I joined the YMCA and want to get started with walking on the treadmill &
using the weight machines. I tried this once a while ago and I got overwhelmed with them showing me 20 machines at once.

This time my idea is to do the treadmill and 2-3 macines everyday and gradually add in a few weight machines when I am used to the
ones I am using.

My thinking is that since I am getting some leg workout with the walking to
start with either abs/back/chest/shoulders/arms ect.

What would be the best 3 machines or muscles to start with???
I know my abs are very weak so I would like to do that and 2 others.
After a week or so I will add another few.

Another thing I have no idea about is how to arrange the workouts.
Doing just a few is easy to do treadmill & weights but as I add should I
break the weight routuine in half and alternate . I would like to
go daily for about an hour..

Maybe I should learn 6 machines and do 3 one day and 3 the next
and do the treadmill everydasy???

I am over analyzing this some but I want a good start so I don't quyit like I
did last time .

Luckily you don't have to learn 20 machines - or any, at all. Machines are not as effective as the free weights, and most machines only target one move.

Here are hands down, the BEST exercises:
Squats (no machine needed)
Deadlift (just the bar and plates needed, or 2 dumbbells)
Bench (same equipment as deadlift)
Press (same equipment as above)

This website can teach you the proper correct form for all exercises as well as what muscles it targets. Look at the exercise links to the top left.
http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html

Cardiovascular activity is not going to build muscle the way working out your legs would... And your largest most energy burning muscles are located there! I split up my muscle groups as follows:

Day One: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps.
For chest I do free weight bench press, and incline bench press. Machines are ok to begin with because they ensure that you are performing the motion properly but you will not work your stabilizer muscles at all and these are VERY important in preventing injury and building strength.

For shoulders I do Shoulder press with free weights. For triceps I go to a machine.

30 minutes of cardio.

Day Two: Back and Biceps.
I do machines for these, row and lat pull down. Then I do bicep curls with free weights.

30 minutes of cardio.

Day Three: Legs
I go to the leg press (BIG Muscle group!!!). I also do my hip abductors and inductors on the machine. Sometimes I'll switch it up with lunges but if I do legs I don't do any cardio.

Day Four: Core
I do cardio first on core days, I'm usually on the elliptical or the bike because my legs are killing me (lunges )
I do sit ups and planks.

Then I start the cycle over taking a day of rest.

Having a plan is a good way to keep on track.

So the best machines to do to get the most bang for your buck:
LEG PRESS
BENCH (but eventually you'll want to use dumbbells to build your stabilizers.)
ROW or LAT PULL DOWN.

Those might be fine to start but after I week I would want to see more focused exercises. You can also push yourself more and are less likely to injure yourself if you are focusing on one area at a time and work on a different group while your muscles are healing. I like to rest after core days because you use your abs for freaking EVERYTHING and they hurt!

You might want to hire a professional and have him/her design a program for you that targets each part of your body and makes it an easy routine to follow.

You're going to get lots of varying advice here. My suggestion is to read a lot. There are a number of threads at the top of this area, one of which deals with machines vs. free weight "functional" training. You might also want to look a stumptuous . com which is a great weight lifting website. She has a beginner's section there.

You'll build endurance and do good things for your heart and lungs with cardio (treadmill), and it helps with fat burning. But don't get caught up in doing long steady-state cardio. You'll be much better off doing intervals (look up HIIT) once you've built a base. And building muscles is great for ongoing fat loss, for being stonger in your every day life, and for giving you a leaner body. Enjoy!

Thanks ...

madame zombie...
that looks like a great schedule ..thanks for all the info.