Just got a weights bench. Looking for advice + thinking about supplements

[Blar]

Hi!
I'm 31 and over the past few years I've been getting more conscious about working out and fitness (Just so I do not get fat! I'm a programmer so I never get any exercise in work)
I tend to have periods of several months in length where I have a very fit lifestyle followed by months of not fit lifestyle (usually brought on by being very busy at work or something) Then I start getting fat and go back to being healthy again.
Though I think the periods of unhealthy are getting shorter + not so severe.
I'm currently at the start of another fit period and am thinking of upping my game a bit.

As of now every day I run 4k and do 10 chinups + use an ab-trainer and do some push-ups + bicep curls. Also I dont eat sugar and eat very healthily, lean meat, vegetables, fruit grains and drink lots of water.

I recently got a barbell and a very basic weights bench. I'm wondering what are some good exercises to add to my routine? I want to develop my chest and abs, just to look better

Also I'm considering taking some protein powder after workouts if that would help. Ive never taken anything like that before. My housemate had some stuff called "recovery powder" that was protein powder with some creatine in it that he used to take after running.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[CrazyOldMan]

OK some basics from someone whose job is equally as inactive, but life is possibly a bit more so.
Difference between healthy training and aesthetic training. Training for health will make you look healthier and possibly more appealling, training for aesthetics will make you prettier but could even damage your health.

Biggest issue I see with your current regime is undoubtedly the most common among newbie and many experienced trainers alike. It is very unbalanced, because you want a few areas to look right. Ladies will get the legs, bums and tums classes thinking that ignoring their arms, chest, shoulder and back will not make them look disproprtionate and lead to postural issues. Men are more prone to concentrating on chest, arms, shoulders and abs then wonder why after years of training they have chronic back issues that will not go away and legs like tweety pie. As I said you are in ample company, only a few freaks that are detirmined to train for ever take time to do everything, hopefully you will join us.

There are some great beginners workouts on here one of the best simple and balanced workouts is http://training.fitness.com/weight-...inefficient-split-maybe-read-first-34522.html goldie is good and has even put a link on ther with some guidance on techniques etc.
The main 3 power movements squat, bench and deadlift are the basis of my training and that ensures an even workout by keeping these as core and supporting them. The area I lack in is isolation because all my stuff is compound to give max workout in min time, if one day I get more time I may try training my arms all on their own again, but that will be some years away and they still work.

Creatine is often sold as a muscle builder which I find strange as at it's core it is an energy supplement, but only for when you are training at your max for very short bursts, any other time it's totally ineffective.
Remember what the term supplement means, it is for correcting bad diet so look at your actual diet first and where possible get this right, it will be better for you and usually cheaper too.

Enjoy your training and you won't stop, that is the system I have used and it has worked. There have been times when I have paused, usually due to working ridiculous hours and putting family before training but these have been few because I love it.