scheduling problems with STS

[luli]

Hi Cathe (and everybody else)!!!
I purchased STS a few weeks back but I am having trouble finding 15 weeks in a row to do the whole series. I travel every two months for a week or so.... and it is basically impossible to make the trips fit excactly into a rest week. My question for you is: what can I do??? Should I start now, stop when I travel and pick up when comming back? or what do you suggest?
I'm diying to start the program so please HELP!
Thanks
LULI

 

[jbliff]

Why don't you do what you can and take the week off when you travel. If you don't travel but every 2 months you should be able to wrap up one or two Mesos before you have to travel. If you have to miss a week, resume when you return. It's better than waiting for months to start. I know I wouldn't have the patience!

 

[Dela]

Not Cathe of course, but I don't think that a one week break during STS is going to make too big of a difference in the overall program, I vote for starting it, and just continue cardio workouts while you are away then pick up where you left off when you get back. I had an unexpected extended rest week after meso 1, and I've had wonderful results with STS.

Or you could schedule STS into a 5 or 6 month rotation, so you can do all or some of the mesos for 8 weeks instead of 4, taking your rest week after the 8th week, which might fit your schedule better.

Or you could try out the "undulating" rotation that people have been discussing, which actually lends itself naturally to taking a break after the third or the sixth week, but come to think of it, if it is your first time through, it's probably best to follow a more traditional STS rotation.

 

[Shadowpup]

I'd just dive right in and do it. Life rarely arranges itself neatly in fifteen week intervals, in my experience

Seriously, though, travelling doesn't have to be a barrier. I travel nearly constantly, seems like - most months at least one week, many months two or three weeks, with two or three days home in a row. It was no exception when I started Meso 1. I often did the workouts three in a row, or three days out of four. I'd arrange the set with Legs as the middle day, and whenever possible I'd also add a 'cardio only' day between the Triceps/Legs so as to rest my back.

Even at that, Meso 1 still gave me terrific results in strength (that's my goal for the series). I am on the six month plan, yet increasing the weight of essentially everything each week, so as to be tired enough at the end of each set And I'm lifting so much heavier than I ever thought possible. 100 pounds on a deadlift???? Not wonderful by what some people do here, but I recall being so proud when I had to move up to a pair of fifteen pound dumbbells for that.

Meso 2 is proving to be more than a challenge. I've been travelling most of the past three weeks and doing the heavier workouts back to back on sleep deficit is taking more of a toll. My new plan is to add gaps by thinking of the 'workout week' as a suite of ten days, and stretch each trio of exercises out over this longer period. If I choose to spread a "suite" of STS over ten days rather than seven, that should help my body through a little longer between each session for repair and recovery. I'll let you know how that goes, if you're interested. I am just finishing week 2 (second time through) on the usual three a week method, and with this three-in-ten-days approach it should take me about 40 days to get the next two weeks done. Fortunately that's when the travel situation will lighten up, just in time for Meso 3.

The trick to doing strength training after a crosscountry trip is to get enough sleep *and water in your muscles* so that you are not exhausted when you start. A catnap before starting can help, and being really disciplined in drinking your water on the plane trip home makes a huge difference.