You could do a lot with a set of dumbbells or kettlebells.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/dumbbell-exercises-3#mobify-bubble

I used a pair of 50's and a small adjustable set from a yard-sale when I was living in a really small apartment a few years back. A few sets of one-armed clean and jerks, lunges, and a turkish get-up was more than enough to build explosive strength along with some basic plyometrics. As I got stronger I'd just add more reps, more sets but also perform them explosively. 50 lb. dumbbells would probably be too much to start so any basic adjustable set would work for starters.

I had heard somewhere that the Turkish get-up was the original strongman exercise. Supposedly they wouldn't give you another exercise until you could perform them with a 100 lbs, no easy task but doable.

http://www.bestkettlebellworkout.com/the-turkish-getup/

Yeah, it's really worth it IMHO to schedule at least a few sessions with a coach or personal trainer just to teach basic safe techniques for lifting heavy stuff. It's going to probably save you a lot of time and money in terms of setting you up for success and preventing injury. You are of course going to have to pay for this unless you can barter, but it's not an ongoing expense once you've learned the techniques.

I'm going to take my first step inside a gym next week - I want to try HIT exercise and there's no way I'm testing my max with a barbell. So Nautilus it is.

That said, I used to train with rings and a sandbag - I spent about $100 for both but you can DIY and get a similar rig for 1/4 that. Between those two you can do every exercise available to a barbell, and tons of bodyweight exercises as well.

Here's an article that addresses your exact question.

The fact that you are new to lifting (as you said, a "super beginner") and worried about injuries suggests to me that you could benefit from investing in a few sessions with a legitimate weight lifting coach.

Having an awareness of proper form by actually performing the standard powerlifting (squat, deadlift, bench) and olympic-style lifts (clean & jerk, snatch) with a qualified coach is invaluable in my opinion.

If this option is not available to you, I would get some books on lifting from your local library and perform the movements with a dowel rod or broom stick until what you see in the mirror looks like what is outlined in the materials.

Once you have technique, you can start adding weight.

Another suggestion is that if you are working out alone at your house, a good rule of thumb is to mentally rehearse a "what if" scenario prior to performing a lift. Basically, think about "what if I lose control of the bar/weight", "what if I reach muscle failure and can't complete the lift", etc.

For example, there are a lot of bad things that could happen while performing a bench press with the bar. You can eliminate most, if not all of these bad things by performing a bench press with dumbbells instead (dropping weight to the floor rather than dropping weight on your throat).

If you would like to begin progressing strength and power without a large investment I would recommend a weighted vest to start (can get them up to like 70lbs I think). You can wear it while performing your normal sort of body weight exercised for added resistance and little chance of injury. Dont think I'd try wearing it while breakdancing though :).

Here's a website devoted to no-gym workouts and quite effective. I did them for a couple of years - http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah/OBB/OBB.html

I'm a big fan of the barbell training Martin prescribes. It's very effective, and it could be difficult approximating the program without access to some iron. That being said, you can definitely increase mass, strength and power without access to a full gym.

Calisthenics can rip and shred any man. If you're looking for a specific resource, I'd check out Al Kavadlo's blog at http://www.alkavadlo.com. He has a well organized site with some good content and videos. He also has a good book available. Other book resources to consider for a no-gym workout regimen are Convict Conditioning I and II by Paul Wade, and Never Gymless by Ross Enamait.

Hope this helps,

Jim

If "a little mass" is a true goal, then lifting heavy stuff is necessary (more than bodyweight work). However, as a beginner, you will certainly benefit from some time with a coach to make sure your form is correct. Safety is extremely important. If you go that route, be sure and find a coach who understands the squat and works from there (i.e. not sitting around on a bunch of worthless machines).