. It works and it's fun.

[Jon Miller]

By the way, I really recommend doing something. I didn't do anything until I was ~21 (and didn't do that much then) and it has been very difficult later in life. It is much easier to get a good level of fitness when it is easy (~15) then it is to get it later (even ~25).

JM

[Hauldren Collider]

I have a group of three to four friends I go with every day (except weekends). MWF we go swimming and TuTh we do weights. I don't know which machines I should be using though. There might be a free weight class (that's free as in no cost) I could go to. Injury is a serious concern I have--I'm not very strong and I'm thoroughly inexperienced.

[N35t0r]

If in doubt, use less weight and lift them slower. Add extra repetitions to balance it.

[The Mad Monk]

Don't do any weight lifting until you stop growing

I think pretty much every professional (and olympic level) athlete started lifting before they stopped growing.

[Jon Miller]

I would even say that it is important to.

JM

[Barnabas]

I know two brothers, one tall, the other a short bodybuilder, the short one says he is short because he started lifting weights when he was 13-14, before his growth spurt

[Hauldren Collider]

By the way, Alby, thanks for your advice. It actually was quite helpful. Sorry for dismissing you.

[Fake Boris]

Don't do any weight lifting until you stop growing

This.

Right now I would stick to swimming.

Also think about your diet.
Dates, figs, berries, and green tea are excellent additions. Coffee and sodas are bad for you.

Fun fact: dark fruits (black grapes, blueberries, etc) will give you a skin dye to die for. It's not a joke, it works for real.

[Hauldren Collider]

My diet is fine. And I've stopped growing. Learn to read please...

[Fake Boris]

You're asking for advice, you dumbass.

1) I never said anything about you growing or not, I recommended swimming
2) Whatever your diet is, I'm still telling you about positive stuff, that you might or not know about

I take you off from ignore, and first thing I know, the little spoiled idiot that you are, who has literally read hundreds of books less than I have, and speaks 3 or 4 less languages than I, tells me to learn how to read.

Welcome back to my list.

EDIT: obviously I admit to having quoted Barnabas, but I meant to recommend swimming.