okay, i'm almost ready to purchase but....don't know how i can make it all work.
i love yoga and pilates and would like to do these during the week as well--
how about cardio--should you do it on the same day as weights-- perhaps at a different time?
........
Hi,
Some factors to consider before designing your STS rotation:
a. What is your current daily workout schedule like? What is the intensity of your current weight training and cardio? Based on what your body is currently used to, your intended rotation of STS in the am and Cardio in the evenings could be over-training or appropriate.
b. If I were to do STS as designed, based on my true 1 rep max, I would not do cardio in the pm. I dont know if it is just me, but if I eat more-or-less clean and do Cathe's one hour weight workouts thrice a week, I can lose body fat with just 2x cardio per week (on non weight training days) as long as I am going heavy enough with the weights. If I were to do cardio in the evenings after STS, I'd definitely make the cardio less intense. (As examples, I wouldnt do IMAX or an interval run with aggressive sprints and hills. That would amount to over-training for me.) On Leg Day of the 3 day split, if I were too pooped I may give the pm cardio a miss altogether. Cathe's Leg workouts are deliciously intense. If I were to do the optional leg drill at the end of Meso 1 leg work, I know I wont need cardio that day.
c. What type of yoga are you referring to? True Power or Ashtanga yoga can be intense strength workouts that use body weight resistance. Combining that with STS could amount to over training in my opinion. However, certain styles of yoga are more flexibility based and less strength and endurance focused. I can do yoga everyday, even if I am following an intense weight training program, as long as I am not interfering with my body's recovery after weight training by doing too much power yoga. I would skip intense power yoga during STS altogether and do moderate intensity once per week, and incorporate flexibility/restorative yoga as much as I wanted - even everyday.
d. Pilates has resistance training except a different kind than weights. You could skip the Ab Circuits workouts that come with STS sometimes and do Ab/low back focused pilates. Alternatively, you could skip pilates during the STS work weeks and do Pilates exclusively (no cardio or weight work) during the Recovery weeks. One of the ab workouts in STS is yoga inspired if I remember right.
I am no expert. Based on my experience of how intense and effective an hour with Cathe can be and my reading on STS, I think you will see great fat loss results even with doing less than your current plan.
SNM will be announcing suggested rotation to do on other days apart from STS. I think it may be best to stick with that, see your results and then decide if you need to do more. STS also comes with a stretch. You may feel it replaces your need for yoga (I remember seeing yoga poses in the stretch pics), or you can sub in stretchy-yoga.
I am curious too how it will all br broken down and how it will change up my routine when it gets here. anxiously waiting though