Rotation options & results questions ...

[Debinmi]

I've been thinking about the rotations for STS2.0. Cathe has written this in the past Q&A:

There are three phases. And each of these phases focuses on what you would think of as a blend between Mesocycle 2 & 3 from the original STS. Each of these phases is independent of one another and they work each muscle group 2 to 3 times per week. You’ll do the strength workouts three days a week in one phase, four days a week in another phase and three to six days a week (depending on the option you choose) in the remaining phase. The phases do not have to be done in any kind of order. Each phase also does not have to be done for four weeks only before moving to the next. You can spend between four and 12 weeks on a particular phase before moving on. That being said initially it might be nice to do each phase for four weeks and then trying another one and finally the last one. Once you’ve experienced all three you can stay within each one longer if you prefer. Likewise, you can mix and match and do one or two weeks of one and switch out and do one or two weeks of another. This workout program has a lot of flexibility and intensity. No matter what phase you are in as long as you lift what challenges you for around eight reps each phase will develop strength/hypertrophy. Eat well, stay hydrated and sleep hard and watch the results kick in.

The three phases are: Total Body Workouts,
Solid Upper Body/ Solid Lower Body Split, and One Body Part At A Time (which will include pre-mixes that mix two body parts together offering yet a fourth method of training). These various phases were chosen for their intensity building properties. Within each of the phases you’ll experience enhanced training techniques such as drop sets, paused reps, finisher sets etc.

The only past series I've done weight lifting with for 3 months at a time were STS1.0 & Xtrain. And by doing these for 3 months I was able to notice significant improvements in strength gains.

I usually do monthly rotations similar to Cathe's posted rotations where you change things up every month. However, I think it is more difficult to notice gains with this approach.

What is your experience? Do you get noticeable gains by changing workouts up frequently or by staying with the same workouts for 4-12 weeks?

 

[aqua girl]

What is your experience?

I can't be much help to you.....my workouts (as you might guess) are all over the place!
I don't follow rotations, I write down about 10-12 workouts in a book and mark them off as I
go....but try to include cardio, lower body, upper body, core, total body, etc and I guess I try
to rotate those. I guess that doesn't help with your question at all, does it?

 

[Debinmi]

I can't be much help to you.....my workouts (as you might guess) are all over the place!
I don't follow rotations, I write down about 10-12 workouts in a book and mark them off as I
go....but try to include cardio, lower body, upper body, core, total body, etc and I guess I try
to rotate those. I guess that doesn't help with your question at all, does it?

It is interesting ... so thanks. That 's kind of a rotation since you're sure to include an UB/LB split & a TB, as well as cardio & core ... so it's sorta like a Cathe monthly rotation with lots of variety, although planned for about a half- month instead of a full month. My sister, who is pretty fit & primarily does Cathe's workouts, does a similar plan to yours- usually a week at a time. Her goal is variety & being fit & healthy, & doesn't care much if there's noticeable gains. She knows she's worked a well-rounded program & that's her focus. I've been in agreement as I do similar but with a month planned out at a time. However, I may change things up with STS2.0 to experiment with gains ..

 

[aqua girl]

Her goal is variety & being fit & healthy, & doesn't care much if there's noticeable gains. She knows she's worked a well-rounded program & that's her focus.

Yep, I'd say that is about what I do too. I use treadmill, elliptical, rower, etc alot for my cardio
and try to incorporate them into my planned out workouts.

 

[ashaw]

I know that I got really serious about weight rotations at the end of 2021 and started randomly choosing different weekly Cathe rotations to do. One of my favorites, which I did several times, was the ICE advanced, which I tweaked a bit, but it had me doing the ICE workouts, followed by a Blizzard Blast and/or a Muscle Meltdown. And I totally agree with whoever mentioned it about having all the Muscle Meltdowns on a separate DVD like the LITE Pyramid Pumps are. I never did any of the abs for ICE because I felt like I got plenty of core work in the program itself. I also did a Strong & Sweaty rotation.

But now I'm doing this tank top rotation and after 3 weeks in, I think I can see a bit more definition in my arms. I'm going to up my game and do an extra lower body day, only one cardio per week and then at some point, do the Bonus Butt Workout from the Rock Bottoms rotations. Its almost summer, so if I'm gonna hit the arms, why not just hit the butt while I'm there!

My plans for when I finally get STS 2.0 in my hot little hands is to just incorporate it into my tank top and butt blaster rotation. I'm sure at some point in the future, I'll do a STS 2.0 rotation the way Cathe outlines it because I've done 3 month rotations of the original STS at least 4 times.

I think changing things up is always a good thing. I know I used to always like to do legs on Monday because it was a good way to start the week, but now that I do upper body on Monday, I feel muscle soreness a little differently now. And I hope that's a good thing.

 

[Debinmi]

Thanks ashaw. I've sort of been thinking I "should" do the series as Cathe intended, but I'm kinda dreading doing the same 3 TB workouts for a month or 2 or 3. So I'm gonna wait for the User Guide, but I just may insert the workouts into my usual monthly rotations. We purchased Xtrain piecemeal & i didn't do the "official 90- day undulating rotation" for a couple of years as we didn't have them. So time will tell what i end up doing ....

 

[Debinmi]

Goodness ... please ignore those attachments... I'll have to get on my laptop & clean those up. ..

 

[Lannette]

I always use a template style rotation. I choose a list of few workouts to fit each classification to pick from but always feel free to substitute.

I always work toward goals

I’ve played around with ideas for STS 2.0 but really won’t know how I want to use it until I see it and Cathe’s rotations for it.

I didn’t notice any attachments.

 

[Debinmi]

I always use a template style rotation. I choose a list of few workouts to fit each classification to pick from but always feel free to substitute.

I always work toward goals

I’ve played around with ideas for STS 2.0 but really won’t know how I want to use it until I see it and Cathe’s rotations for it.

I didn’t notice any attachments.

Thanks Lannette.
Could you share what types of goals you set for yourself?

(I was able to delete the attachments from my laptop ...)

 

[Lannette]

Thanks Lannette.
Could you share what types of goals you set for yourself?

(I was able to delete the attachments from my laptop ...)

Since my neck injury a few years ago my goals have all centered around postural realignment - rebalancing flexibility and strength in the areas that were out of alignment.

That work is almost complete. I can do high step ups again. I just need to even out my leg strength. I have a little work to do with my right shoulder, mostly balancing strength.

My goals are boring to others but I celebrate each time I’m able to do something I couldn’t do before. Wednesday I was able to do ricochets again.

 

[ashaw]

Since my neck injury a few years ago my goals have all centered around postural realignment - rebalancing flexibility and strength in the areas that were out of alignment.

That work is almost complete. I can do high step ups again. I just need to even out my leg strength. I have a little work to do with my right shoulder, mostly balancing strength.

My goals are boring to others but I celebrate each time I’m able to do something I couldn’t do before. Wednesday I was able to do ricochets again.

Your goals are absolutely not boring to someone like me who spent half of last year rehabbing a unexpected knee injury. I remember when I was able to do cardio with a bit more impact and then feel comfortable doing Cardio Slam, my favorite workout that was the one I was doing when I injured my knee on the low impact sprinters. The feeling of accomplishment was off the charts. In fact, Boss Loops Glutes and Core was the first Cathe lower body workout I did once I felt comfortable enough quitting P.volve. It felt so good to move again!
I’m so happy for you and the progress you’ve made. It’s to be celebrated!

 

[Lannette]

Your goals are absolutely not boring to someone like me who spent half of last year rehabbing a unexpected knee injury. I remember when I was able to do cardio with a bit more impact and then feel comfortable doing Cardio Slam, my favorite workout that was the one I was doing when I injured my knee on the low impact sprinters. The feeling of accomplishment was off the charts. In fact, Boss Loops Glutes and Core was the first Cathe lower body workout I did once I felt comfortable enough quitting P.volve. It felt so good to move again!
I’m so happy for you and the progress you’ve made. It’s to be celebrated!

Thank you. Congratulations on your rehabbed knee!

 

[vivbc]

I’ve had great results from STS 1.0, and from rotations like Cathe’s May 2022, which has a week of XTrain, a week of RWH strength, a week of Gym Style and finishes with a week of Slow and Heavy. So very similar types of strength routines. When I do change things up, I don’t get the same results. Total body routines, well, it has very much depended on the workout. STS Total Body is excellent, for example, but I don’t use total body workouts for more than a week or two. Straying from my 3 days a week strength pattern, umm . . . I await the rotations in the guide. I expect I will find something that fits what I enjoy doing. Cathe is pretty darn amazing. I trust her. My schedule prevents doing 3 different 4 week rotations right at the start, but I will see what is there. Using the rotations in the guides has been a great way to learn about a new series.

 

[randidiane]

Love this thread I'm just lost right now with my rotations. Last 4 or 5 months I stuck with heavy weight training and thought I was getting a little to thick lol. So last month I did endurance and cardio 6 days Week and doinga different Cathe workout everyday as well as her LIVE series. I'm not sure if I should at least stick with cathe full series each month or what. I do feel a little more saggy lol

 

[Debinmi]

Love this thread I'm just lost right now with my rotations. Last 4 or 5 months I stuck with heavy weight training and thought I was getting a little to thick lol. So last month I did endurance and cardio 6 days Week and doinga different Cathe workout everyday as well as her LIVE series. I'm not sure if I should at least stick with cathe full series each month or what. I do feel a little more saggy lol

Every "body" is so different - seems to be a challenge to determine what type of rotation works best for each individual person. And maybe there's something to be said about mixing things up after awhile (muscle confusion) -- sort of like needing to change up my hair shampoo every-so-often.

 

[randidiane]

Thank you Debinmi! I think heavy weight training but of course switching it up is best for me. Didn't really get much out of doing alot of muscle endurance and cardio lol. Honestly I've lost muscle definition and not as tight. But like you said I'll still probably throw in a cardio endurance rotation every now and then just so I don't get bored and change things up

 

[nickisteen]

Love this thread I'm just lost right now with my rotations. Last 4 or 5 months I stuck with heavy weight training and thought I was getting a little to thick lol. So last month I did endurance and cardio 6 days Week and doinga different Cathe workout everyday as well as her LIVE series. I'm not sure if I should at least stick with cathe full series each month or what. I do feel a little more saggy lol

I would love to get a little too thick!!

 

[Debinmi]

I would love to get a little too thick!!

Just not in the wrong place, like my waist or neck!

 

[Lady Vol Fan]

I'm curious, Debinmi, now that you've had a chance to look over the user guide, have you decided how you will use STS 2.0?

 

[Debinmi]

I'm curious, Debinmi, now that you've had a chance to look over the user guide, have you decided how you will use STS 2.0?

I'm leaning toward a shorter 6-week version of the 10-week rotation. Instead of 3 weeks in each phase, I'm thinking 2 weeks - that way I don't have to wait as long to try the new workouts. I'm planning on 2 days of shorter cardio with core and recovery work. One day of active recovery/functional cardio + a recovery workout. One day rest.

How about you?