Do i need STS???

S

sunsdaughter

Cathlete
I all!
So, I've been thinking of trying STS, but...do I really need it? I've got lots of cathe strength DVDs and I just don't know if it's "worth it" to get STS. My primary fitness goal now is to develop muscle Definition and strength. I'm scaling back my cardio and I've been doing more strength training. I've preordered Xtrain, but I know the training concepts are a bit different between STS and Xtrain....
I guess another way to frame my question is, why should I not get STS? (expense not an issue) Can I reach my goals just as effectively by using Cathe's other phenomenal DVDs, or is STS just THAT amazing that I need to just take the plunge and get it/do it?
Thoughts?
Thanks!!
 
Short answer, YES! I waited until this years STS super sale to buy it and wish now I had gotten it sooner. If you feel you're motivated to shake things up and try a different way of training, this is a great program. Where you have Xtrain preordered, you could start STS and have it completed before the Xtrain series is released. I really can't praise STS enough. It's really tough, works well with any sort of cardio on opposite days, and really improves overall strength. I've been cycling fairly hard for the last 5 years and saw a huge difference in my speed and climbing ability the year. I also lost 11 pounds and have kept it off. I'm currently on my second round and plan another round after a month off. If affordability isn't an issue, I say just do it. : )
 
If your primary goal is muscle definition & building strength, & money is no object, then absolutely, positively, YES!
 
I've actually been debating this, too. Can someone share what makes STS different, better and/or more effective than her other strength workouts? It is a big expense, so I've read a lot of reviews. Some of the ones I read on Amazon stated that all of the routines are basically the same--she just varies the reps in each phase. These were negative reviews, btw--people saying they felt they paid a lot of money for the replications of the same workouts.

Any thoughts on this?

Also, I am already planning to get a barbell, but if I get STS I want to get a bench with a rack for the barbell. When I asked about this on another board, I was told all of the equipment used in STS isn't actually needed (you can use dumbbells and a step rather than barbells and a bench). But that makes me wonder, if you aren't using the proper equipment, are you actually getting the full benefit of the workouts? For instance, are you really able to lift as heavy with dumbbells as you are with a barbell? Are you able to chest press as heavy if you don't have the stand?
 
Jen, I'm on my second time through and I don't notice alot of replication until the last month on the heavy lifting phase, but there is a method to that as well and is meant to be that way. There is so much variety, I had forgotten some of the footage on my second time through, there's just that much variations to each Meso cycle.

I would highly recommend a barbell set to do this program. Also some weighted gloves are a bonus, especially when you get to the super heavy section. I don't have a bench rack and didn't find it necessary. I've been strictly doing Cathe workout for the last 20 years and own almost everything she's put out there. STS by far gave me the most noticable results.
 
STS equipment

To Jen,

I would not substitute dumbbells for a barbell. I love Barbell, it is my prefered weight equipment, I must admit. The fact of being versatile using various equipment positively impact the intensity. For example biceps curl on barbell compared to dumbells brings different feelings and intensity. I personally stick to all cathe's recommendation in terms of equipment.

I have STS, and I am adding few equipment before starting. When I received my STS pack, I felt overwhelmed! I red the userguide to gain the full understanding. I now know I am going to love it because the one rep max is a key for optimising the weight selection. No program so far has come up with such concept, unless I am not aware! You may be inclined to embark without completing one rep max which I must admit seems daunting in the beginning but it gets easier. For me after doing 4DS , Gym Style etc, the process got much easier and quicker. My full list of One rep max is now completed and I am so glad it's done ;)

IMO, I do not think you get the same intensity, isolation and feeling bench pressing a barbell as a dumbbell. I advise you to buy a barbell... love it. I like dumbell aswell. Try it and make your own opinion. If you want to get stronger, You need a barbell.
 
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Totally agree: you need a barbell. Once you have one, you'll kick yourself for not getting one sooner. I got my Troy Lite 10 years ago and use it with every single weight training workout. Great value.

Once you start getting up there with the weights, it's better, more comfortable, more feasible to lift very heavy with a barbell. Bench presses with a 60 pound barbell vs. two 30 pound dumbbells? Barbell every time.

Also, once you start getting up there with the weights, some sort of rack is advised. I would say this depends upon your body type. I am an upper body puny person, for me to hoist a heavy barbell up from a seated position? Well, it isn't going to happen. More dangerous. I could strain a shoulder.

I also can squat way more than I can lift above my shoulders on my barbell. So, if you plan to follow the program to the letter to get the max out of it, get the tower or some sort of squat rack. Once you've got it, you'll use it.

Clare
 
Thank you!

Thanks so much for this information and advice. I have been planning to get a barbell. I have SelectTechs which I love, so I can go as heavy as I need to on most exercises. I usually use the same weight that Cathe does or heavier--except I'm using dumbbells and I just feel like I would get a better workout if I was using the same equipment she was using. After all, why else would she use it if it didn't make the move more effective? That is my assumption, anyway.

I have a lot of workout DVDs--but I'm relatively new to Cathe and hers are the first that use a barbell (other than some of Jari Love's and she has people using both barbells and dumbbells for the same moves). Once I started hoarding her workouts I decided I needed a barbell. I really want STS, so I also plan to get a tower and a bench.

The one rep max seems very time consuming, but I can see how useful it could be. How much time does it take overall? Or do you do it by workout?
 
One Rep max

Jen,

As you are new to cathe's program it will take quite long. I have workout card for cathe's weight program such as 4DS, Gym style , STS Total....That why it did not take me long. Few hours during the week end and it was done. I already had a clue on how heavy i can lift for my one rep max.

Hang in there, Get your equipments, Get your workout card ready and I advise you to do it to letter. I do not know about you but I can get frustrated when I have to pause in the middle of the workout because I am still trying to figure out what weight I am going to lift for the next round. Once everything is prepared in advance your workout process get pleasantly easier...Less resting time you take more intense it gets, more result you get ;)

I am excited too to embark but I want to be fully prepared and hit it hard, with no nonsense ;)

Hang in there...
 
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STS Total Body

I just got STS total body and did it for the first time this morning. OMG--I adore it! Now I want to know, how much like STS Total Body is the whole STS program. I am aching from Total Body! What an awesome workout!

And my second question is, how much like STS Total Body is Low Impact Total Body Trisets? Because I noticed that STS Total Body is trisets, and since Low Impact Total Body Trisets is on my wishlist, I was wondering it was just as challenging as STS Total Body, but (hopefully) different.
 
I'm offering a different pespective here.

No a barbell is not needed. I used to use my BB religiously, even well before I found Cathe and I have found I get better muscle recruitment with dumbbells than a barbell. Why? because with a barbell, your stronger side takes over for the weaker side making it hard to improve your strength and muscle imbalances! Barbells will help you to work the balance angle more with lunges and it's easier to get the angle needed for back rows. You can also go a little heavier and use wraps for grip strength with a barbell because both hands are holding the weight. If you have weaker wrists, DBs can become an issue when you try to go heavier. But other than that, a barbell isn't all that wonderful. I've got 10 different BBs in my basement collecting dust as we speak. There are plenty of draw backs to barbells.

Never feel like you are cheating yourself or the workout by using different equipment. A Bench is good if you have one, you can go deeper into chest presses and flys as well as pull overs. But if you have any shoulder issues I do recommend a bench over the step bench because it will allow for better overall rotation of the shoulder and rotator cuff. If you don't go past a 90 degree angle (which really no one needs anyhow), a step bench is just fine. Except again, pull overs, it depends on your rotator cuff and comfort. I will never do a pull over again on a step bench, I hurt my shoulder massively and years later, I still have issues with it.

Do you need STS? No. There are plenty of offerings within Cathe's current library that will give you the results you want. My downfall with STS was time. The workouts were too long and no premixes where given. Is it a great program? Yes! But so are Cathe's other strength workouts. I have found for optimal results, nothing got me better results than Gym Styles. I think that if one had GS, Muscle Max, 4DS, STS TB, Trisets, Travel Fit, and Push/Pull you really don't need anything else. You can get all the same results with a few of the ones listed above just as easily as you could with STS. However if your goal is to build and build a lot, STS's Meso 3 would be a worth-while purchase. Meso 1 is endurance-based lifting and Meso 2 for strength- 3 is for gains.
 
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One little tip if you haven't purchased a barbell yet...

Take it from me because I love to use my barbell but it causes frustration that could have been avoided if I had known then what I know now....

Consider the space you are using for your workouts.

Consider how strong you are and just how heavy you think you might go.

There are two typically available barbell "types". The standard type that's about 1 1/2 inch in diameter and the Olympic size.

This matters because the Olympic size bars are usually longer than the standard kind.....most of the squat bars, etc. are built to hold Olympic bars.

I would advise anyone purchasing one for the first time to NOT get a bar with threaded ends. Maybe it's just me and I'm deeply impatient but unscrewing those stupid stoppers twice every time I want to change plates....and then screwing them back.on.again....aggravating....:mad:

They make spring clips for both size bars but they don't work well on the threaded ends (in my experience....also, my step-son accidentally threw out my spring clips and I can't find them for a standard size bar...grr).

So....I hope my little barbell rant is helpful to you, LOL. I feel better now. :p
 
story1267 said:
Take it from me because I love to use my barbell but it causes frustration that could have been avoided if I had known then what I know now....

Consider the space you are using for your workouts.

Consider how strong you are and just how heavy you think you might go.

There are two typically available barbell "types". The standard type that's about 1 1/2 inch in diameter and the Olympic size.

This matters because the Olympic size bars are usually longer than the standard kind.....most of the squat bars, etc. are built to hold Olympic bars.

I would advise anyone purchasing one for the first time to NOT get a bar with threaded ends. Maybe it's just me and I'm deeply impatient but unscrewing those stupid stoppers twice every time I want to change plates....and then screwing them back.on.again....aggravating....:mad:

They make spring clips for both size bars but they don't work well on the threaded ends (in my experience....also, my step-son accidentally threw out my spring clips and I can't find them for a standard size bar...grr).

So....I hope my little barbell rant is helpful to you, LOL. I feel better now. :p
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Hah...these are some of the same things I found out the hard way! Add this one: weigh your bar before using it for the first time. Mine weighs 15 pounds, except I didn't realize that. Did MuscleMax for the first time...my first Cathe weight workout ever...using the "same" weight as Cathe...but of course I was always 15 pounds heavier I was already relatively strong, but dang, I was incredibly sore for a few days there!

Do get a barbell if you can....it just adds another dimension. I can really feel the difference between the same move with a bb vs dbs. But you don't have to have one...you can always modify with dbs and a weighted vest. Btw, probably the exercise where I feel the biggest difference between bb and do is the biceps curl...much harder for me with the bb, surprisingly. Oh, and some exercises like deadlifts or rows you may get to the point where you can't realistically do the move with DBS without feeling like your arms are going to rip off at the elbows, so having a bb allows you to advance (e.g., you probably can't easily move around 50 lb dbs for that move, but can move around a 100 lb bb...so if you now or eventually are able to deadlift or row 100 lbs, you'll need the bb). my personal tipping point for dbs is about 40 lbs...anything over that and its too taxing and I do better w the bb.
 
Oops, suns daughter, I should have added that yes, by golly, you should get STS! Just my opinion, but I have lots of Cathe strength training DVDs and I always push myself hard and have made some impressive gains, but got my biggest gains (strength, size, definition) with STS. But STS isn't for somebody who doesn't like or have the time for splits.
 
weight bench vs. slanted risers?? do i need the turbo tower?

thanks everyone, for your insights!!! i ordered STS and should be receiving it tomorrow!!! yay!!! i also bought a weight bench today...just an amateur version, i guess...it inclines, but doesn't decline.

so, here's a question for you knowledgeable cathletes...for STS, what do you think is better: standard weight bench or step with slanted risers? since i don't have a turbo tower, i like the idea of having the rack for the barbell on a bench...but i know i won't be doing pull ups or anything from it, like with the turbo tower. did anyone find NOT having the turbo tower to be detrimental to the workout?

i'm just psyched to start STS and just want to make sure i have all my equipment ducks in a row! :)
 
sunsdaughter said:
thanks everyone, for your insights!!! i ordered STS and should be receiving it tomorrow!!! yay!!! i also bought a weight bench today...just an amateur version, i guess...it inclines, but doesn't decline.

so, here's a question for you knowledgeable cathletes...for STS, what do you think is better: standard weight bench or step with slanted risers? since i don't have a turbo tower, i like the idea of having the rack for the barbell on a bench...but i know i won't be doing pull ups or anything from it, like with the turbo tower. did anyone find NOT having the turbo tower to be detrimental to the workout?

i'm just psyched to start STS and just want to make sure i have all my equipment ducks in a row! :)
Click to expand...

That's exciting!! Personally, I prefer using my weight bench and not the step...it's just more comfortable and easier to move around., and when you're lifting heavy, especially in Meso 3, it's great to have the rack to hold your weight versus having to hoist it up each time...I think if I had to hoist it, versus being able to just rack it, I wouldn't have been able to lift as heavy.

You might also want to consider buying a second barbell if you can. I found one at Target for about $20 (just the barbell, not addtl weights). It was so convenient to be able to set up two different weights at a time...maybe it was just me, but I had a LOT of weight changes in each workout...plus one of my barbells hse those stupid threads mentioned by Story, above...a real time waster. THe $20 was a great investment.

Have fun!
 
Trixoo said:
That's exciting!! Personally, I prefer using my weight bench and not the step...it's just more comfortable and easier to move around., and when you're lifting heavy, especially in Meso 3, it's great to have the rack to hold your weight versus having to hoist it up each time...I think if I had to hoist it, versus being able to just rack it, I wouldn't have been able to lift as heavy.

You might also want to consider buying a second barbell if you can. I found one at Target for about $20 (just the barbell, not addtl weights). It was so convenient to be able to set up two different weights at a time...maybe it was just me, but I had a LOT of weight changes in each workout...plus one of my barbells hse those stupid threads mentioned by Story, above...a real time waster. THe $20 was a great investment.

Have fun!
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Thanks trixoo!! I think I will look into the 2nd barbell option... Great idea!!!
 
I agree you don't NEED a barbell. But it is nice and you get used to it. I first got the TROY Lite and I really like it. I also picked up a second BB at Target. One nice thing about that is it weighs 14 lbs itself, so I keep it loaded as my heavy bar. That way I don't have to change the weight as often.
If you have the space it's nice, but not necessary .
I worked out for years with no BB.
 
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