STS 6-Month Club: Start Date January 9, 2023

[AVeyRa]

For anyone who wants a workout buddy for STS, I just started it last week (Jan 9, 2023). I’m using the 6-month option, which means that every disc gets two passes instead of one. Scan the threads and see that this is the original intent from Cathe, the creator. It also just works well for me to have something programmed a long way in advance that is systematic and linear. It’s fewer decisions for me to make, and a great way to measure progress instead of just a “hit and miss” approach.

My STS workouts are scheduled for MWF, and cardio of my choice is added in on TRS, if any. STS Meso 1 is pretty cardio heavy, believe it or not, so you don't need to kill it on off days. If you get too much cardio on non-lift days, you’ll actually impede muscle growth. So I keep my cardio moderate, and between 30-40 minutes each session. I mostly just pick one cardio option and do that all week. If it’s an older step video I never got around to or never perfected, I just chip away at that all week and it takes care of my workout and my brain’s craving to master something “new”.

Today is January 18, 2023, and I am on the second pass of Meso 1, Week 1.
Today, Wednesday, is Disc 2, Back and Triceps.
Tomorrow, Thursday, is the second half of IMAX 2 (premix) PLUS STS Ab Circuits (I forget which one, but it doesn’t really matter which one you do as long as you do it).
Friday will be Meso 1, Week 1, Disc 3, Legs.
Saturday will be another pass at IMAX 2, first half (premix for combos 1-5) PLUS STS Ab Circuits, etc.

So my schedule is pretty straightforward. I’ll keep posting here if anyone wants to join in!

 

[AVeyRa]

This week’s (and next week’s) schedule are:
MWF Meso 1, Discs 4-6
T, TH, S LowMax, Athletic Step and Maximum Intensity Cardio (respectively).
STS Ab Circuits — yoga and Pilates inspired — are mixed in there wherever you can shove them.

I’ve already had a setback as yesterday (Monday) was bonkers and I didn't get a workout in. SO: reset for today would be to focus on muscle and push cardio to the back, follow the reverse order tomorrow (since you need a rest day between arm workouts and those are scheduled together for Meso 1).

Revised, this would look like:

M off (couldn’t be helped)
T Meso 1, Disc 4 Chest, Shoulders and Biceps
W Low Max (premix for cardio between 30-40 minutes)
R Meso 1, Disc 5 Back and Triceps
F Athletic Step (premix, as with LoMax)
S Meso 1, Disc 6 Legs
N Off

Next week would be a repeat of this, but with the original schedule (hopefully!) as above.

Attitude and GOALS:
I love weights. Love them. And this IS the STS rotation — not the “cardio whatever” rotation. So that’s where the focus and effort is. Run STS as intended. Max effort. But listen to what the body is saying. Don’t go anaerobic (Meso 1), don’t try to lift too much too quickly. My weights are comparable with Cathe’s or sometimes higher, so I‘m in the zone. My cardio needs to be better, but I can modify for that. And the more I do these workouts, the better the cardio (VO2 Max) will get. It just takes time. Slow and steady wins the race. Most of ”the race” is just showing up every day and pressing play.

I was already a pretty steady home lifter before this, but I can already see more definition from the last two weeks. And I feel stronger. That success makes me want to keep going. Now: am I hitting every pushup and chin up? Nope. But I’m hitting it at MY level. And I’m improving from there. That’s what matters. Not that I can successfully mime everything the models are doing, but that I am improving.

Diet is 70% of the game. Be smart. Don’t eat garbage. Stay hydrated. Eat enough protein. But don’t neglect quality carbs — you need them. Meal prep if you have to. Stay focused, for heaven‘s sake. Don’t forget why you’re doing this. You can undo lots of hard work by forgetting yourself on pizza night.

Rule of Thirds:
*One third of your workouts are going to be crap (you didn’t get enough sleep, you didn’t eat right, your hormones are out of whack, you just had a fight with your kids, your body is grumpy — whatever). Keep showing up.
*One third of your workouts are going to be baseline (you hit all your marks and it’s fine. Nothing catches on fire, but you ticked all the boxes). Keep showing up.
*One third of your workouts are going to be FIYAH. (PR’s, great endorphins, huge smile, lovely energy). These are the days we live for, but they are only one-third of the time.

DO NOT TRY TO CHASE MORE THAN THAT. Because this is where you stall. You have to grind steadily for the mountaintop. This is why most people quit. They aren‘t equipped for the grind. They get bored, it’s not shiny, results aren‘t magical and quick. Sorry, but that’s the deal. Show up, do the work, wait, wait some more, see a few results, repeat. You get better and better the more you show up. You can’t do it in one day. This is a lifetime thing. And there’s always another mountain to climb. Go climb it.

Hope everyone is having a great week!