Let's Do This Again STSept-Dec! *Oct 5-Oct 11*

littlefiretop

Cathlete
Happy Monday Everyone :D

Thought I would start our new thread before I head out the door to work.

Well today is the last day of meso 1 for me, I have disc 12 to push through tonight then on to rest week (aka cardio only week). Woohoo! :)
This morning I did the LIC step only premix, which would explain the overly enthusiastic feeling for a monday morning. Those endorphins work wonders for a little bit. I am sure reality will hit when I land at work. lol :p

Alright, I am off. I look forward to seeing what everyone is up to since the weekend was quiet for all.

Have a great day! :cool:
 
Hey Everyone
Thanks for starting the new thread MJ.
This week should be a break for me but I am going to do one extra week of Meso 1 and then move on so that I'll be done just before Christmas! Today was Chest, Shoulders and Biceps Disc 10. I didn't go up in weight from last week and it still was killer! I think I sweat more doing this dvd than if I ran for an equal amount of time! Yesterday I did Legs and Glutes and then Stability ball abs. I am very proud to say that I actually did pikes (plural!) not with my leg up but pikes! All my extra leg work seems to be helping with my knee strength and not putting me over the top. We'll see how it goes next month!
This week I am going to add in extra cardio, not too much but at least 20 minutes on STS days. Hopefully me achilles will not be upset.
The weather has really not been good for running here (rain rain and more rain). SO that is making me a little crazy. Hopefully tomorrow!
I think I'm going to order the Step Pump Jump Dvd. It really looks like fun and would help break up the monotony of the winter. I think I just enabled myself!
I really hope all is going well for everyone...

Janis - Are you starting back up this week? How are things going?

MJ - has your schedule slowed down a little?

i would really like to hear what everyone is doing in their recovery week. The first time through I took recovery as not to do any workouts, pretty sad really!
Anyways, till tomorrow
Heather
 
Heather I did Disk 10 today, too. Those dropsets of shoulder presses near the end had me shaking from head to toe! I had to walk around for a couple minutes afterwards before I could do the last exercise. I even checked and those were the same weights I used the first time through STS, so I've no idea why it was such a struggle today.

For my rest week I'm doing cardios, abs and hopefully some extra stretching. In theory I'd like to stretch more, but in practice somehow it just doesn't happen much. :confused:
 
Hi Heather and MJ and Cathy,

I start Meso 2 this week. I swam today, so I'll do disc whatever, 13? tomorrow. I have had way too much rest and recovery, so I am really looking forward to getting some pump going. In retrospect I sort of wish I hadn't taken a rest week, and just moved on. I say this because I am already making modifications by not standing, I am not deadlift and I am not doing legs ....so hardly any work is happening! Or so it seems. Tomorrow I might be singing a different tune.

I worked out my calendar for the next three months, working in a return to running plan and making up for no STS legs...when I am cleared to start bearing weight I am going to start back with Meso 1 legs regardless of where I am with Meso 2.

Long winded, huh!

For whatever it's worth my recovery week was swimming, floor work, yoga and not much else....(read: atrophy):eek:

You're smart to take it easy and in incrementaly Heather, we both learned the hard way! It's a lesson worth remembering though!

Hi Denise and Brian!

:D
 
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Hey Again

Janis - Glad to hear you have a plan! I am sure that when you actually get doing the workout even without the legs part you will be sweating a tonne. I remember reading somewhere that when Cathe was recovering achilles tendonitis (from teaching aquafit on the cement pool edge) was when she discovered weight trainging and really got into it. So obviously it has worked for her! I know for me the time that I took off was one of the big helpers for me getting healed. Don't regret it!

Cathy - I could barely lift my arms for the last dropset today! I was a mess trying to do the barbell curls with the band attached. That disc is just plain evil! I have to say that the first time around I did all the push-ups on my knees and now it's on my toes. You definitely feel accomplished when you are done!

Okay off to try Rhythmic Step - this way if it's not going well I won't be worried that I am not getting a workout!

Hope everyone else is doing well!
Cheers
Heather
 
Hi All

I started Mesocycle 2 today with disc 13. I really like doing the drop sets and thank god and Cathe that there are no push-ups. I am also glad that I have the tower to use with my barbell. I had plan to get a run in but it rain and my treadmill is on the blink, so I am thinking an extra long cardio wo tomorrow.
 
Good Tuesday Morning :)

This morning I did a kickmax low-impact premix. It was interesting especially since my legs were heavy from disc 12 last night, I am sure the DOMS will start kicking in soon. I have had this dvd for a couple of years and I think this is the first time I actually used it. I tend to just stare at the kickbox dvds instead of doing them, but through meso 1 I have now done at least a premix from all 3 so thats some progress. :p

For my rest week, like Cathy, I am doing cardio, some abs and alot of stretching. I am also only allowing myself to workout once a day, no extras on the treadmill or sneaking in additional cardio, plus I will take at least one full day off, no walking on treadmill then either. It will be an interesting experiment. lol

Heather - I would love to say my schedule is getting easier this week, but its not, I think I am just handling it a little better. Looks like you and I will be starting meso 2 at the same time. :) Excellent decision on enabling yourself to buy SJP dvd, Step Blast is a great step routine and there are a ton of premixes on the dvd. How was rhythmic step?

Janis - Glad to see you are hanging in there with your rotation despite the recovery from your injury. The fact that you can swim for exercise is very impressive. I can swim for fun and to save my life if necessary but laps of any kind kill me. Sounds like a good plan you have for when you get the ok from the doctor. Need to get your lower body ready to play tennis again. lol ;)

Alright, time to get out the door to work. Will check back later.

Have a good day. :cool:
 
Hi Everyone!

Jo-jo, I completely agree, I am so glad I have the tower now! What a huge difference it made. I did disc 13 today, and yep, I agree on that one too - yay! no push ups. (I like push ups, a lot, actually, I just wasn't able to do them at the end of M1 because the ankle issue.)

MJ, I stand and stare at the tv with ALL of Cathe's non-weight lifting dvds, my mouth is agape, and there is a thought bubble over my head, "huh?" It is one of my goals in the next year or so, to work up to doing them, step, circuits, boot camp, kick box etc. Pathetic. So - way to go with kick max. What sort of flooring do you have/use for your step dvds??

Heather, congrats on doing all your push ups on your toes!!! High fives! Cathe taught Aquafit? I love hearing these little tid-bits about her journey, it is very inspiring. Ijust finished reading this book, "No Need for Speed." It was very helpful during my healing and helping me come to some sort of acceptance about where I am at with my running. It was laugh out loud funny too.

Cathy, you sound like me - "In theory....but in practice..." {laughing} I so relate!

Tomorrow is a out of town day, errands blah blah blah, and Thursday is disc 15. My workout schedule to January is simply STS, swimming, walking/running, then running, and yoga. Nothing too complicated nor interesting! But I wanted to get the days sorted out in a rotation...some weeks it is Mon Fri for swimming and some weeks it's Tue Thur, and I have sts legs configured in there too, since I am off pattern.

Hi Denise and Brian, I hope all is well with you and yours. :)
 
No workout this morning. DH had a meeting 3 hrs north last night and thought he’d be home at midnight. I woke up at 12:50 and he wasn’t home yet, so then I start imagining all the reasons why and couldn’t go back to sleep. Turned out the city council/mayor all have major issues with each other and it was an ugly, long and not terribly productive meeting. So, he got home at 2:20! Needless to say I slept in and didn’t workout.

Heather I have to admit I’ve given up on those nasty barbell curls with the band, especially now that I have the new set of bands and they just don’t have enough give to them.

I also will be very glad to leave the gazillion push ups in Meso 1 behind!
 
This morning was Disk 11 Back and Triceps and I did it, but definitely struggled at times. I woke up feeling dehydrated, though I'm not sure why based on my eating and water intake yesterday. Then at one point I apparently had a brain dead moment loading my barbell for pullovers. Those are actually one of my favorite exercises, but when I went to do the first rep I really struggled and I'm all WTH. Then I took a good look at my barbell and realized I'd loaded it 10 lbs too heavy which made it more than my 90% weight would be. :rolleyes: So, I stopped and reloaded it.
 
Hey Everyone

I just finished Disc 12 Legs, man that ball stuff at the end pretty much makes me want to cry! It feels good though BUT get this... Our hot water heater stopped working so there is no hot water! So now I am working with a sweaty head. Thank goodness I don't actually have to travel for work today!

Yesterday I did my run in the briefly sunny part of the day. I went slow and stopped and stretched in the middle of it. It felt really good. Then I thought I had better kick it up a notch and try out MIC. WOW. I did 27 minutes and thought I was going to die. As if I thought I'd go for a run and do a little MIC after. I didn't even make it to the step part. So that will be my new challenge.

Cathy - I have done that before too where you put the weight on and then can't figure out why the movement is so hard. I wouldn't want to do that on pullovers. I was shaking last time I did them on disc 11... and I am looking forward to them again on Friday. Glad you got your workout in!

Janis - Do you get the running room magazine? Do you have running rooms or a they only Canadian? Anyways the owner always says that with running no one ever got injured from running slow. They advocate the run/ walk system too, where you run 10 walk 1. When you go to there training groups
they want you to do it even if you are going to do a marathon. I can't seem to make myself follow this system as once I stop I don't want to start again. BUT it is supposed to be really good at keeping you injury free. (Sorry that was long).
Before this past winter all I did was run and swim for cardio and then I discovered Cathe. I got a couple DVD's because I live out in the country now and in the snowbelt and I was missing too many runs. I can't imagine life without them now! The best part is that no one can see you at home when you are totally missing the choreography!

MJ- Keep us posted on how your "limited" cardio goes this week. How do you fit in two cardio's a day? I had never noticed the low impact premix on KickMax... I'll have to try it... especially after MIC's insanity!

Talk to you all tomorrow!
Heather
 
Heather I think I did MIC all the way through once. I'm not a big fan of hi-lo, but I like the step routine and challenge, so I do the warm up and then skip to the step.
 
Hey Everyone :)

This morning's entry into "limited cardio" week, was 4DS LIS. I am being good and staying away from my treadmill tonight. Instead I have to finish up some powerpoint slides for a presentation I have to give tommorrow at work. Good for sticking to my rest week, not so good that I have to take work home with me. Oh well, after tomorrow I can breathe a sigh of relief.

Janis - I rent a house and my workout room is the large sunroom in back that is built into the house so it has A/C and such. It is the only room in the house with carpet, so I believe it is over hardwood floors as the rest of the house has them. The carpet is pretty good to workout on since its that berber kind that is solid and almost smooth. I do take care though on any kind of spins, turns or slide moves just to make sure I dont twist my knee or ankle wrong, but so far after a year here there have been no problems.

Heather - I fit two cardios in somedays when I can, sometimes when I am watching tv its just feels good to get on the treadmill for a while, nothing too extreme. Also, it helps in the evening to relieve the stress of the day before I attempt to wind down for sleeping later. I noticed your thread in OD on the GWF. I have one and I love it. I have had it for about 6 months now and it has been invaluable to figure out what my calorie needs really are and to add more movement into my day. The daily goals do become addicting in a good way and make you want to reach them. The display is incredibly helpful too. It lets you see where you are at any given time of the day so you can adjust accordingly. Also, the food logging is simple and you can add any food or ingredient you want to help with your own homemade foods. I highly recommend it.

Good job Cathy with your Disc 11. That one was hard for me the other day too. Its the barbell rows going up in weight that really get to me.

Alright, enough procrastinating on finishing my work. ;) Will talk to you all tomorrow. Have a good night. :cool:
 
This morning I did BM2 Timesaver Cardio and some abs on my own.

Now I have to get lunches together and get the boys ready to head out the door for classes at the state historical museum.

Have a good day everyone!
 
Hi Ladies

I did back and bi's, disc 15 today. I seem to be a little weaker, had to lighten everything up a pound or two, but I was really glad to do rows and deadlifts. No residual crankiness from my ankle, so that is a good sign!

Heather - No, we don't have Running Rooms here. One flaw in my character is I tend to want to do it on my own, whatever it is. My error was not getting enough information or asking enough questions when I started to increase my mileage. I could have gone into any running store and asked for help with mileage questions or with a shoe question, but nope - I tried to sort it out on my own! Live and learn, but I learn- a lot of lessons - over and over the hard way. :eek::eek:

Anyway, given the general encouraging signs I am getting from my ankle, I am going to attempt Meso1 Week 1 legs (what, disc 3?) on Saturday, and see how it goes.

:D
 
Good Morning-

Yesterday was my full rest day, no working out of any kind. I didnt even stretch. lol It was an extremely, extremely busy day at work, so I think that helped get me tired enough that even when I got home I was too tired to contemplate working out. I think I will attempt 4DS Bootcamp cardio tonight. Another one of those discs that sits there taunting me but I never seem to do. ;)

Good job Cathy on the BM2 cardio, I like that one alot.

Janis - Glad your ankle is improving! :D

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Time to get ready for work. Talk to you later. :cool:
 
This morning was Disk 12 - Legs!! Meso 1 is done and I'm looking forward to my rest week. I love those inner thigh ball toss squeezes in this one just because they are fun. ;) To add to the fun my legs had this morning, I'm going to be painting today and spending lots of time going up and down the ladder.

MJ I love doing the 4DS Boot Camp Cardio. It's one of my favorite short cardios.
 
Hey Everyone

I took a two day hiatus before finishing the last Meso 1 Disc (Back and Tri's) for me. I had a really early morning and then a really late night and just could not work out on that day or the day after. I was disappointed but this morning felt really good.

It's our Thanksgiving weekend here, so I must stay vigilant for all that pumpkin pie.!

MJ - I actually love 4DS Bootcamp. I will often do it after a half hour steady state run.

Janis - I did one training program with the group and really found it hard to run on someone elses schedule. Part of running for me is the sense of peace that I get and that just doesn't come with other people around! Granted I don't probably run as fast as I could. The Running Room is a great resource though. I know they have a discussion forum that might have some good info on it.

Cathy - Good Luck painting!

I had better go! Lots to do!
Heather
 
I have taken a couple days off this week due to adjust to not working. My company has relocated to Charlotte so after 10 yrs I am back on the job market. Not wanting to get off schedule with STS I did disc 14 on Friday morning and disc 15 on Friday eveings along with CF Premix.

Today I did a 5k run and my whole lower body is screaming. During this cycle I am adding some extra leg work and doing cardio everyday. My goal is to lose at least 10 lbs by Christmas and to defintely clean up my eating.

Have a great week.
 

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