STS Check In Disc 25

[library girl]

I did this one today too. It went very well. I thought I would be bored silly with those breaks, but they moved pretty quickly.

Cathe - I have a question. I do not have a rack for my barbell and my incline chest presses have me at 69 lbs for today's workout. I can't get much more than 55 lbs into position so I am not working to failure with only 8 reps on those sets. Is it okay to do 10 reps at the lower weight or is this defeating the purpose of the strength sets?

 

[wiggie]

Incline work

I loved doing something so different. I needed every second of those rests.

Do you guys usually use the same weight on flat bench and incline work?

I don't have a rack so on incline work I have to decrease the weight, I just can't get it up.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Chest and Back

I did this workout yesterday and I am feeling a pleasant, wink, tightness across my chest as I type right now. Due to the push pull concept the rest periods seem to go more quickly. I remember when we filmed this one and it was one of our favorite workouts. The first two sets have you wondering if you should have gone heavier and then by set three suddenly it turns out to be the perfect weight. The one arm row and the bench press are the big time burner combo for me in this routine. Of course the others are hard too but for some reason this twosome really gets the blood flow in there. I just love how that feels too.

Next up for me is Plyo Legs. I'm going to do this instead of the weighted vest option because I haven't done it in a while and I miss it.

I'm going to read your comments now....

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Lori Ann! Yes, do 10 reps at the lower weight. You are not defeating the purpose, as you will still gain strength. You will just not gain maximal strength.

Is it possible that you have someone there with you for this workout so that they can hand you/take away the weight for you? If so, that would be your best option. If not, do the program at 10 reps with your safest, most doable, challenging weight.

I did this one today too. It went very well. I thought I would be bored silly with those breaks, but they moved pretty quickly.

Cathe - I have a question. I do not have a rack for my barbell and my incline chest presses have me at 69 lbs for today's workout. I can't get much more than 55 lbs into position so I am not working to failure with only 8 reps on those sets. Is it okay to do 10 reps at the lower weight or is this defeating the purpose of the strength sets?

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Wiggie,

If you can't rack your weight switch to dumbbells so that you can pick up/release your weights more effectively. Might even be able to lift an extra pound or two as a result.

I don't have a rack so on incline work I have to decrease the weight, I just can't get it up.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

I'm going to do Plyo Legs.

I just want to point out to any of you choosing to do the weighted vest option that if you are choosing this option as opposed to the squat rack routine you most likely aren't going to be going as heavy as you would if you used the squat rack option. If you are not going as heavy, you will not require as much rest time. Therefore, reduce your rest period just slightly so that you don't "cool down" the muscle too much before you hit it again

I finished this up this morning. Very different workout than meso 2. The amount of weight scared me to pieces but really was spot on once I started in. The 4 sets really got me good. I really need two bar bells with all the weight on, weight off during the rests. Hmmm....maybe a Mother's Day gift request.

I'm still trying to choose between plyo and squat rack legs workouts. I guess I better make my decision pretty darn quickly. I'm leaning to Plyo. What are you all doing come Wednesday?

Have a great workout folks!!!!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

I'm 5 pounds lighter for incline Petramom.

I loved doing something so different. I needed every second of those rests.

Do you guys usually use the same weight on flat bench and incline work?

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Becky for the most accurate and best results you should stick with one option for the whole four weeks. However, having said that, the program has to be comfortable and safe for you to do so if adjustments work best for you, make adjustments

I LIKED IT !!!

I really loved meso 2 and was afraid I'd be not as crazy about meso 3 but I really enjoyed the change.

I did lower my weight a bit for the flat bench chest presses because getting them to me to start the reps seems "iffy", like I am risking injury. But by the last set, I was up to the weight on my card.

The longer rests - I thought might make me lose my focus but I think because I really needed the rests, and used them to my full advantage, walking around to catch my breath , stretching and getting water, that wasn't the case at all.

I have a question about legs......can you switch between plyo and heavy legs, or should you really stick to one ?
I dont' have a squat rack, but also am not sure about all that jumping. I am working out on carpet over concrete, and not sure I have room for puzzlemats (and have a ceiling fan above, which would further limit me). I just can't decide what I should do.
and wonder if I start with one, can I switch to the other, if necessary or go back & forth.

Loved the workout, now I'm off to walk my dog in this beautiful, sunny weather !

Becky

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Becky! For this mesocycle supermans would not be an equivalent trade off (darn it )


Either modify the deadlift to quarter deadlifts, where you go NO LOWER than knee height...(stay above knee height if needed). If the deadlift motion itself is just a flat out NO CAN DO, than do underhand close grip barbell rows at a 45 degree hinge (verses hinging too far forward to a flat back) so that you keep you lower back less stressed.

Cathe,

I forgot to ask this question in my post. I don't do deadlifts (due to my back) and in Meso 1 & 2 I was doing supermans as a substitution.
Is that still the best exercise to use as a sub ?? It doesn't seem right when the focus is supposed to be heavy lifting .
I feel like I am getting off really easy doing supermans, and today I used the weighted gloves ......but 2 pounds when everyone else is deadlifting heavy weight ???????

Thanks ,

Becky

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Lita! SInce you are starting the a new mesocycle, you will be fine delaying the start by a few extra days. But if your busting at the seems to workout, then try doing nothing tomorrow, then low impact cardio on thursday Disc 27 on Thursday, low impact on Friday and your leg workout on Saturday (even on Sunday if you wanted too). Then the following week go back to your normal routine. That will give your legs a full rest until Saturday. But this advise is null and void if your doctor disagrees with it.

Take Care!

I'm back with a question for all of you STSers and Cathe .

I am not going to be able to do tomorrow's leg workout . My physical therapist thinks I need to give the lower body a miss until we see if the new ultrasound treatment is going to ease any of my pain.

So, instead of doing disc 26 tomorrow, should I just move on to disc 27 and then do disc 28 on Thursday? Then when I do get the okay to do legs, I can somehow try to catch up on those? Or is it not a good idea to try and do a second chest/back workout this week?

My PT is not enthusiastic about me doing another day of cardio either, but I did assure her I would keep it as low impact as possible. I plan on doing LM Premix 2 (segments 4 - 7). Unless someone can think of something with even lower impact. 4DS LIS is out because the sweeps definitely exacerbate my pain.

I feel so guilty - especially since last week was our rest week. But I keep telling myself it's just for this week (hopefully). I am also sad because I know the results I'm seeing are from sticking to the rotation so faithfully. Now during the most effective phase I'm not going to be able to do that. So I feel like I've just defeated the whole purpose after all these weeks.

(Okay - I'll quit whining now...)

 

[Shadow]

Hi Lita! SInce you are starting the a new mesocycle, you will be fine delaying the start by a few extra days. But if your busting at the seems to workout, then try doing nothing tomorrow, then low impact cardio on thursday Disc 27 on Thursday, low impact on Friday and your leg workout on Saturday (even on Sunday if you wanted too). Then the following week go back to your normal routine. That will give your legs a full rest until Saturday. But this advise is null and void if your doctor disagrees with it.

Take Care!

Thanks, Cathe! Hopefully I'll be allowed to get that leg workout in later on this week. Needless to say, I was so psyched for Meso 3 to begin, I already did the upper body workouts . Scary to think I'm upset at missing legs when that is my least favorite part to work ! Just goes to show how addicting the whole STS system is!

 

[SassyLady7]

Hi Everyone,

I felt really sluggish coming out of the rest week, so I procrastinated & waited until today to do this. But the energy, enthusiasm & motivation returned about 30 seconds after I heard the STS music starting! Something about the opening music just makes you want to start working out!

I really liked this! I was pleasantly surprised that I lifted 80% for all the exercises, even went a smidgen heavier on some. The chest flys were the toughest for me--on the last set, I barely got 6 reps. Deadlifts are never my favorite to do, but having only 8 reps at a time makes it really nice! I feel mildly DOMSy, it being about 3-4 hrs since I did the workout.

I thought that Meso 2 was going to be my favorite, but I'm having second thoughts now!
I'm looking forward to plyo legs--going to do tomorrow to get back on schedule-- & am anxious to do shoulders, bics & tris on Friday.

Until tomorrow!

 

[shanihib]

Hey all, I just finished this one myself. I have been sick and still am actually, but felt well enough (and impatient enough) that I did it this afternoon. I normally work out in the AM before work but wanted that sleep time to get over this cold!

The flat bench press and barbell rows were definitely too light (even as I finished the 4th set). I bumped up the weights by 5 by the end and have a feeling I could have gone heavier. The rest of the exercises were pretty much dead on. I have a tightness in my mid back so I'm sure I'll be feeling those DOMS tomorrow!

It was GOOD to be back to working out again.

 

[KRISTINE A]

Hi Shanihib-I, too, had to increase my weights-which meant I had to adjust all the wts for all of the workout cards I had already printed. I wonder why these wts felt light? Are we stronger than we thought??

I don't know if I will have doms or not. I only had them last cycle after doing legs. I really had them bad after the first cycle-I miss them!!

Will be doing Plyo legs next, after reading all about how wonderful they were.

Good luck to everyone on the this cycle!!

Kris

 

[shanihib]

Kris, I think part of it may be that it was the first work those muscles have done in almost 2 weeks. If they had been the last muscles worked that day I wonder if we would have felt as strong. I did adjust my weights anyhow but will watch it and may go back to the original weights if, once fatigued, I can no longer keep that pace!

 

[kryptychyck]

Did thid on Monday

Wow - this is a great workout! I love lifting heavy so this suited me just fine. I am so happy I can bench 85 and deadlift 106.

Ah - I just realized that the weighted gloves were only a pound each after reading some other posts! I know it said so on the box, but I had 2lbs stuck in my head! I will have to go to Walmart and get some sinkers to stick in there for the extra lbs I need.

Anyway, I enjoyed this and I am looking forward to disc 27.

 

[worseenemy]

Love this workout

Love it, love it, I'm so happy with this workout,I did not bench as much as I will like to try because I don't have a rack, but I'm going to try with spotter, I'm going to call my friend and see if I can bench more, anyways great workout, love the 3 min rest in between.
I can believe is almost over, is going to be hard pick a new rotation after doing sts ,I love feeling strong....
Thanks Cathe

 

[worseenemy]

good everyone

Hi Shanihib-I, too, had to increase my weights-which meant I had to adjust all the wts for all of the workout cards I had already printed. I wonder why these wts felt light? Are we stronger than we thought??

I don't know if I will have doms or not. I only had them last cycle after doing legs. I really had them bad after the first cycle-I miss them!!

Will be doing Plyo legs next, after reading all about how wonderful they were.

Good luck to everyone on the this cycle!!

Kris

Hi Kristine
So I have a funny question, I was wondering when I print the DVD #example 25, is going to give me the weight that I suppose to use for that workout?
I did disc 25 yesterday and I have to go little heavy also I have to change me weight, I felt pretty good, you know I was literally yelling YES,YES this is good
good thing my daughter's were at school if not there going to think that I'm getting crazy.

 

[morningstar]

I think I'm really gonna like this mesocycle. I subbed in pullovers for the deadlifts, just kinda because I wanted to! (I love pullovers) However, I wasn't all that fond of moving so often from my flat bench to the incline step (major space issues at my place). I also wasn't enjoying the fact that as my highest weight dumbbell is 35lbs, and I clearly need 45-50-55 DBs now, I had to attach two 5 lb ankle weights to each wrist for the one arm rows (and then switch them to the other wrist each time). I also used the ankle weights for bench press, etc. I lifted 105 for the barbell rows, the heaviest so far on that one. All that being said, I really liked the lifting heavy for only 8 reps, I liked that there were no pull ups (as I can't do them, they make me feel inadequate!) but I miss push ups, believe it or not.

 

[Autumn68]

did it today

Wow, I guess I like the standard exercises using heavy weights. It's like a challenge. I was happy with my weights:
started w/ flat bench presses: 57# & back: 46#
I feel very strong - although reading some of the other posts, I guess it wasn't that heavy. Anyway, my husband had to spot me, I have not gotten a rack yet.
Autumn
PS Cathe: love that color green you guys were wearing!!!!