Some background...
I have just started back into the gym, and so has my girlfriend. Last School year we went 2 times a week doing free weight (rippetoes based program) and both saw decent improvement (me gaining her losing)
Anyways, a new year is nearly upon us, and we are both going back to the gym. I have the school gym, and she has a membership to the Goodlife Fitness near her house.
Idea was, I would purchase several sessions of personal training so that they could set her up a routine very specific to her goals (lose approx 20 lbs and be happy enough with body to be comfortable on our vacation to cuba in april)
We both have a fairly cynical vision of Goodlife, as it exemplifies your typical corporate run gym, getting a new member is more important than keeping your current ones happy... And what are they trying to do? sell her THREE MONTHS of personal training at the LOW LOW price of 1500 dollars. (Oh, we're both 21 year old students, FWIW)
So, I come to you, the fine people of this board
As she will be going to the gym herself, she really likes the machines and so while I know free weights are better, I'd like to structure her routine around them.
Their 'Generic' routine, which they call the '20 minute Fit Fix' consists of
Stretching
Cardio
Back extension
Leg press
Seated Row
Seated Bench
Preacher Bicep Curls
Preacher Tricep extension
Shoulder machine of some sort
Lat pull down
Ab work
(each machine is to be worked at the rate of at the last rep you should not be able to do one more (close to failure) for one set)
She likes this, but we both think it can be improved upon.
Goodlife has pretty much all the machines/weights/contraptions going, so I'm sure if you suggest it, they have it.
My basic idea is 2-3 days per week
20-30 mins of cardio (eliptical is her fav)
Stretching
Full body workout (this is where I need help on the best setup)
I know freeweights are better, but shes more comfortable on the machines when I'm not there, and I think it's doable.
We're working on the diet side of things, and shes going ot be drinking lots of water. Any other suggestions would be awesome too!