What do you wish you had known from the beginning?

A couple of days ago I stumbled across this thread on reddit:
What is the one gym exercise you wish you had known from the beginning?

I think most of us (and I am no exception) probably started out the ‘wrong’ way (by which I mean not the most efficient way), doing way too much mirror muscles isolation work.
Not that I am hating on Curls and Co. I still like to do them and think isolation work has it’s place.

But knowing what I know now I would chose a beginner program with the big compound lifts like Starting Strength or Strong Lifts to take advantage of linear progression and the novice effect.

Main Takeaway: Get strong first.

Here are the top things redditors wish they knew from the beginning:

• deadlifts
• squats
• press
• face pulls
• dips
• pull-ups, chin-ups
• clean and jerk
• snatch
• power cleans
• rowing for cardio
• burpees
• hip flexor stretch or couch stretch
• strict muscle ups
• front and back levers.
• Arnold press
• Goblet Squats
• Glute Ham Raise (GHR)
• Good morning
• Yoth-Sarcasmo Press
• “the importance of balance in a routine”