I'm just looking for some key lifts that I can do 3x a week that hit all the main muscle groups.
I'm just looking for some key lifts that I can do 3x a week that hit all the main muscle groups.
squats, deadlifts, cleans
You said "key" and "all the main muscle groups"
You won't find three better exercises. It's worth mentioning that a clean is basically a deadlift and a front squat combined into one movement. I would start with just the regular squats and deadlifts first before maybe finding someone who can instruct you on the O-lift(s).
Turkish Get-up (Great core stability exercise)
Pullups/pushups
Clean (and variants)
Military press/Push press/squat press/ clean press--anything overhead
Squat
pullup/chinup
military press (standing , of course)
^^ Those are the best two upper body exercises IMHO.
What are your goals exactly?