Push It

Dropping in for a quick check in.

Wednesday was Meso 2 week 1 legs. It was also a long day with after school activities for the boys and I didn't get home until almost 9. Do I need to say Thursday morning I was tired and suffering from DOMS so I took a rest day. Friday was Meso 2 back and biceps and Saturday was 40 minutes on the elliptical.

Natty---I am glad Disc 9 lived up to its reputation:D.

Kara---I hadn't noticed the new Cathe shirt but it definitely looks cool. Did they just post it??? That would have been a great mother's day gift. I hear others say on the forum that the sizes run small. I am definitely interesting in getting it. I will have to wait and see.

Toni----it didn't take long to receive your new DVDs. You must be excited. Like Natty, I just guessed most of my weights for Meso 1 and adjusted as I went along. Remember, the Gym Styles workouts have you lifting quite a few reps so I would think that is very similar to Meso 1. Do what ever works for you. One thing for sure is that you will love the program and will be amazed at how it pushes it to challenge yourself like no other workout.

Jennifer---glad you are feeling better. Your dinner sounds yummy!

Stacie---congrats on the pushups! That is awesome.

5 weeks until my vacation. I am sooooo excited.
 
Evening.....

Today was AfterBurn followed by Ab Circuit(No Equip). AfterBurn was good. I'm getting better at the mountain climbers and spider thingys(can't remember the actual name). I always find it interesting how the trouble spot on a particular exercise moves as you get stronger. The plank type exercises(mountain climbers and spider thingys) used to kill my shoulders when I first attempted them. Once my shoulders were stronger, my upper middle back was the trouble spot. Now that my back is stronger, I'm actually feeling it in my obliques!! Which is where I think I was supposed to feel it in the first place :eek:

The oblique work in Ab Circuit did not happen today. I just didn't have it left in my to hold any type of form after AfterBurn!! I always feel good if I'm able to get any amount of ab work in after that workout.

I've decided that I'm going to do the 6.5 month rotation of STS. This actually fits in with my personality a bit. I can do something for two weeks and the change it. I will also do the same cardio for two weeks and then change it out. This should definately keep me from getting bored!! I read somewhere that Cathe really thinks it should be done this way, so I'm going to try that. Plus it allows me to start earlier than 7/15 :cool:

Stacie - No...burpees never get easy :rolleyes: I was all excited that I could do the first set of burpees in AfterBurn today witout stopping. I had to rest for two reps in the second set...oh but I wouldn't have been able to do that if I hadn't taken an extra minute of rest before each set!!

I did decide to do the 1RM testing. I have plenty of time to do it(4 weeks), so I'm going to start working on it tomorrow for at least three days a week.

Jennifer - Glad the Collage site worked out for you, even if the timing wasn't the best. Glad to see you are taking it easy after the accident!!

HeartyMax - those after school activities are something aren't they?? I feel like I live in my car. There was something everyday after school last week!! But I'm so excited, we have nothing for TWO WEEKS straight!!! My daughter is in competitive cheerleading, which is a year round sport. So having two weeks off is so nice!!
 
I did some more summer clothes shopping. I found some cute cover ups and sun dresses. I was so happy----then again, angry at the same time-----I found the same brand bathing suit at TJ Max that I purchased earlier at a department store. I paid $25 for both pieces and I think paid $85 for both pieces on sale at the department store. I needed another bathing suit and I am having a hard time finding a top piece that fits so I grabbed it up with a smile. I didn't even think about taking the others back since I need them. I checked TJ Max when I first started my shopping over a month ago and I did not have this bathing suit. Stinks that I paid that much for the same bathing suit----just a different color.

Our golden got sick over the weekend and DH had to make a trip to the vet hospital. He was outside and suddenly started to appear lethargic and act as if he was trying to bring something up. The vet thinks he may have allergies and an infection in his throat. He started an antibiotic and seems to be doing better. We sure hate seeing such a fun loving dog not having any energy.

Today was Chest, Shoulders and Triceps. My right upper lat is hurting so I needed some stretching often as I went through this workout.

Toni--I have never done the 6.5 rotation. It will definitely give you a better chance to get your 1RM right the second week if they are not perfect the first week. I wasn't sure if I could stay focus long enough to do a 6.5 rotation so that is why I opted for the 3.5.
 
Good morning ladies! Last night was my first time doing Slow and Heavy. I couldn't believe how hard it is to slow the reps down. Usually I am trying to keep up with Cathe and this time I was having a hard time slowing it down. I was able to match her on weights except for the presses. I went lower on the deadlifts as well but I think I could have gone higher. Only 8 pushups in that one which was good since the different way she did the chest flies kinda fried me.

Kara
Natty is right -- the new Avatar is so pretty! How did the race go?

Natty
I think you could bounce a quarter off of my hiney unfortunately, my hiney would probably bounce as well! Still working on it -- sorta. I need to force myself to do more lower body workouts. :eek:

Thanks for the comments on the heel. It really is getting better with the new shoes. I am so excited about it too! I miss some of the workouts I haven't been doing lately.

I do love my squats!!!! I was thinking about maybe axing all of the other leg workouts in STS round 2 and only do the squat discs. Hmmmm....maybe I will just add another leg day in just to do those workouts. Did you decide if you are going to go with Plyo legs or the squat rack disc in Meso #3?

Jennifer
I am sooo glad that you are feeling better. What a huge bummer that you and Susan got hurt!

I laughed at your comment about regifting my ex! Too funny!

HeartyMax
I feel your pain about the shuffling of children around and I only have one! We have something going on every night Monday - Friday. During the summer it will be even crazier with baseball tossed into the mix. At least cub scouts won't be as active then so that will be a small break!

So jealous of your vacation! I don't have any summer vacation plans yet other than a couple of weekend trips. It drives me crazy as well when I pay for something and see it way cheaper later on.

Toni
I think I read that too somewhere that Cathe actually designed STS to be a 6.5 month program. I love all the things you can do with STS and how you can change it up. Be ready for the DOMS!

Have a great day everyone!
 
Happy Victoria Day to my US Cathletes!

It's our Canadian long weekend (equivalent to your Memorial Day next week I think). Yesterday we went to visit the in-laws in Hamilton (which is near Niagara falls). Got stuck in 2 1/2 hrs of gridlock traffic :mad:. The weather is hot, humid and sunny, which is very rare for Victoria long weekend. We usually get stuck with a crappy, cold, rainy one :(. All the campers and folks with cottages up in Muskoka must have been totally psyched for this :D. Enjoying the weather today by talking a nice walk to the park. BBQ and beer to follow :p.

Today's w/o was cardio hard with MIC (floor cardio only) + 4DS Bootcamp cardio only. Total time of 75min.

Stacie
OMG you are TOO funny! The butt thing had me laughing out loud!
Great job on matching Cathe with the weights! I would imagine doing weights Slow & Heavy would definitely bring a nice sting to the muscles :eek:.
I think you subbing in squat rack for all the other leg discs sounds like a good plan. So does adding in a 2nd LB workout. Both would be totally doable.
As for my choice, if I can get a weighted vest, I'm doing squat rack. I will use the plyo as cardio during the week, bi-passing the weighted leg work. It's a great hiit workout.
Heartymax
I'm sorry to hear about your doggie :(. I'm glad to hear he is getting better though. It is so sad when our "babies" get sick (that includes pets). My cat almost died 2 years ago from severe pancreatitis. The vets are truly miraculous people.
I'm jealous you are going on vacation :cool:. Have a few drinks for me when you're there (preferably Mojitos :p).
Jennifer
I'm so happy to hear you are doing better. I hope your x-ray results are positive.....wait negative.....you know what I mean. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Car injuries really mess you up unfortunately. Yes, Mark and I still have neck and back pains that come/go sometimes. I'm just happy to have come out with minor injuries, as it could have been far worse.
Keep up your massage and chiropractic visits and don't push yourself too hard. Have confidence in your body's ability to recover.
BTW, your dinner sounded AMAZING!!!! You wanna send some over via UPS my way??


Have a rockin' day ladies :)
 
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Happy Tuesday everyone! Last night was the first 4 intervals of LowMax. I had planned on doing the entire thing but my son woke up and I had to stop to put him to bed. Sometimes he says the sounds of me working out wake him so I stopped. Anyway, I definitely did NOT get my fix. I am going to have to do the whole thing again soon. Tonight is supposed to be High Step Challenge. I might add Slow and Heavy to that as well since I have family visiting for the weekend. My nieces and nephews are a little wild and there are a lot of them so I think I will put the weights away. I don't want them to play with them and get hurt. Plus, the turbo tower takes enough abuse from my son as it is. I swear he is on that thing more than I am!

HeartyMax
I forgot to say that I hope your dog feels better. If only people would stop bothering me at work with work related stuff while I am typing this! :rolleyes:
Anyway, I hope he feels better soon!

Natty
Getting stuck in traffic is no fun at all! My cousin in California wants us to visit him and it's very tempting. I was looking at maybe taking the train since it's so relaxing if you are in first class. Much better than driving -- but driving is soooo much cheaper.

By the way, we watched The Avengers this weekend and if you have not seen what Captain America looks like you should. Holy moly! Do you have a category beyond Hot Tamale because I think he would fit in it!? It wouldn't even bother me that he wears tights most of the time which I gotta say I would find strange with a different guy.

Have a great day everyone!
 
Hello fit ladies :)

Yesterday's w/o was D10 (chest, shoulder's, bi's) with a 5% increase. I'm really feeling the increase today in my entire UB :eek:. Knowing this is my last week of M1, I'm pushing hard. I'm kinda sad to see this Mesocycle end actually (yes, even the push-ups!). STS so far has not only been a weight lifting program (I know this is gonna sound corny but who cares), but it's also been a journey. I've never challenged myself to that extent before with weights, and I've certainly never had as much fun. With each week I am gaining a new found confidence in my body and it's ability to do things I never thought possible. I now know why everyone is so addicted to this program. It truly is THE BEST!

Stacie
What is it with kids and fitness equipment? My Tower is getting used as a jungle gym too!
I will check out The Avengers ;). Right now I'm watching Game Of Thrones. There a few hotties in there ;).


Have a great day everyone :)
 
Hello all...

I'm a bit under the weather. Some weird combination of allergies and a cold. Stuffy head, itchy eyes, and runny nose :mad: Oh and combine that with TTOTM...boo!! No workout yesterday. I'm still not feeling 100% today, but I wanted to get at least 1/2 hour of something in so I don't totally throw off my workout pattern. I did 30 minutes of Kelley Coffey(I think) kickboxing DVD. It was the perfect amount of intensity and impact for what I was capable of today. I also threw in some 1MR testing. I finished all the shoulder, bicep, and chest moves from Meso 1. Tomorrow I will do back and tricep and legs on Friday. My week is already screwed up in terms of weight lifting, so I will use the 1MR testing for the weights this week while I continue to get over this cold.

I really like the workout manager for use with STS. Recording the 1RM and printing out the cards looks really nice. I may find a way to put them in my iPad some type of way. Not sure about that though.

Natty - great job with STS!! I'm excited to start. I ordered a squat rack this morning. I was beginning to get discouraged because the one I picked out was out of stock. But when I checked on it today, it was in stock so I ordered it!!

Stacie - don't you hate when something messes up your workout!! I am trying to figure out how you will get your body to do Slow and Heavy after HSC. My body would def be asking me what type of drugs I was on :)

HeartyMax - Love getting new clothes!! I'm not a huge shopper, but it's always nice to get new things..esp cute dresses!! Good find of the bathing suit. I dislike bathing suit shopping!! Always difficult to find the right suit for your body type...very tidious!!
 
Good afternoon everyone! Hooray for hump today -- two more days until the long weekend!

Last night I didn't do HSC afterall, instead I did Slow and Heavy. I couldn't match Cathe this time with the biceps. I was shaking with just 10lb dumbbells which kinda blows my mind. I did notice I was matching Brenda's weights which made me feel better! I rescheduled HSC for tonight.

TTMOM hit yesterday...at least it helped explain the headachy tired feeling I have been having lately. I was hoping I had been lucky and skipped this month since its late but no such luck! Blah...

Natty
Glad to hear you are loving STS! I knew you would! It becomes almost like an addiction...the days during recovery weeks tend to drag by and then when STS is over you really do feel kinda lost.

Toni
Bathing suit shopping is NOT fun at all. Some suits seems to emphasize every single flaw one's body has. I have had good luck finding cute suits at JC Penny though....it's actually the one place I look now.

I have a dentist appointment soon so I better head out for now. Have a fantastic and fit day everyone!
 
Natty- your feelings are same as mind. STS truly pushed me to lift heavier. After all years of Cathe, I still didn't realize that I was pushing myself like I should. I feel so much stronger. Meso 2 is the most fun but Meso 3 makes you feel soooo strong.

Toni - WTG on getting a short workout in even though you are not totally energized.

No workout today because I was zapped from long afternoon of activities and didn't get to bed til late. Now I am at pool with youngest for swim lessons.
 
Good morning :)

Yesterday afternoon, my mom's cousin passed away from Lung Cancer. I was not very close to this woman (she is my 2nd grade cousin), but she was at my daughter's baptism. I just saw her September 2011 at a wedding I attended. She was not diagnosed then, but everyone was complimenting her on how much weight she had lost. She had absolutely no symptoms until Jan 2012 when she was diagnosed with stage 4. Unfortunately, Lung Cancer runs in my family, and my DH's family. I am no stranger to this disease.
I will be attending the funeral Fri and Sat, so I will not be posting those days.

Yesterday's w/o was MMA Fusion. You know what, it's actually quite nice when you want a lighter kickboxing day. I needed something not very strenuous as I was doing it at 8pm, and this totally fit the bill.

I'm HAPPY with all the premixes in Cathe's newest!

Toni
Ugghh I have the same thing!! Some hybrid of cold and allergies. I hope you feel better soon. TTOTM sucks when you're sick.
Congrats on the squat rack! I'm jealous.
Stacie
Sorry about TTOTM for you too. Is everyone on this thread in-sync?
Heartymax
I'm glad we share the same feelings. I have a feeling M3 will be my fav for some reason.
Kids extracurricular activities must get exhausting! I was never allowed to do that as a child, and so I want my daughter to have those opportunities. Do you let your children decide or do you chose the activity?


Have a good day everyone :)
 
Hi long lost Cathletes,

Sorry I have been MIA. Work has been so busy I haven't read the forum (our check-in or anything else) in over a week. My shoulder is finally better but now my back is now acting up. Haven't worked out since Saturday. My body is sabotaging my ability to start STS. :mad:

Anyway, I wanted to say that I am going to officially "drop out" of the group. Unfortunately I just don't have the time to dedicate to it anymore, but I didn't want to go without saying goodbye!

I am sure my life will slow down again and I will pop up on the forums. Time permitting, I'll probably spy on you guys too :)

Take care and congratulations to you all on your great progess. It was great getting to know you!

Susan
 
Good afternoon everyone! This morning was field day at the school. The kids were so cute doing all of the events. My son is a little sick from running in the rain on Saturday so I am taking extra precautions to make sure he doesn't have an asthma attack. Thank goodness for mucinex -- it's a lifesaver for his asthma.

Last night no workout happened due to a really bad headache. This morning I did 30 minutes of High Step Challenge which would up being a bit of a mistake since it made us late to school. Oh well...live and learn. Tonight I will do Slow and Heavy again.

Natty
I am sorry to hear about your cousin's death. My condolances go out to you and your family. I think that's very sweet of you to go to the funeral even though you two were not close.

Susan
It was nice to hear that your shoulder is doing better even though it was sad to hear you are leaving the group. Feel free to stop in any time and say hi because I am sure I am not that only one that will miss you! I hope your back feels better soon too. It's no fun to be injured.

Have a good afternoon everyone!
 
Evening....

Today was KPC. I'm feeling much better today and was able to go full steam with the workout. That felt really good. My family went on a bike ride this evening and I am happy to report I kicked all their butts in terms of fitness!! I didn't even breathe heavy or break a sweat :) Of course my nine year old is riding with her bike in first gear...LOL!! She was peddling so fast and going so slow...it was really funny...LOL!! I think hubby and I will go on a ride this weekend that is a real workout. I missed my Tuesday workout, so I want to add another one in on Saturday anyway.

Stacie - field day sounds really cute!! Glad you enjoyed it.

Susan - sorry to see you go, but I totally understand!! Hope you will be back soon :)

Natty - sorry for your lose. Any lose is hard...sending prayers.
 
Good afternoon everyone! Slow and Heavy didn't happen last night. My son was having some breathing problems so I took him to the urgent care to get checked out. It took several hours to complete the doctor's visit and to get the prescription filled. It really threw everything off from a timing prespective. At least he seems to be feeling better and the wheezing he had has pretty much vanished.

Toni
I love bike rides -- I want to do more this summer. It's nice that you all do that as a family too. Btw, how is the hubby doing with his workouts? Is he sticking too it?

Have a great memorial day weekend everyone!
 
Stacie - sorry to hear about your son. Hope he feels better soon!

Today was HSC. I love this workout. It's challenging without having a dread factor. I continue to improve as well, so that's an added bonus :)

Ok, I think I've purchased everything I need for STS. I ordered two additional risers for my step plus the slanted risers. I have a bench, but it has one of those attachments for a leg extension and I just always feel like its in the way, so I'll just use my step instead. Plus there is something about using the same equip as Cathe that makes me feel a little more on her level...LOL! My last purchase needs to be some type of micro loading option. I have been unimpressed with the weighted glove options. I think I'm going to settle on pace weights. They are expensive, but I think they are the most versatile for what I need. They will attach to my dumbbells and barbell and I think I will be able to put off buying 25# dumbbells for some time with these.

I'm really getting excited about starting. I read where everyone says how STS pushes you to lift heavier just by the nature of the program. I'm really excited about that part most!

Oh, someone asked how hubby's workouts are going(I'm on my iPad so I can't go back and see who). Well they are spotty at best. I think the bike may help him do SOMETHING. we will see...LOL! I love him either way :)
 
Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Thanks everyone for all the kind, sympathetic words. It was a very sad funeral because this woman was only 60. Everyone loved and respected her immensely. What broke my heart was seeing her mother in such agony. No one ever wants to outlive their child.

Thursday's w/o was D12 (legs). With the 5% increase and that INSANE bonus leg conditioning drill on the stability ball, my legs were fried! DOMS was a killer Friday and is still present today. Good stuff :D.
Today's w/o is my last disc of M1!!!!!! I can't believe 1 month is over already. I'm going out with a bang tomorrow with Imax3 or Intensity as my last hiit/interval cardio before my active recovery. Next week will be yoga, walking and perhaps some steady state. I'm determined to nail Rhythmic Step.
Toni
Looks like you are all ready for STS :eek:. The weighted gloves are nice for those small % increases, but kinda' a pain in the butt. It's not easy to change the weights quickly with the sand bangs IMO. The one thing I absolutely feel I need is the weighted vest. I can squat much more than I have in weights. Do you have one? Are you planning on doing Plyo Legs or Squat Rack?
Stacie
I am so sorry to hear about your son :(. Poor little guy. I'm glad to see he is feeling better and it was nothing serious. My daughter has been using inhalers on/off since she turned 1. I blame my DH since he has asthma, allergies, the black lung ect. :rolleyes: ;).
Susan
I'm gonna miss you :(. I understand though, life can get very hectic. Don't get discouraged, your shoulder and back will heal in due time. Acupuncture did amazing things for my back, neck, shoulder's, headaches, menstrual cycle, everything really. I look forward to "talking" to you again in the future.


Gonna jet! Everyone have a wonderful weekend!
 
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Good morning everyone! Happy Saturday! Yesterday was a frustrating day at work...thank goodness it was Friday. At least we went out to lunch to the Original Pancake House and I had some delicious berry crepes. It was the highlight of the work day!

My sister and the kids are here for the weekend. Hopefully I can figure out something to keep them entertained. My older nephew hung out with me yesterday night for awhile. We took the dog for a long walk and he even did some weight lifting with me (Pure Stength Chest). We kept his weights super low since he is only 13. He just wanted to try it out which was cool. It was nice spending some one on one time with him. I even busted out 10 pushups like it was nothing and then did another 12 on my knees since it was the only way I could get him to do them with me. I really don't understand why some days I can only do like 3 or 4 and then other days 10. I might ask Cathe about it some day.

Toni
Good job getting HSC done....the 30 minutes I did of it were hard! I even had some minor DOMS which tells me I need to do more leg work! ;)

I chose not to get the weighted gloves but get the 1.25lb weight plates instead. I hear the pace weights are pricey but everyone who has them seems to love them! It is a pretty cool concept!

Natty
Again, I am so sorry about your cousin. 60 is very young...too young.

I am sorry to hear that little Bella has asthma too. Do she handle the inhaler well? My son has a chamber that he uses. I always wonder how much of the medicine he actually gets in but it seems to always help. Do you know what her triggers are? I alway go on what I call orange alert when my son gets a cold. It seems like the majority of attacks have occurred when he gets sick.

Well, my niece is saying she is hungry so I better go make some breakfast for her. Bye everyone!
 
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This was such a long week. I don't even remember when I last checked it so I hope I don't repeat anything...sorry if I do. Due to our very busy schedules, I skipped working out 2 days during week---which is not something I normally do. Saturday was M2W2 back and biceps and then I added on 35 minutes of the elliptical to get in some cardio since that is what I normally do on Saturday. I will head down to do STS legs in a little bit since I didn't get that one in last week. Sunday is normally my rest day I have to make up so time... Also, I am going to my cousins graduation cookout so I don't even want to begin to say that I am going to resist some good food and top it off with a grilled hotdog that I can rarely resist.:D

DS10 had an asthma attack yesterday and I had to take him to the doctor. We were there for several hours before they managed to get his oxygen at a level where he could come home. He has never had to be hospitalized for asthma but this was the first time they thought he might. It was a long day---but I am so glad he is doing better this morning. Asthma can be scary. I get nervous everytime my son gets a cold, but it is rarey---just a cold.


Natty---Sorry about the loss of your cousin. Sounds like the service gave the everyone a chance to see how she touch the lives of many and everyone loved her. We let our kids decide what sports they want to play. They have tried several. My youngest son was an exceptional soccer play at a young age and all the rec coaches talked about him, but then he didn't want to play anymore. He wanted to play base ball a few years ago which is the same season sport as soccer. I was disappointed---but moved on. He has good baseball potential too---but it is not as natural or him as playing soccer. flies when you are having fun. Hard to believe you are already done with Meso 1. Time flies when you are having fun. Enjoy your recovery week.

Stacie---enjoy your family. WTG on pushing out those pushups like they were "nothing". What a great feeling. That shows how much stronger you are when they get effortless.

Toni---you have done a lot of preparations for STS. Get ready for the fun. I use 1.5lb wrist weights. I get creative and squeeze in one of the 1pound bags from the weighted vest when I need to also. I also find those 1pound bags easy to hold in my hand with a dumbell depending on the what I am doing. I don't own the slanted risers. I own just two risers for each side. I take one off and stack on the other side resulting in 3 on one side and 1 on the other. It has worked for me and the bench is stable when I am in position.....I have never had a problem with it. I do own the 20lb weighted vest and use it often for leg work.
 
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