a true wimp needs advice

[petunia_]

I would love to do the STS program but I think I'm way to wimpy. I have been working out for a month now doing the pyramid's. Yesterday I attempted High Reps, and today I'm dying. I can't even do a real push up, and couldn't really do all of high reps without modifying a lot. I get way to out of breath to do all the lunges, even without weights.
My question is....should I even attempt to try the STS program? Would doing it the best that I can really help? or do you think I should wait and just keep doing something else. I would really appreciate any advice you could give me. I want to recover from being a out of shape wimp.

[Peaceful Rainbow]

The beauty of STS is that as long as you do your 1RM's ahead of time, it is totally tailor made for you. It starts from where you are, so it works for everyone.

[lainabaina]

Ditto on the 1RM, and STS is a program you can return to over & over (yr after yr). It is designed to help you get stronger. I am almost done with my 4th time doing the program & I know I've gotten stronger, but still have to modify pushups if the reps get too high. Another thing that's so great abt STS is you learn how to execute the exercises with proper form. Sooo important!

[Shadowpup]

Ditto the above! Another thing, you improve even if you do not push yourself to increase at the full predicted rate for each disk (each one will change your reps or weights so that you are constantly improving). You can, if you want, increase your weights/reps 'part way' by splitting the weight or rep difference between disk 1 and disk 2, disk 2 and disk 3, etc. This lets you make progress every time without going beyond your personal comfort zone. I use this approach whenever I am recovering from an illness or an injury (or both, as with right now), since at those times it is better not to go too fast. STS is *perfect* for this. You can also push harder if you have an especially strong week and adjust your 1RMS on the workout manager to match.

STS and the 1RM approach is my absolutely favorite way to work out!

[petunia_]

Thanks so much for the advice. I think I'm going to go for it and hopefully not be so wimpy by the end.

[jazzi21]

I didn't do my 1rm, maybe I should have, but I just start heavy and work my way down if needed, so far that has worked for me and I have trained to failure where I needed to... You can do it, I didn't think I could do this workout and I am on disk 24 today... it is doable.

Don't try to keep up with Cathe, train at your own level and believe me you will know where should be when doing this. You will feel challenged, and you will be sore, that's just the nature of strength training. This is my first rotation with STS so I am looking at this rotation as a "get acquainted" rotation. I may do my one rep max for the next 3 month rotation. Good luck... "YOU CAN DO IT"...

[lainabaina]

If you need to you can always revise your 1RM as you go. I keep the Workout Manager up on my computer & check off the reps as I go. Then later if I used a different weight I recalculated it. It is an icon to the right on each line. Very neat tool!

[petunia_]

Thanks so much. This is all great advice. I think I was really intimidated by how much Cathe can do, and also about getting that list of 1 Rep Max done. I think the first time through I'll just do it and get comfortable with the whole thing.