i'm working sts hard and i'm having difficulty getting enough energy to do my cardio workouts on my off days. is anyone having this problem? i'm just sore and tired after the weight training. when do you all do your cardio workouts with this program and how many do you do each week?
difficulty doing cardio on off days
- Thread starter kariev
- Start date
I have been extremely tired this week, even with getting a solid 8 hours of sleep just about every night. I do have a lot going on at work which could be stressing me, but I am on Week 3 Meso 2 and have wondered if this is why I'm extra tired! I've been managing my cardio pretty well until this morning when I gave up a little more than halfway through a 50-minute Cathe cardio pre-mix! I hardly ever do that, I usually push through. It just wasn't happening! I decided to take a personal day tomorrow to get some extra rest, so I'm hoping that will help. I will say I'm looking very forward to the Active Recovery Week after this mesocylcle, much more than Meso 1!! I feel your pain!
Aimee
Aimee
I'm currently on week 3 of Meso 2. I haven't had any problems fitting my cardio in so far. I usually do 3 cardio sessions a week, but I vary the intensity. I usually use the elliptical 1 day, and do kickboxing or step the other 2 days. None of my cardio sessions are longer than 55 minutes.
You should just listen to your body, though. If you feel too tired, take a rest day.
You should just listen to your body, though. If you feel too tired, take a rest day.
Dela
Cathlete
I view the 3 days of cardio plus the STS dvds as one complete program with cardio being just as important to my results as the weights. I do one hour of cardio 2 days a week, and 2 hours 1 day a week. Most weeks I take one full day off from all exercise. I would not feel as if I'm doing STS completely without the cardio.
I find the cardio can actually help alleviate some of the soreness, and the more I workout, the more energy I have over all. I really had to find cardio I enjoyed, for me it's my kickboxing class. I'm excited for the STS cardio too for some new at home options too.
I find the cardio can actually help alleviate some of the soreness, and the more I workout, the more energy I have over all. I really had to find cardio I enjoyed, for me it's my kickboxing class. I'm excited for the STS cardio too for some new at home options too.
Yes!
It's been a real struggle to get cardio in, mostly because of time issues. I'm on week 3 of meso 2 and have had a few weeks of just one cardio session. I have a lot going on and just can't always work out 6 days. I am getting in all sts workouts. But when I'm finished with sts, I'm going heavy on the cardio to get my endurance back!
Susan
It's been a real struggle to get cardio in, mostly because of time issues. I'm on week 3 of meso 2 and have had a few weeks of just one cardio session. I have a lot going on and just can't always work out 6 days. I am getting in all sts workouts. But when I'm finished with sts, I'm going heavy on the cardio to get my endurance back!
Susan
marianimal
Cathlete
I am so glad you said that! I am having the same problem. I am so tired on the non-STS days that my body feels like it's made of lead. I was telling my husband that I feel like I've lost some aerobic capacity while doing the STS. Maybe we should try lesser intensity on the cardio days or try something different?
I started having this problem this week. I skipped Tuesday's cardio--just didn't feel like it and again today I got part way thru Step Blast and gave up. Moved on to a ten minute dance cardio and shut it off. Then put in a three mile Leslie and only lasted one mile. Just gave up and thought I would just go with how I was feeling. My legs are feeling really sore from Disc 14.
Connie07
Cathlete
I"m having the same problem, so I decided to do short (30 mn) cardio sessions and 1 short interval. I also did plyo legs, plyos only with 30-40 second rest periods between each plyo session. 3 (maybe 4) short cardio sessions are all I"m going to try to fit in right now. I'm keeping my focus on STS, making time for hour long workouts puts me behind on other things that need to be done so I just add short cardio on days that I can. I too noticed my cardio capacity seems to have shortened but I"m not gonna fret over it right now. I think being so focused on weights is the way for me to go because its so different that what I had been doing. I got some good results during meso 1, hoping for more with meso 2 and 3. I'm beginning to think cardio is a bit over rated anyway. Years ago when I was in the best shape of my life, my workouts were more focused on wt training and limited cardio.
WantFit
Cathlete
Oh, my. I thought I was the only have a trouble to do cardio. I am also in week 3 of Meso 2. I skipped two weeks Cardio during the now. I did do a long cardio workout on Sat. My work is stressful. I did not get enough sleep, about 6 hours average, some time even less than that.
But since I read a few posts here saying that cardio actually will help calm down soreness. I will try to do it next week. Hopefully by then, I will get my GWF and get some motivation.
But since I read a few posts here saying that cardio actually will help calm down soreness. I will try to do it next week. Hopefully by then, I will get my GWF and get some motivation.
wow, i'm happy i'm not the only one. i think i'm not going to worry about it too much. i really don't think that cardio is doing all that much for me (changing my body) since i've been doing it for so long. I'm going to focus on the weights and try to get in at least 2 solid cardio sessions in. I just did disc 14 of meso 2 (legs) and boy it was tough. My legs are like jello so i will be lucky to walk normally tomorrow. thanks ladies.
Shadowpup
Cathlete
I've found that it is really important to listen to my body during STS, and also to FEED it properly! I'm eating about 200 calories more on average during the day, from the extra muscle and the extra effort in the workouts. Without that extra nutrition, I'd be exhausted. My bodyfat percentage is dropping - so I know the extra calories are not going into fat
Also, I vary the intensity of my cardio. Some days a brisk hike is plenty. I also have lower key exercises, like Kari Anderson's Reach, that let me gently move my body and get the kinks worked out. I'll use those on the days that my arms and legs feel like big lead blocks.
Sometimes, too, I'll start the cardio a bit lower key and then work up to a higher level of intensity. Ilaria's powerstrike series is a good example of a workout that makes this easy. Also, if I'm doing HIIT with Cardio Coach or IMAX, I'll use something else for fifteen or twenty minutes to loosen up. Usually that's enough.
Really, though, I personally feel far worse when I don't work out at least half an hour on the day after an STS disk; my muscles stiffen up on the day after, and then they *really* feel stiff and sore on day 2. With the cardio to loosen things up, that doesn't happen.
Also, I vary the intensity of my cardio. Some days a brisk hike is plenty. I also have lower key exercises, like Kari Anderson's Reach, that let me gently move my body and get the kinks worked out. I'll use those on the days that my arms and legs feel like big lead blocks.
Sometimes, too, I'll start the cardio a bit lower key and then work up to a higher level of intensity. Ilaria's powerstrike series is a good example of a workout that makes this easy. Also, if I'm doing HIIT with Cardio Coach or IMAX, I'll use something else for fifteen or twenty minutes to loosen up. Usually that's enough.
Really, though, I personally feel far worse when I don't work out at least half an hour on the day after an STS disk; my muscles stiffen up on the day after, and then they *really* feel stiff and sore on day 2. With the cardio to loosen things up, that doesn't happen.
Last edited:
Leeanng1
Member
Cardio is a problem too
I find that STS takes presidence over the cardio. I've been doing cardio 2 days a week and STS 3 days a week. I figure my heart rate goes up when I do the leg workout. I would like to do cardio at least 3 times a week with STS, but time is such a crunch for me...I do what I can....
I find that STS takes presidence over the cardio. I've been doing cardio 2 days a week and STS 3 days a week. I figure my heart rate goes up when I do the leg workout. I would like to do cardio at least 3 times a week with STS, but time is such a crunch for me...I do what I can....
You know, I couldn't do cardio the first week at all, I was so stiff and sore, even after the upper body! But each week it has gotten a little better and now I can do cardio even the day after legs. Start slow and easy with the cardio (I had to start with Leslie 1 mile workouts) and then increase it as you can. I now find that it really does help to do the cardio the day after to loosen up the stiffness. I've found that kickbox works well the day after legs. I try to do one kickbox, one step workout, and then one "whatever I feel like" for my 3rd cardio of the week.
Beth
Beth