STS as full-body workouts instead...

[SirenSongWoman]

... Virtually every author over at FigureAthlete.com (Alwyn Cosgrove, Chad Waterbury, etc.) swear that full body workouts are best for fat loss. If there weren't so many respected names citing serious scientific studies to back up this viewpoint I'd blow it off and just do STS as it's designed. However, since I switched from doing 3-day splits to full body weight training (about four month's ago) the results have been greatly accelerated and I don't want that to stop. I want the body I want by May. I've been thinking about all this while going ahead with all the 1rm tests anyway, trying to figure out what to do. All the while, I've been very intrigued by the uniqueness of many of the moves in STS (I really can't say enough about the noticeable superiority of the look and feel of this series. It's just that 3-day split thing that makes me wary). Also, just doing the testing has made me wicked-sore so I know my body is perceiving the moves as something very new so they're hyper-effective.

I already know I will be tweaking STS to create lots of full-body workouts but only just came to this conclusion in the last hour. Thus, I haven't yet sorted through it all to come up with a game plan.

Is anyone else considering doing this?

 

[Aquajock]

I am planning on that myself, Stacey. I ordered STS with the intention of using it to update my rather tired, same-oh-same-oh DIY routine for upper and lower body that I've done week in / week out literally for years, but I really don't like split-set training and plan on hemstitching parts of discs each week to fashion a total-body workout, at the same time introducing new (for me, at least) lifts and shuffling the order of the lifts.

While I really agree that the series as produced can give phenomenal benefits, if using it another way makes you happy, do it! That's what I'm doing!

A-Jock

 

[morningstar]

Just remember that STS is not about losing body fat so much as building muscle - different focus, different program, different results. If you want to focus on losing body fat for now, you may want to go with something else for the moment.

 

[Sandi S]

How are you going to mix & match the workouts?

This is what I wanted to do also but is there a convenient/easier way to mix and match STS exercises without switching DVDs constantly. Any thoughts?

Sandi

 

[fit_fairy]

This is what I wanted to do also but is there a convenient/easier way to mix and match STS exercises without switching DVDs constantly. Any thoughts?

Sandi

The only thing I can think of is a multi-disc dvd player.

 

[tinkerbelle]

Just do 1/2 or 1/3 of each of 3 DVDs one day, then the next time go to Chapters and start where you left off on each DVD. It's not that much changing and you can probably use the break!

 

[kathryn]

How about 'kinda' following Cosgrove et als advice, and "kinda' doing STS ?

What I mean is :

The 'full body' workouts that are advocated by many are real metabolism boosters and fat burners because they put the largest muscle groups to work (which burns the most calories and increases growth hormone production): the legs, back and chest. (working the smaller muscle groups--- shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs---does NOT produce much of a metabolic boost or stimulus to growth hormone production.

What I suggest you try to get somewhat the same results is :

1) In Meso 1 and 2, do 1/2 of a leg workout and 1/2 of an upper body workout 2x/week (using upper body 1 for workkout 1, upper body 2 for workout 2). You may want to do another full-body workout for a third weight workout.

2) in Meso 3, where there is 'smaller muscle' split (shoulders and arms) that will be perhaps less beneficial, try doing 1/2 legs + 1/2 chest/back twice a week (weight workouts 1 and 3) and 1/2 legs and 1/2 shoulders/arms once a week (weight workout 2).

You can set up your week like this for a three-day weight workout schedule:

Day 1: weight workout 1
Day 2: cardio
Day 3: weight workout 2
Day 4: rest
Day 5: weight workout 3
Day 6: cardio
Day 7: rest

If one day between weight workout 1 and 2 is not sufficient recovery--especially watch what your shoulders and knees are telling you!--either switch to two weight workouts a week (weights on days 1 and 4, filling in the rest of the week with cardio, rest and stretching), or make your workout 'week' longer than 7 days (be a rebel!!).

If you go the two-weight-workouts a week, you can just do 1/2 legs and 1/2 chest/back twice in Meso 3 (the anterior delts and triceps are worked with chest, the biceps really well worked with chin-ups. The only lack might be rear shoulder and lateral shoulder, one set each of overhead presses and rear shoulder flys should take care of that, IMO).

HTH!

 

[SirenSongWoman]

How about 'kinda' following Cosgrove et als advice, and "kinda' doing STS ?

What I mean is :

The 'full body' workouts that are advocated by many are real metabolism boosters and fat burners because they put the largest muscle groups to work (which burns the most calories and increases growth hormone production): the legs, back and chest. (working the smaller muscle groups--- shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs---does NOT produce much of a metabolic boost or stimulus to growth hormone production.

What I suggest you try to get somewhat the same results is :

1) In Meso 1 and 2, do 1/2 of a leg workout and 1/2 of an upper body workout 2x/week (using upper body 1 for workkout 1, upper body 2 for workout 2). You may want to do another full-body workout for a third weight workout.

2) in Meso 3, where there is 'smaller muscle' split (shoulders and arms) that will be perhaps less beneficial, try doing 1/2 legs + 1/2 chest/back twice a week (weight workouts 1 and 3) and 1/2 legs and 1/2 shoulders/arms once a week (weight workout 2).

You can set up your week like this for a three-day weight workout schedule:

Day 1: weight workout 1
Day 2: cardio
Day 3: weight workout 2
Day 4: rest
Day 5: weight workout 3
Day 6: cardio
Day 7: rest

If one day between weight workout 1 and 2 is not sufficient recovery--especially watch what your shoulders and knees are telling you!--either switch to two weight workouts a week (weights on days 1 and 4, filling in the rest of the week with cardio, rest and stretching), or make your workout 'week' longer than 7 days (be a rebel!!).

If you go the two-weight-workouts a week, you can just do 1/2 legs and 1/2 chest/back twice in Meso 3 (the anterior delts and triceps are worked with chest, the biceps really well worked with chin-ups. The only lack might be rear shoulder and lateral shoulder, one set each of overhead presses and rear shoulder flys should take care of that, IMO).

HTH!

I'm glad I read your message. I was going to break up dvd's 1,2 and 3 into thirds, doing 1/3 of each every other day but you're right: My focus needs to be on moves that utilize the larger muscle groups. I like this. I think I'm going to do it this way. Besides, I really want to totally eliminate those tricep kickbacks... I just have to sit down and really plan this all out so I'll be completely prepared on workout days and not fumbling around, wasting time.

I can use most of what STS offers but I need to really strategize If I'm going to do it this way (and I am). I can't tell you how sore my legs are from that plastic plate thing. Yea. I want a piece of THAT action.

 

[ccthebear]

full body workouts

Would any of you be willing to post your full body workouts once you've figured them out? I really want to try to do STS as it's designed, but I know what my schedule is like. Doing STS as planned plus fitting in as much cardio as I like will mean having to work out six days a week every week, and I don't know how realistic that is for me right now. I'd love to be able to combine these into total body workouts if I find the three day splits don't work well for me.

 

[morningstar]

You could always do all three workouts in full one each day! Actually, that's what I used to do - full body workouts that lasted 3-5 hours, and would do all three gym styles, or all three pure strength, or slow and heavy, etc on one day, and maybe throw in a little Jari too. A one hour workout still seems like a break to me!

 

[kathryn]

I like this. I think I'm going to do it this way.

Stacey,
Let me know how it works out. (You can be my Guinea pig!).
I won't be getting to STS until May, and I might do this same thing myself (now that I've come up with it!)

 

[melijoh]

I'm used to lifting weights 5-6 days per week and was a little leary of a three day split. My goal is also to lean out by May. But honestly, because this program is so different than what my body is used to (especially with the moves Cathe uses), I think it is GREATLY beneficial to take those rest days. Your muscles need rest for growth and repair and it is absolutely critical to rest in order to prevent injury and more importantly BURNOUT! My plan is to do cardio and abs in between the dvds and HIIT on the weekends. Oh, and almost forgot....CLEAN EATING!!!