STS 2.0 homemade rotation

G

Gobias

Cathlete
Cathe & All,

In Cathe's QnA a few months ago, she made a possible recommendation of doing:

-4 weeks of Total Body
-4 weeks of Split (Upper/Lower) Body
-4 weeks of Single Body part
-4 weeks of 2 body parts

I made my homemade rotation in preparation for the STS 2.0 release and am wondering if there is a recommended ORDER for the above 4 week blocks. For example, do in the order listed above for a total of 16 weeks, or do the 4 weeks of 'single body' part 1st followed by 4 weeks of '2 body parts', etc. etc. etc.

Any ideas or thoughts? Thanks!
 
Gobias, I've been thinking about rotations also for this series. It looks like Cathe is saying you can do the phases in any order or even combine phases - lots of options. I think I'll probably do a month of Total Bodys (3x/week) first (but may add in older workouts for variety). It'll be interesting to see the official User's Guide, & read how other Cathletes use these.

This is what Cathe posted in one of the Q&A sessions:

"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."
 
A 4 month plus recovery weeks rotation is possible in the winter months, but not the summer. Too many disruptions. I will likely try 2 weeks of each phase in the summer, including that two body parts option. I await the guide though. There very well might be a perfect rotation for me. If I love it, as I expect I will, I can do a long rotation fall into winter, and do STS in the spring.
 
-4 weeks of Total Body
-4 weeks of Split (Upper/Lower) Body
-4 weeks of Single Body part
-4 weeks of 2 body parts
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if I could do 4 weeks of the same workouts and I'm not sure if I could commit to a 16 week program. I've done probably 4 full STS rotations but I haven't done one in several years. I've never even done an entire month of Cathe's featured rotation.

Right now I'm enjoying my tank top rotation and being able to pick and choose my workouts from a variety of series. This morning I did Supersets Upper Body Blast premix and it was fun and very different. The preacher barbell curls and concentration curls were killer. I certainly will integrate these into my current rotation while still being able to do other Cathe workouts that I haven't done recently. I'm loving the variety this rotation gives me because I can choose workouts that span the years. In fact, this morning's Supersets workout was from 2003 and tomorrow's Great Glutes is 10 years later in 2013. I have the body type that's very stubborn to put on muscle and I think the extra shoulders, biceps and triceps day is helping jumpstart things.
 
Ashaw, I did the UB Blast from BB Push/Pull today & Great Glutes is up for tomorrow. I'll have to give the UB premix from SuperSets a go too!

A 16- week commitment is a long time ... what helps me with the 3-month rotations for STS1.0 & Xtrain is plugging in different cardio, core & recovery "stuff". I also allow for some substituting for Xtrain LB workouts- not much but some- just to provide more variety. The main advantage of being consistent with the UB workouts is being able to more easily notice gains in strength & endurance -at least for me. But I hear 'ya on the desire for variety ... I think adding in other workouts when I'm itching for a change will help me.
 
That’s amazing! Yesterday morning when I was deciding which dvds to do, I actually had a upper body premix from Push Pull in consideration. You know what changed my mind? The music. I wasn’t in a mood to hear the song “Living Years” in push pull, too sad of a song.

I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow morning when I’m doing great glutes!!!
 
Great glutes was a burner! I haven’t done it in years and I forgot how tough it is. The music is good too because it’s the special triple tracks audio but this was either instrumental or Cathe’s voice only. I loved the song during the floorwork with the stability ball. The music during the stretch was nice too. And the hydrants and pizza presses , omg I had to take breaks on both sides and that wasn’t even using ankle weights. My butt and legs were talking to me later in the afternoon while in Walmart!!!
 
Debinmi said:
Gobias, I've been thinking about rotations also for this series. It looks like Cathe is saying you can do the phases in any order or even combine phases - lots of options. I think I'll probably do a month of Total Bodys (3x/week) first (but may add in older workouts for variety). It'll be interesting to see the official User's Guide, & read how other Cathletes use these.

This is what Cathe posted in one of the Q&A sessions:

"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."
Click to expand...
Thanks, Debinmi! Your response is quite helpful. I have never done a Cathe Rotation (always made my own), so I didn't even think that she will more than likely have something I can use as a template for what order to do the 4 blocks. But from what you posted, seems like the order may not be all that important.

I may even split them up and do a different block every week.
 
Hey Gobias,

I am very interested into mapping out my own STS Rotation based on 4X4 Plan.

Here is the order:

  • 4 weeks of Total Body
  • 4 weeks of Split (Upper/Lower) Body
  • 4 weeks of 2 body parts
  • 4 weeks of Single Body part

What dvd are you planning to line up for the Total Body cycle. Are they going to be solely cathe's or you are mixing with other programs?

I only workout Cathe and STS Total and muscle max is already on my total cycle for 4weeks. I am not sure i will equally split endurance and strength. Eventually will do a week endurance and 3 weeks of strength.
 
nckfitheart2009 said:
Hey Gobias,

I am very interested into mapping out my own STS Rotation based on 4X4 Plan.

Here is the order:

  • 4 weeks of Total Body
  • 4 weeks of Split (Upper/Lower) Body
  • 4 weeks of 2 body parts
  • 4 weeks of Single Body part

What dvd are you planning to line up for the Total Body cycle. Are they going to be solely cathe's or you are mixing with other programs?

I only workout Cathe and STS Total and muscle max is already on my total cycle for 4weeks. I am not sure i will equally split endurance and strength. Eventually will do a week endurance and 3 weeks of strength.
Click to expand...
I went through a phase where I was doing Turbo Fire for my cardio and Cathe's circuit workouts for my weight training. Then around the end of 2021, I got serious about weights and started doing Cathe's rotations, but I would pick and choose weeks that I liked from various months.

That being said, in the past I've done several rotations of STS, and at least one rotation of XTrain, Chalean Extreme and Turbo Fire as laid out in the calendar, but lately, I just don't want to be tied down to a calendar or series, so I found the framework for the old tank top arms rotation and have been doing my own thing for going on 7 weeks (I think I began this the week of March 19th) and am loving it. I've done Cathe's workouts old and new, plugging them into what is listed on the template (upper body, lower body, shoulders-bis-tris, cardio, total body, cardio). I've even decided to hit the lower body twice during the week and only doing one day of true cardio per week. Because lower body still gets the heartrate up, especially a lower body & HIIT or cardio type workout. I've noticed a difference in the definition in my arms.

So my initial plan for STS 2.0 is to incorporate the workouts in my tank top rotation, which thanks to my well stocked library of Cathe dvd's, I haven't even repeated a workout so far. I'm just now learning about the value of premixes because I've done a few upper body only premixes, like the CTX Upper Body Split and BB Supersets Upper Body Blast. I can add in a new STS 2.0 workout or two and still draw from my existing Cathe library where I see fit. I've found a rotation that I'm loving.
 
ashaw said:
I went through a phase where I was doing Turbo Fire for my cardio and Cathe's circuit workouts for my weight training. Then around the end of 2021, I got serious about weights and started doing Cathe's rotations, but I would pick and choose weeks that I liked from various months.

That being said, in the past I've done several rotations of STS, and at least one rotation of XTrain, Chalean Extreme and Turbo Fire as laid out in the calendar, but lately, I just don't want to be tied down to a calendar or series, so I found the framework for the old tank top arms rotation and have been doing my own thing for going on 7 weeks (I think I began this the week of March 19th) and am loving it. I've done Cathe's workouts old and new, plugging them into what is listed on the template (upper body, lower body, shoulders-bis-tris, cardio, total body, cardio). I've even decided to hit the lower body twice during the week and only doing one day of true cardio per week. Because lower body still gets the heartrate up, especially a lower body & HIIT or cardio type workout. I've noticed a difference in the definition in my arms.

So my initial plan for STS 2.0 is to incorporate the workouts in my tank top rotation, which thanks to my well stocked library of Cathe dvd's, I haven't even repeated a workout so far. I'm just now learning about the value of premixes because I've done a few upper body only premixes, like the CTX Upper Body Split and BB Supersets Upper Body Blast. I can add in a new STS 2.0 workout or two and still draw from my existing Cathe library where I see fit. I've found a rotation that I'm loving.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you have a plan, ashaw!
 
ashaw said:
Great glutes was a burner! I haven’t done it in years and I forgot how tough it is. The music is good too because it’s the special triple tracks audio but this was either instrumental or Cathe’s voice only. I loved the song during the floorwork with the stability ball. The music during the stretch was nice too. And the hydrants and pizza presses , omg I had to take breaks on both sides and that wasn’t even using ankle weights. My butt and legs were talking to me later in the afternoon while in Walmart!!!
Click to expand...
I love this work out!!! I use a weight with the pizza presses and that gives another option.
 
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