Can I do STS if I don't have a squat rack and can't do plyo legs?

[mjd]

I don't have STS yet but it has been on my wish list for a long time now. Am still making up my mind whether to buy the whole set...decisions decisions..

So, one of my dilemmas is I don't have a squat rack and for various reasons don't intend getting one (so please don't tell me just to buy one!). Due to iffy knees, I can't do any jumping so plyo legs is out for me. So if I can't do plyo legs and don't have a squat rack, would I still be able to do STS?

 

[Melclear]

Definitely!

You could certainly do all of Mesos 1 and 2, since neither requires a squat rack nor any jumping. For me, that alone would be worth it -- those 2 were where I saw my biggest gains. As for Meso 3, you could getball the benefits of the upper body workouts, and perhaps sub some other lower body workouts. And the ab workouts would also all be do-able. So I think it would definitely be worth it.

 

[shanihib]

The first time around, I did Meso 3 with as heavy weights as I could do without a squat rack. For certain exercises I even added a weighted vest (or backpack loaded with weights) to add weight beyond what I could put on a barbell. It worked and I felt like I did get a lot out of it even if I couldn't get all the way to the proper weight. Obviously, for safety reasons you can't use the weighted vest or weighted backpack for deadlifts or anything that requires that weight shift, but it worked great for squats and lunges etc...

 

[lisa_la_machina]

More to consider: you could sub in other leg workouts during Meso 3. For example, do you own Cathe's Gym Style Legs, Slow & Heavy, and/or Pyramid Legs? Those Cathe DVDs seem to most closely fit the "strength" focus of Meso 3.

Another option is to sub in the leg discs from Meso 1 or Meso 2, or any other 45-60 min Cathe leg workout (Butts & Guts, Leaner Legs, etc.). A poster in OD recently said that she is going to use Meso 1 leg discs and Tonique leg workouts during Meso 3 because she wants to focus on endurance for her legs. Maybe that would work for you?

STS is an amazing program and I highly recommend it! Good luck!