One rep max increase for STS?

A

Amwalker93

Member
Hello,

I have a question about Cathe's STS program. I am on my last week of Meso cycle 1--I noticed its still hard for me to do something exercises. The workout has increased to using 70% of my one rep max. Its very challenging to get through some exercises with the weight now increased. Is this normal and should I just lift to failure or should I go back down to 65% of my one rep max which allows me to complete more sets/exercises?

Thanks for your help.
Ashley



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Yes, great question. The same issue has popped up for me in the past. I am hoping Cathe may give us her advice on this.

If going up to the next % was too difficult, I decided to do the previous week's workouts again. Yes, my first time through STS I did Meso 1 Week 1 twice, then Week 2 twice, etc. until I built a stronger foundation from which to progress. After 2 -3 weeks with weights at 65% of my 1RM, I then had the endurance and strength to be ready to move to 70%.

Also, I decided to use my 1RM results only as a guide. I adjusted my weight selection (i.e. decreased it!) quite often in order to follow along with the same number of reps and sets as Cathe and crew. I wrote down the weights I actually used, made notes on if it was just right and then used that info to plan for next week's weight selections. That is, I planned my weight selection just before starting that day's workout and I based it on what would be challenging but enable me to complete the program as it is designed.

Good luck! STS is my favourite, all-round weight training program. :) I feel it is so worthwhile - definitely worth the time and effort, even if it takes a little longer to complete. What worked for me was to focus on progress, not the speed of completion.
 
Thanks that's so helpful. Yeah I'm hesitate in moving on without being successful in meso cycle 1. I know it's for more endurance and and meso cycle 2 is more strength--I just wonder if it's better for me to do what you did then move on. You know?

I wonder what Cathe thinks!


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When I did STS the 1st time , I did like Jane and adjusted my weights. If it was too heavy I went down and if it was too light I went heavier. I always updated the 1rm page so my future weights would acclimate to what I was able to do. I just finished round 8 and I feel like I am right where I should be. I hope this helps.

Jean
 
marazoe said:
When I did STS the 1st time , I did like Jane and adjusted my weights. If it was too heavy I went down and if it was too light I went heavier. I always updated the 1rm page so my future weights would acclimate to what I was able to do. I just finished round 8 and I feel like I am right where I should be. I hope this helps.

Jean
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WHOA 8 rounds??!!! You must have had amazing progress! I just got STS and I'm a bit scared to start! lol. Actually I would like to lose 5-8 pounds before I start. I'll PM you so I don't hijack this thread! But that makes sense to adjust your weights, otherwise it's just too hard or too easy you won't get the full benefit.
 
I was afraid to start also. But once you start , it's really not bad. The push ups are the worst. Sometimes like 100 per disc. You'll be fine. Just print one w/o card at a time and always update with any changes you make with your weights. By meso 3 you'll be an expert. :)
 
Hi There,

May be you can look into the six months rotation. With this rotation you will be repeating discs and build up
endurance. You need endurance to tackle meso 2 and meso 3 in my opinion.

I personally did not have the issue you are experiencing. Well before starting STS I had a plan and knew I needed to push my
strength endurance up a notch. So I had 4DS, Gym Style, LIS and STS Total to complete before embarking. I had STS pack
at home, read the user guide and thought this is serious! By the time I completed all program above, I knew I was READY.
I did all my push up litterally without any modification for meso 1.

All the very best:)
 
2tina72382 said:
WHOA 8 rounds??!!! You must have had amazing progress! I just got STS and I'm a bit scared to start! lol. Actually I would like to lose 5-8 pounds before I start. I'll PM you so I don't hijack this thread! But that makes sense to adjust your weights, otherwise it's just too hard or too easy you won't get the full benefit.
Click to expand...

I just started too and was nervous! If the first 2 discs are any indication I'm preparing to be quite sore for a long time! Hope STS is working for you - the fact that you bought it is courageous enough! I'm not sure about the weights either but think adjusting as you go along works. That's what I did on my first try... if it was too easy I'd rewind and do it with a heavier weight. Good luck! :)
 
kathydaffy said:
I just started too and was nervous! If the first 2 discs are any indication I'm preparing to be quite sore for a long time! Hope STS is working for you - the fact that you bought it is courageous enough! I'm not sure about the weights either but think adjusting as you go along works. That's what I did on my first try... if it was too easy I'd rewind and do it with a heavier weight. Good luck! :)
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I bought them and haven't even viewed one of them! lol still too scared. too funny :)
 
LOL 2tina! The first two discs aren't too bad but there are a TON of push ups. I counted 136 (!!). The user's guide details ever exercise and how many reps so it gives you and idea. But be ready have some DOMS... :)
 
2tina72382 said:
I bought them and haven't even viewed one of them! lol still too scared. too funny :)
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Go for it woman! You are way stronger then you think.
Learn how to use the Calendar on the Workout Manager and how to edit the workouts there, its very easy and helpful for fast fine-tuning STS. Your first 3 month run, if you come to failure before the 3 rep, lower the weight. You don't want bad form. If you fly through a set, slightly increase and then make those changes on the workout for the next week's print-outs.
 
I have a 1 rep max question of another sort, it should go in this thread, I guess.

I'm new to STS, but not to Cathe or to weight training.

Just starting STS today, disc 1, and I noticed that some of the exercises had me pushing hard to get the 15 reps at 60%.
So far, so good, but.....

Some of them weren't even close. On a few I could have got 30 reps, on a few others I could have got the reps if I doubled the weight.
(Mystery to me - except maybe for fatigue setting in when testing the 1RM originally, and perhaps, that changed the reps I got.)

Before I go any further - the idea here was to hit max at the 15 reps and 60% during the workout, right?

So - I need to adjust those 1RM values based on what happened today, so that I get it right as the round progresses?

Thanks!
 
You should feel effort on the last two rep's. I don't necessarily go to failure, but I want to really feel the burn on the last two to three reps. I would definitely adjust those values, you can edit fairly quickly by going to the Workout Manager and finding your calendar. (This is assuming you have put these workouts on your calendar.) Go to that day's workout, select *show details* after that pulls up, select *edit workout* box. The STS sheet will show up and then find the exercise you want to edit. Look over to the far right on that line and you see a *calculator*. Press that picture and it will bring up your one-rep max and follow that through as far as what number you want to edit with. Just remember to hit save at the bottom of the sheet.
 
Makes sense, it felt like the loading was all over the place today.
Guess this is going to take a little tweaking to get it to work right.
I think I'm going to allow a good deal more rest time between exercises while testing 1rm's.
Sure can't hurt. Thanks for the help!

One more question - you've done a bunch of rounds of STS - do you still test 1RM's, or just base off the last round?
 
Dorus said:
Makes sense, it felt like the loading was all over the place today.
Guess this is going to take a little tweaking to get it to work right.
I think I'm going to allow a good deal more rest time between exercises while testing 1rm's.
Sure can't hurt. Thanks for the help!

One more question - you've done a bunch of rounds of STS - do you still test 1RM's, or just base off the last round?
Click to expand...

You will play those 1RM's like a violin the first couple of times! I don't formally test, nope, my current round of STS takes care of that. I average 2 weeks break time before a fresh start up.
 
Thanks!

One thing I will say - the 1Rm testing is a bit tedious, but it sure points out the weak spots.
I know where to start now - and it's a good thing.
I have some work to do.
 
Dorus said:
Thanks!

One thing I will say - the 1Rm testing is a bit tedious, but it sure points out the weak spots.
I know where to start now - and it's a good thing.
I have some work to do.
Click to expand...

The time invested to get the one rep max is worthy to anyone applying the overload.:):)

For some of us already into cathe's stuffs such as 4ds, Gym style and Muscle etc..., it was not time
consuming. We were logging the weight lifted for each program so it was not too bad. ATB:);)
 
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Related question: a few missing exercises here and there?

Example: Disc 4, exercise 681 - Seated Rear Flys in to Band Pulls

It's there on the disc, but not in the 1 rep max chart, not in the 1RM calculater in the workout manager.

Is it an error/omission, or is there a reason it isn't listed that I'm just missing?
 
If I go to Workout Manager and hit One Rep Max at the top, My One Rep Max shows #681. You can also see the rep calculator for it when you pull up Disc 4 in the Calendar (which is where I tend to manage my one-rep's.
 
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