How Will STS work for Me?

[1gruntgal]

I am really looking forward to STS.
I do have a question or 2, if anyone can help.
I still need to lose about 30 pounds. I also tend to bulk up easily.
I was concerned that using the heavy weights for STS will cause me to get bigger. Do you think that this is a viable concern? Or do you think that it will be ok to follow this program if I am doing cardio on the "off-STS" days?
Any insights from people who have used a similar program would be helpful.
Thanks! Lynne

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Lynne! You will be fine, trust me! STS is not a heavy weight training program, it is a "shock training" program. A program based on periodization which starts out with a muscle endurance phase (4 weeks), leading into a hypertrophy phase (increasing your weight a bit more here for 4 weeks) and finally ends with a strength phase (here is the heavy weight phase for 4 weeks). You can do the program as is (which is what I stronglt recommend for at least the first time ever doing it) or you can choose to do individual phases and even repeat them if you like. Do your cardio on your off days, as you mention, and you are on your way to becoming as lean, fit, and strong as you could ever imagine. Simply put....STS works!

 

[1gruntgal]

Thank you so much Cathe!

 

[CAgostini]

Cathe,

WOW! Thank you for that explanation...I have preordered STS and I am looking forward to it. I never had a doubt about STS working or that it would be another quality production, but for some reason, that particular explanation, as simple as it was, just really made me feel more excited. Even my husband is excited to try a Cathe production.

I also look forward to meeting you in at the July Roadtrip!

See you soon,

Cathy

 

[Beth11]

Okay Cathe! Then how will it work for me, because I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum! I'm a scrawny (very scrawny) ectomorph with a bit of a spare tire (doesn't *that* figure....). My arms, legs, and chest are painfully thin and it's very hard for me to build muscle. I've preordered STS, but would love to get an idea ahead of time as to how it will help people like me!

Thanks!

Beth11

 

[SNM Videos]

Even if your goal is to be a world champion power lifter, you will reach your goal more quickly if you do all three mesocycles instead of always only doing just the strength mesocycle #3. The reason for this is if you always do the same thing and just lift the same heavy weights for every workout two things will more than likely happen to you: #1 your body will adapt to your workouts and your body and your muscles will stop improving. #2 you will increase your chances of an injury. It is pointless to train super hard for one year and then develop a shoulder injury that sidelines you for several months wiping out all of your gains made in the previous year of hard work. STS - Shock Training keeps your muscles always guessing which prevents plateaus and STS helps to prevent injuries by constantly changing intensities, reps and exercises.

No matter what your goal you need to train at different intensity and rep ranges throughout the year to take advantage of “Muscle Confusion” to avoid becoming stuck in a rut. You certainly may put a greater emphasis on certain mesocycles depending on what your goal is, but you should always do each of the three mesocycles at least once during your periodization period no matter what your goal is.