Equipment questions for STS

bethlakey

bethlakey

Member
I have been thinking about purchasing STS and this would be my first Cathe workout. I have Bowflex dumbbells. Would you recommend investing in a barbell and is there a particular one you all have found to be best? Also, I noticed a step is used in many of her workouts. Have you had to purchase additional risers? I appreciate any advice, and please let me know if I'm missing something.

Thanks!!
Beth
 
Thank you, great information. Did you find you needed squat racks? I will need to get a step and barball, wasn't sure about the racks. I believe I have everything else.

Thanks!!
 
Hi, I'm the person who asked this question last month...one month into the program, I have a few suggestions...

If you get a barbell, make sure it is a good quality barbell with large collars (the screw on thingys that keep the weights on the bar). I got a Gold's gym barbell and the collars are so small it takes extra time to change weights. If possible, get the spring collars for quickest weight changes.

I also recommend getting the Cathe stretchy bands...mine are fine, but they stretch differently than Cathe's bands so I have trouble finding correct form for each exercise.

I don't know if Cathe sells slanted/angled risers for steps, but they're great for turning the step into an incline/decline bench. Here's a link if you don't know what an angled riser is: http://www.power-systems.com/showproduct.aspx?ProductID=4102&SEName=spri-slanted-riser

You might need a squat rack for security if no one is around to spot you when you lift. If you don't want to buy a squat rack and don't use really heavy weights for squats, then you could use a 20lb weight vest and dumbells.

Also, get dinner plate sized flat paper plates-Cathe does several torture sessions, I mean exercises, using them. :cool:

Good luck-You're going to love STS!
 
Thank you so much, that is very helpful. I think I need to save up for the equipment and then the DVDs. I wished she sold everything here, like a startup STS package.

One more thing, do you feel you are getting enough workout for your legs? There is one leg day, right?

Thanks!!
 
p.s. thanks again about the barbell comment. I don't know a lot about them so I will need to do some research. ~Beth
 
bethlakey said:
Thank you so much, that is very helpful. I think I need to save up for the equipment and then the DVDs. I wished she sold everything here, like a startup STS package.

One more thing, do you feel you are getting enough workout for your legs? There is one leg day, right?

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

I'd get the DVDs first, then purchase equipment as you are able. Even if you have to modify the exercises around your equipment, you'll still get the benefit of the workout.

The leg workout is enough, more than enough. Any more and I couldn't walk the next day! :eek: It's the most difficult leg workout I've ever done! :D
 
Squat Racks

I did not purchase a squat rack. There are 2 options for M3, 1 w/ the rack and 1 w/o. I plan to do the one w/o which incorporates more plyo moves.

I was doing the STS strength/cardio workout for M1. For M2, I'm going to use my treadmill over some of the cardio workouts. My legs seem to bulk so I want to do more walking/running than I did in M1. I wish my lower body leaned out as quickly as my upper body. After not using my treadmill for a month, my jeans fit a little tighter, but I'm not giving up on STS!

Lisa
 
Thank you both. I am trying to build muscle in my legs; I wish they were more curvy. This sounds like a great workout. I was debating on getting P90x but I think STS will fit my needs better. I've also heard you get a firmer butt from barbell squats, so I really want one. I'll do some shopping around, maybe Sears has something. Thanks for the info on the squat racks, I was trying to figure out how you would pick the barbell up without one. As you can see I have a lot to learn, :)
 
Beth you are going to fall in love @ Cathe's workout. Have you consider maybe getting some of her other DVD? I think at open discussion forum somebody asked what is their 6 favorite DVD & you can get ideas what fits for you considering that you don't have the equipment for STS.
 
I have both P90X and STS. I like STS much better than the P90X. Tony Horton just seemed to get on my nerves after a while. Plus, I found I got much better results with STS. Good luck!

Regina
 
I was actually thinking about trying her pyramid workout first; I am currently doing some gym style workouts using a modified pyramid with my dumbbells. I know I want to add a step and move to barbell squats and lunges. I will check out that discussion, thanks!!
 
Thank you. Would you mind sharing what kind of results you have seen? My upper body is leaning out, I have gotten my body fat to where I want it, but my lower body isn't cooperating as I would like :( It is my "work in progress" :)
 
I am doing STS for the 4th time. I LOVE this program.
but this is the first time I am doing it with my new power tower and I can lift much heavier on chest presses...today I went 20# heavier than ever before because I could never get the bar over my head with the heavier weights!

I have gone heavy with squats, etc with the barbell but that is because I have Cathe's weighted vest (only 10# which was all she had when I purchased it) but I have two 5# weighted belts also and I loaded up my son's backpack with weight plates and got up to 80# but it wasn't a pretty sight. Now I'm using the rack and don't have to do the backpack...

Like someone else said, get a good quality barbell. I hate those clips! I have two barbells, one with clips and one with the spring magnet clips which work much better. One of my barbells is also padded (I purchased neck padding for the other one) having two means I can keep both loaded to different weights for different exercises and I'm not constantly changing weights.

STS is definitely worth it.
 
buneknek said:
Do I need the weighted vest if I already have the squat rack?
Click to expand...

It's not really needed if you have a squat rack, but might be nice to have for certain leg exercises using dumbells or if you wanted a weight change without changing the dumbells.

I want one but have spent quite a bit lately on workout equipment...maybe next month...
 
Would you mind sharing which barbell you have? I have been looking at at Troy lite system, 40 lbs, and their 110 lb set, all which have the spring clips. I have a weighted vest on the way, may invest in squat stands at some point.
 
I have 2 barbells. One is the Firm padded barbell which is about 4' long. It weighs 10 pounds with no plates. The other is the Body Pump barbell which came with the original body Pump tape from the late 1990s.

I use the weighted vest because I have 2 of those big wide plates from my body pump bar that weigh the heaviest and I can't fit enough plates on it to make it heavy enough.
You don't need the vest, but it's nice for an option.
 
Thank you. I ordered the Troy lite set today. I think it maxes out at 80lbs and with the #20lb weighted vest, surely that's enough for me. I'm short and strength challenged :) I wanted the barbell mostly for leg work. I'm a little hesitant to uses for presses without a spotter.
 
Beth, you'll love the Troy Lite set...it's great and just the right size for me. I have an Olympic-size bar but use my Troy much more. Happy lifting! :)
 
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