Advice on Adding Strength Training

Newwmn3

Newwmn3

Cathlete
Hi everyone! I'm reaching out to ask for help and advice from the many, many smart and fit people I see are here in this forum. I am an avid Cathe fan and have been busting my butt doing her workouts for a couple of years, primarily focusing on her Hiit, Metabolic, and Circuit Training workouts every single day, typically for at least an hour, up to 1 1/2 hours each workout. I have gotten into incredible shape as a result (thanks, Cathe!!!) I even had my VO2Max tested in a lab setting by an Exercise Physiologist and the results proved it. I have learned, however, by working with the Physiologist and a Nutritionist, that I have been significantly overdoing the high-intensity cardio and also not eating enough calories. I am now on a solid plan to make some changes to both my diet (increasing calories slowly to get up to 1800 minimum. I was only eating about 1200 - 1400 max) as well as to my exercise regimen. I am now supposed to only do Hiit / Metabolic Hiit a max of 3 times per week and am supposed to add weight-training ONLY (no cardio on those days) 2-3 times per week. I have to take one day off completely (yikes!) and the other 1-2 days, I am supposed to do steady-state cardio. I am open to any suggestions but am specifically wondering what may be some good Strength/Weight-training workouts of Cathe's? I'd prefer total body strength workouts so that, if I do them 2 times each week, I am able to hit every body part but I'm open to any kind really. I'm already very lean and would LOVE to build some pretty muscle! Is there perhaps a Rotation or two (or 3 or 4...) that would be good for me to try? Thank you very, very much for any advice!!!

Christin
 
STS (3 Phases) would fill the requirement of lifting 3 times a week, even though they are split workouts, you will gain muscle and definition without a doubt if your diet has adequate protein/fats and you get enough sleep. Another great program for gaining muscle is the Gym Styles set. If its full body workouts you only want, Muscle Max, Muscle Endurance, Power Hour, 4 Day Split which has a zillion premixes and one of my favorite full body workouts and CTX also has great premixes for a full body workout.
 
I agree with Dirtdivas suggestions!! Perhaps also Total body trisets. Cathe has MANY to choose from....makes it difficult to choose, I know!
 
I'd pick one or two total body workouts. My favs are Muscle Max and Hi Reps to complement each other. I'd alternate weeks of these with more split routines. If you're only wanting to do two weight days then Pyramids would be good you could do an upper and lower body split. I really love Burn Sets for another muscle-building upper body set that you could alternate with any number of her lower body routines. For a 3 day split, you can't beat Gym Styles.
 
Newwmn3 said:
Hi everyone! I'm already very lean and would LOVE to build some pretty muscle! Is there perhaps a Rotation or two (or 3 or 4...) that would be good for me to try? Thank you very, very much for any advice!!!

Christin
Click to expand...

Hi Christin,

Thanks for sharing your story with us. This is an eye opener:):rolleyes::rolleyes:

Now to reply to your question, total body workout I would recommend are Hypertrophy.
Hypertrophy because it definitely meet the purpose highlighted above. Muscle Max, STS total, pure strength
Meso 2 and 3 STS. Now sure you have the new Ripped with Hiit, the 3 lift workout. X-TRAIN burn set.
To name few of them!

Let me know the frequency training you are aiming for per week and I could draft a rotation.
Also how long per day do you train?

Kind Regards,
 
While we are discussing strength, I came accross Bret contreras post.
I would like to share this with all lifters ;-)

"Just because you feel the squat or deadlift or hip thrust working your quads or hamstrings or glutes well, it doesn't mean that others do too. Just because you don't feel the squat or deadlift or hip thrust working your quads or hamstrings or glutes well, it doesn't mean that others don't as well. For functional purposes, we should perform a variety of exercises with good technical form. For hypertrophic purposes, we should perform a variety of exercises while working on achieving a better mind-muscle connection. But at the end of the day, we are all unique in terms of skeletal size, skeletal shape, skeletal proportions, muscle attachment points, and muscle architecture, which affects our leverage, strength, form, ROM, comfort, and coordination. A challenging task that fitness enthusiasts share is trying to envision an exercise feeling different from one person to the next, but we can't assume that everyone is the same. At the end of the day, each lifter is naturally going to gravitate toward what works best for them. Let's just be glad that we're in the gym busting our butts instead of sitting on the couch, rather than nitpicking each other's exercise selection."


:)

Comment: Our skeleton condition the moves we execute. That is why we tend to like and feel comfortable with certains moves
rather than others. Let's all bare this in mind;)

To christin, sorry for hijacking your thread. Hope you don't mind me going off topic a little bit.

Kind Regards to all,
 
nckfitheart2009 said:
While we are discussing strength, I came accross Bret contreras post.
I would like to share this with all lifters ;-)

"Just because you feel the squat or deadlift or hip thrust working your quads or hamstrings or glutes well, it doesn't mean that others do too. Just because you don't feel the squat or deadlift or hip thrust working your quads or hamstrings or glutes well, it doesn't mean that others don't as well. For functional purposes, we should perform a variety of exercises with good technical form. For hypertrophic purposes, we should perform a variety of exercises while working on achieving a better mind-muscle connection. But at the end of the day, we are all unique in terms of skeletal size, skeletal shape, skeletal proportions, muscle attachment points, and muscle architecture, which affects our leverage, strength, form, ROM, comfort, and coordination. A challenging task that fitness enthusiasts share is trying to envision an exercise feeling different from one person to the next, but we can't assume that everyone is the same. At the end of the day, each lifter is naturally going to gravitate toward what works best for them. Let's just be glad that we're in the gym busting our butts instead of sitting on the couch, rather than nitpicking each other's exercise selection."


:)

Comment: Our skeleton condition the moves we execute. That is why we tend to like and feel comfortable with certains moves
rather than others. Let's all bare this in mind;)

To christin, sorry for hijacking your thread. Hope you don't mind me going off topic a little bit.

Kind Regards to all,
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing this great quote, Nathalie. It looks like we have parallel threads here and in Cathe DVD Questions & Comments! ;)
I completely agree that lifting deepens in the mind-body connection.
We truly are all unique. As the French would say, 'A chacun ses glutes'. ;)
Roz
 
Thank you, everyone! I apologize for the dual post. I didn't think it "took" in the other topic area so I posted it in a different one instead. I'm glad it worked out that way, though, because I have gotten double the great advice! :) Nathalie, I work out anywhere from 50-90 minutes each day, depending on the workout I have planned for the day. In case this makes a difference, because I am quite small and am already lean, I would like to build some muscle but don't think TOO much would look good on my small frame. Does that make sense?

As for STS, I have read some wonderful comments about it. I subscribe to Cathe's OnDemand service so I have access to the program, however, I don't have the STS User's Guide nor will I have access to the various Premixes. How much will those factors affect the quality of my STS experience do you think? Should I spend the money and purchase the User's Guide?

Another thing I have wondered about....Maybe one (or more) of you can explain how this works.... Many of Cathe's DVDs are both cardio AND strength mixed. I'll use Afterburn as an example. (I LOVE that workout!!!) Am I correct that, even though it does use weights, this type of workout would NOT count as a Strength workout? How would you classify workouts like this?

I am learning so much from reading your comments and, again, THANK YOU!!! ;)
 
Welcome to "The Cathe Nation". You have gotten lots of great suggestions from the loyal and enthusiastic cathletes here on the forums. Under the "Fit Tips" tab on the home page you'll find thousands of evidence based fitness articles written by Cathe to help you too, like http://cathe.com/can-build-muscle-mass-strength-circuit-training & http://cathe.com/the-science-behind-my-new-afterburn-video-and-metabolic-training to show a couple. I subscribe to the Cathe newsletter to help me keep up with all the great info Cathe puts out.
 
Newwmn3 said:
As for STS, I have read some wonderful comments about it. I subscribe to Cathe's OnDemand service so I have access to the program, however, I don't have the STS User's Guide nor will I have access to the various Premixes. How much will those factors affect the quality of my STS experience do you think? Should I spend the money and purchase the User's Guide?

Another thing I have wondered about....Maybe one (or more) of you can explain how this works.... Many of Cathe's DVDs are both cardio AND strength mixed. I'll use Afterburn as an example. (I LOVE that workout!!!) Am I correct that, even though it does use weights, this type of workout would NOT count as a Strength workout? How would you classify workouts like this?

I am learning so much from reading your comments and, again, THANK YOU!!! ;)
Click to expand...

Hi,

  • Regarding your concern on getting big, there is no exact tool to gauge the weight load matching the result you are aiming at.
  • You will not get big. You will gain beautiful strong definitions on your legs and arms;);). Ask your trainer or get to know your body type: mesomorph, endomorph or ectomorph.
  • Based on your description you could be an ecto...you are already lean. You would be an endo if you were a stocky type.

Glad you learn from my comments. I do learn everyday too.;)
This is why I am always keen on reading fitness magasines and cathe's newsletters.

As to STS, you will love STS if you love lifting weight. I must have a pdf version of STS somewhere in my computer.
I got it from one of cathlete here on the forum. Not necessary to purchase the print off version.
The user guide is mainly for catheletes who are fitness professionals/instructors. There are many here;);)
I would say buy the user guide if you are eager to know the concept behind. Some of us always want to know the concept behind
various program we embark on.
Let me know if you want a pdf version. Send me your e-mail in private.

Afterburn is IMHO a cardio metabolic workout. if I was in your shoes I would consider it as a pure cardio.
Remember your goal is to BUILD muscle. you made it pretty clear on your post you need to reduce cardio for more weight.
That is the only way to build muscles.

To conclude, please list your hyperthrophy dvds so we can help you draft your rotation.
Who knows you might be showing off nice sleeky arm and strong rear this summer;)

Have a good day:)
 
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Hi ladies! Quick update.... I am off to a decent start but am feeling the pull to do cardio BIG TIME. I have to fight myself to NOT do the daggone cardio. So far I have been doing STS Total Body 2x per week, Hiit/Metabolic Hiit 3x per week, and Kickboxing 1x per week. I am ready to increase my strength training to 3x per week and it looks like STS is the PERFECT program to do this with. I plan to insert cardio only on the days with no STS weight training and take 1 day off (or just yoga). Does this sound like a good plan? Also, do you think it's smart for me to start with STS Meso 1 and go straight through for the full 90 days? Or is there some benefit to skipping Meso 1 and going straight to Meso 2? I read somewhere that some people who are already very fit and have a lot of muscle endurance developed as a result of Cathe's Metabolic and Hiit workouts go straight to Meso 2. Not sure what I should do. I want to get very strong and lean without getting too big or bulky since I am so tiny now. I am 5'3, 101-104 pounds and am very lean. You can see my little muscles very easily so I guess you'd say I am a ectomorph though I do build muscle quite easily. I subscribe to Cathe OnDemand so I have access to all of her workouts so the options are endless. I welcome any advice or help you have to offer and thank you again! :)

P.S. Nathalie, I started a conversation with you and sent you my email address so you could send me the PDF version of the STS User Guide. I sure hope I did it right. Let me know if you didn't get it and I will try to figure out another way.
 
Newwmn3 said:
Hi ladies! Quick update.... I am off to a decent start but am feeling the pull to do cardio BIG TIME. I have to fight myself to NOT do the daggone cardio. So far I have been doing STS Total Body 2x per week, Hiit/Metabolic Hiit 3x per week, and Kickboxing 1x per week. I am ready to increase my strength training to 3x per week and it looks like STS is the PERFECT program to do this with. I plan to insert cardio only on the days with no STS weight training and take 1 day off (or just yoga). Does this sound like a good plan? Also, do you think it's smart for me to start with STS Meso 1 and go straight through for the full 90 days? Or is there some benefit to skipping Meso 1 and going straight to Meso 2? I read somewhere that some people who are already very fit and have a lot of muscle endurance developed as a result of Cathe's Metabolic and Hiit workouts go straight to Meso 2. Not sure what I should do. I want to get very strong and lean without getting too big or bulky since I am so tiny now. I am 5'3, 101-104 pounds and am very lean.
Click to expand...


1) you may or may not be successful fighting your desire to do cardio. It depends upon your personality. I don't really understand why you think you need to fight this. Cardio is NOT a bad thing. Anyone who tries to tell you so is lying. It conditions your heart, lungs, is beneficial for the brain, aids with stress relief, will extend your life and plain makes you feel better. Period. You can weight train 3 days per week and do cardio 3 days per week and craft the perfect fitness training program. Even while you add more weight training to your plan, you need to accept and respect your personality and your needs: you like cardio and you need it? Then, do it and enjoy. Do not apologise for who you are!

2) Choose either the "STS Total Body 2x per week, Hiit/Metabolic Hiit 3x per week" approach to adding weights or choose the STS weight training program. You cannot do both simultaneously. It would be too much and the two approaches contra-indicate each other.

3) If you choose the STS program, adopt "beginner's mind" and start at the beginning. Despite what you have read, Cathe workouts are always more than you think, always surprising in some way. She is not easy, never easy. So, prepare your brain, muscles, tendons and ligaments for the challenge of Mesocycles 2 and 3 by starting as Cathe intended you to start: Meso 1. There are additional exercises in Meso 1 that will not be repeated in meso 2 and 3: why would you not want the full breadth of movement patterns? This can only be a good thing. Before you introduce change into a program and start playing with it, go through it once as Cathe intended, see what it can do for you. Later, play with it as you like. But first, find out what the full STS program comprises and what it could do for you. Keep it simple.

4) You will not change your physique completely simply by completing the STS program, or by adding any strength training program. Any change to your body that weights can effect will happen naturally within the parameters of what is possibly for you genetically. You may find you are more mesomorphic, if you build muscle easily, just built on a petite scale. This will not change. To be the best you that you can be, that is the goal of any fitness program.

Enjoy your exploration of the world of Cathe via weight training.

Clare
 
P.S. Nathalie, I started a conversation with you and sent you my email address so you could send me the PDF version of the STS User Guide. I sure hope I did it right. Let me know if you didn't get it and I will try to figure out another way.[/QUOTE]

Hi Christin,

I have just seen your private message and will reply later on today.
We used to get alerted through personal e-mail before migration hmm...

Reading a recent post, I would advise you stick to your plan with regards to building muscles.
Reducing cardio is not going to kill you, nor is it going to turn you into an INCREDIBLE hulk as some women fear to become!
Lift heavy , you will build muscle and gain good looking definition ;-)
On top of that you will invest in gaining more bone density.
 
Christin...
Ok...the post from maddiesmum, this is one smart woman, listen to her...start from the beginning! You have never done STS, so do the whole enchilada. That first month will still gain you muscle and add a bit of that cardio beat you love. Some of the moves in Meso 1 are designed to strengthen the smaller intrinsic muscles, work to improve your tendon/ligament function. Meso 2 and 3 is where your biscuits are going to buttered when you lift heavy enough.

And...there is nothing wrong with cardio, especially sweating from cardio. I come from Swedish stock and sauna and sweating is ingrained as one of the pillars of health.
 
Newwmn3 said:
Hi ladies! Quick update.... I am off to a decent start but am feeling the pull to do cardio BIG TIME. I have to fight myself to NOT do the daggone cardio. .
Click to expand...

Awww...Fight hard, really hard and you will be amazed by how your body change.
Not just from the aesthetic point of view.

As stated before Reducing cardio is not going to kill you:)
Constantly being high on cortisol while excessively working out cardio goes against anabolism (muscle growth and building).

There is a difference between leanness and body mass.
Lean tiny is different to a muscle mass. I understand you want to add mass
Muscle mass. For the purpose of your goal, you need to send a CLEAR signal to your body.

Yes level up weight training frequency to 3X per week.
Do total , then do split and mix both.
This can take years:)

Your plan sounds good to me. I would suggest you start STS from meso 1. Because it's new to you. It takes time getting used to.
Also It takes time to find the perfect weight load working out STS. The concept behind being OVERLOAD,
it makes perfect sense to start from meso 1, at least till you master the entire program.
By the time you complete the first meso, You will better select the load for meso 2 and 3.
Hope you love it at least the way I do.;);):)

Hope I have answered all your questions.
To conclude, try not to be distracted by advises from users who claim to know about overloading (sts)
while they stick to wasting time lifting toothpick advocating catabolism:D:D.
Stick to you plan, it's good:):)

One more add on, work glutes as well.
We all need strong glutes, not just for aesthetic results.

http://cathe.com/gluteal-amnesia

All the very best christin;)
 
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nckfitheart2009 said:
While we are discussing strength, I came accross Bret contreras post.
I would like to share this with all lifters ;-)

"Just because you feel the squat or deadlift or hip thrust working your quads or hamstrings or glutes well, it doesn't mean that others do too. Just because you don't feel the squat or deadlift or hip thrust working your quads or hamstrings or glutes well, it doesn't mean that others don't as well. For functional purposes, we should perform a variety of exercises with good technical form. For hypertrophic purposes, we should perform a variety of exercises while working on achieving a better mind-muscle connection. But at the end of the day, we are all unique in terms of skeletal size, skeletal shape, skeletal proportions, muscle attachment points, and muscle architecture, which affects our leverage, strength, form, ROM, comfort, and coordination. A challenging task that fitness enthusiasts share is trying to envision an exercise feeling different from one person to the next, but we can't assume that everyone is the same. At the end of the day, each lifter is naturally going to gravitate toward what works best for them. Let's just be glad that we're in the gym busting our butts instead of sitting on the couch, rather than nitpicking each other's exercise selection."


:)

Comment: Our skeleton condition the moves we execute. That is why we tend to like and feel comfortable with certains moves
rather than others. Let's all bare this in mind;)

To christin, sorry for hijacking your thread. Hope you don't mind me going off topic a little bit.

Kind Regards to all,
Click to expand...
Aaaaah this post is a physical therapist's dream come true I loveeeeee it!!!!!
 
nckfitheart2009 said:
[Try] not to be distracted by advises from users who claim to know about overloading (sts)
while they stick to wasting time lifting toothpick advocating catabolism.
Click to expand...


So rude Nathalie, shame on you. Hard to reconcile your constant rudeness and public antipathy with the little postscript with which you routinely end your posts, and I quote "Fitness is not about being better than someone else." So ironic. You write every post from a position of presumed authority and superiority over everyone else on the forums, and here, as you presume so often, over me.

Your opinions are just one, just yours. There are always multiple perspectives and approaches. Once you've had your say, no need to hammer it home repeatedly. I am sure Christin is an intelligent woman. Let her figure out for herself what works for her in the world of so many fitness approaches.

And while you state your opinions, why not leave the Cathe world a better place by not belittling everyone else who takes the time to write and air an idea different from yours. Why are you so intolerant of differences of thought?

To the original poster: Good luck on your fitness journey. Hope you find what makes you happy.

Clare
 
maddiesmum said:
So rude Nathalie, shame on you. Hard to reconcile your constant rudeness and public antipathy with the little postscript with which you routinely end your posts, and I quote "Fitness is not about being better than someone else." So ironic. You write every post from a position of presumed authority and superiority over everyone else on the forums, and here, as you presume so often, over me.
To the original poster: Good luck on your fitness journey. Hope you find what makes you happy.

Clare
Click to expand...

Clare, Your sentence above in italic is your own opinion and feeling towards me.

My post making you feel belittled is your own interpretation and please do not drag me or any kind cathlete into any unconstructive discussions. You stated my post are constantly rude,:D:D:D:D, let's everyone read my post and judge by themselves. They will also come across my response to yours! It is your negative vibe therefore you deal with it.

if you read again my thread, I have underlined REDUCE CARDIO. I never stated cardio was bad!!

You have in numerous occasion attacked me and other cathletes on here.
http://cathe.com/forum/threads/cathe-looks-like-she-has-lost-weight.297393/page-2#post-2259447
As I stated before, You can spit any kind of venom, I ain't quitting the forum to YOUR satisfaction.

BTW, why not hijack christin's thread by sharing with us your thoughts on STS or any other hypertrophy program you have completed.
What is your most prefered mesocycle? I can recall (you mentioned trading the program, sorry if I am wrong).

Happy cardio day clare :)
 
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I got to know what this means (I'm not figuring out how to work the new reply or quote features) so I just cut and pasted this:

To conclude, try not to be distracted by advises from users who claim to know about overloading (sts)
while they stick to wasting time lifting toothpick advocating catabolism:D:D.
​
 
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