STS CHECK IN....DISC ONE

High five to you and your hubby! Love to hear you are working out together. You can keep each other accountable. Now no fighting over each others weights and remember to clean your space when you are finished....ha, just being silly with you!

Work up to push ups slowly Lara. Having babies is very hard on the core. They will get easier and you are smart not to rush things before you are ready.

I agree, shoulder exercises are the exact muscle group that benefits most from those one pound increments. Triceps and biceps too of course, but I really find I need it most on shoulder exercises.

Keep up the great work you two!


woopig said:
Hello!

DH and I just finished Disc one. Whoa...I think we will both be sore tomorrow!! What a great workout! I have to admit that we "cheated" a little bit. Since DH and I are doing this together, we had to pause a little longer so we could both get set up. We also had to share a few pieces of equipment. I hope we can add to our home gym soon so we won't have to pause so much (although it felt great to sneak in a little break;)).
I only did about 40% of the push-ups on my toes. I haven't felt strong enough to fully support my core during push-ups since having my little girl---but, I will keep working on it!!
I plan on buying pace weights as well. There were a few exercises (shoulders specifically) that I thought I could go up a pound or two.
Thanks Cathe!! STS is wonderful!
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Cathe Friedrich said:
Great question Karen. You are 100% correct in that you will feel this exercise with emphasis on the triceps. But I chose to include it in this workout because straddle push ups also put nice emphasis on the inner chest muscles which is a nice compliment to the chest flys which emphasize more outer chest muscle. No matter how you slice any push up, you will always get triceps in there though. With that in mind definitely put a day in between this program and your back and tricep program to give those triceps recovery time. Thanks for asking and for checking in this late :)
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Cathe, thanks for getting back to me on this. Your explanation makes a lot of sense and now I can do those versions of the push up with confidence that I'm doing them right!

Karen
 
Great feedback Dani. Those core push ups are very hard. Oh boy, are they hard. One day when you're ready you can attempt them. For now, I'm loving how you are listening to your body and modifying as needed. Wall push ups are excellent. For some variety, do them slow at times and also do partial reps here and there (when go down toward wall, half way up 3 times and down and all the way up). Repeat 8 times or until you really feel it. Take Care!


dbelden1 said:
Hi Cathe and all to follow:

Well, I gotta say that I had already started STS on 2/2, but when you announced that you were going to do this with us, I started over just to experience it with you!

I gotta say that I felt better the second time around and after doing the first 2 weeks, I have a good feel for the timing and rythm of it all and am having a blast... Ok, I DO tell you off a few times during those ENDLESS pushups, but happy to say that they don't show their ugly heads again until next week!

There were a few "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WOMAN!" shouts at the TV and the "ah, yeah?" when asked if "we are feeling that?" AH! :)

Seriously though, I can't do many of those pushups on my knees, so do them that way until my wrists and shoulders just can't handle them any longer, and I am managing to finish them leaning against the wall.

I was huffin and puffin at the Standing Quarter curls and managed to grunt them out!

I think I need to work on my chest flies... I have not been feeling it in the chest area, but more in the arms, so need to really visualize the pecks and remember to keep the shoulders retracted and work from the chest and not the arms so much... will try this more next week!

I admit that I FastForwarded through the Core Boot Camp Pushups :eek:, but there was NO way at that point that I was going to be able to do those, so I will keep working on those...

I totally agree that the 50 minute workout FLIES by and is SO enjoyable! I have a nice toasty feeling in the shoulders!

Yeah, M1W1D1 DONE (again :))
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Erin, STS has hit you in all the right places. Here's to continuing to kick butt now and on the day of your triathlon!!!!


cats_meow_0911 said:
Cathe, I would love to give you a high five, but I just did STS today and can't lift my arms. ;)

I actually just started week 2 (did disc 4 today) and I love love love this program. I am pretty advanced (or so I thought!) and this is kicking my behind--literally!

Those preacher curls are KILLER! I was grunting my way through those.

ANd DO NOT get me started on those push-ups. Holy moly.

If STS doesn't make me super-strong for my triathlon training this summer, then nothing will!
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I started today too - loved every minute!! OK - maybe there were a few where I thought - what, more push ups???! I need to get better with those, though, so I appreciated them although I did not really love all of them :) On the toes gets me although I have the strength for chest work so that is baffling, and I could do the core (boot camp?? ones with knees in on the toes). Does that make any sort of sense? I keep thinking maybe I am doing something wrong with regular push ups!

Thank you so much for this series. I have to thank you also for your candid account of the workout! That really made me feel more normal...:p

Looking forward to the next one on Wednesday!

Have a great night ~

GO HEATHER!!! YOU ARE AMAZING, AS ALWAYS.
You almost have me wanting to do the 6 month rotation.
 
Brilliant idea with having a tray to hold your STS notebook Nancy. In addition to not having to walk far it also spares your back and knees from bending down to the floor to constantly pick up notebook to write notes. That too adds up after a while. Hmmm, I might bring that point up on a Cathe TV segemnt to help everyone out. Good Call!

The warm up is sync'd tightly but true, not 100% to the way you typically are used to with me. I refer to it as a "lazy" beat verses off beat because sometimes you hit the beat just slightly behind where you are used to crisply hitting it. These are just some of the minor side effects that come with filming first and adding music later. Since I am performing in silence and therefore not moving to an exact, steady, timed beat, the music can't be written to match my movements 100% or you would hear it "wander off" to my "natural" beat verses a "machine driven" beat. Now that would be something you would REALLY notice :eek:

Keep up the great work Nancy and glad to hear you are feeling better too.



NancyAZ said:
This was my second experience for M1 W1D1, since I did it once and then got sick. I liked it just as much this second time and maybe even more. Knowing in advance a little more what to expect helped me set equipment up better, including bringing in a TV tray to hold my STS notebook to make notes and not have to walk as far (which I originally didn't think was far at all) to do it between sets. That little thing made a big difference.

As with the first time through, I got thrown off by the beat and the movement in the warmup that don't seem to match in places. Is that just me? I'm usually pretty good that way.

All pushups were on my knees, but I tried to vary them according to whatever style you were doing. I got through most of them, but not all. In all of the exercises I appreciate how you encourage everyone to go at their own pace. That makes a big difference and takes the pressure off to try to lift faster than I should/am able and to be able to finish the sets (most of the time!).

There was plenty of gruntin' and groanin' going on and I had more than a few welfare checks from the many cats that roam through the house!
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Hi Shana banana (too cute). You are doing great. Don't doubt yourself on the push ups. There are a lot and just doing what you can and modifying the rest is just what you should be doing. Keep up the great work.


meowracer said:
I started today too - loved every minute!! OK - maybe there were a few where I thought - what, more push ups???! I need to get better with those, though, so I appreciated them although I did not really love all of them :) On the toes gets me although I have the strength for chest work so that is baffling, and I could do the core (boot camp?? ones with knees in on the toes). Does that make any sort of sense? I keep thinking maybe I am doing something wrong with regular push ups!

Thank you so much for this series. I have to thank you also for your candid account of the workout! That really made me feel more normal...:p

Looking forward to the next one on Wednesday!

Have a great night ~

GO HEATHER!!! YOU ARE AMAZING, AS ALWAYS.
You almost have me wanting to do the 6 month rotation.
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Hi Cathe,

I am also done with disc 1, loved every minute! I have one :eek:, we
would love to know the benefits of 3 1/2 month vs. 6 1/2 month... especially for those of us that aren't new to weight training? I been lifting heavy 3 times a week for the last year.
 
Hi Cathe,

I did STS Disc 1 with you and started it today. Wow! It definitely is a butt kicker. I'm glad that I've been doing 4DS heavy weight segments and all of Gymstyles, and Pure Strength to get me stronger so I could do this. I've told you before I have MS. Thanks to your DVD's I've regained strength in both my upper and lower body, which is awesome.:D I really was so excited to get STS and I'm so glad I made the investment in my health and continued mobility to get it.

Ok, I have to confess my upperbody isn't nearly as strong as yours. I have trouble doing more than maybe five pushups from my toes on a good day.:p I usually do them with bent knees. Oh man were there alot of pushups today or what? Phew! Those were killer. I kept telling myself this is like spinach its good for you, so just do it, so I did- some of them I did have to modify cause there were a lot of variations on pushups. I do have to say that I did like the staggered pushups, never saw those before. I really felt those in my arms more so than the others. I did find that even with my 1RM being on the STS card I did have to go down on the weights for Lateral raises. I'm just not as strong in the upperbody, but STS is going to help me change that.;) Preacher curls on the stability ball are always a challenge. They sneak up on you making you think after the first few reps its easy then as you go on your thinking oh no make it stop. LOL!! I found the core pushups bootcamp style were really tough on me and I felt those in the triceps. I have tendonitis in one of my elbows and those really hurt with that.

One thing I wanted to say is that this workout was fun and I appreciated with the intensity of it that we did only 1 set of everything, thank goodness!;) This workout did move rather quickly and almost felt like circuit style workout minus the cardio. Its good that way because you get us to get in and hit it hard and move on quickly to the next thing before we can really think about how hard it was. LOL!! I guess that's what the T in STS stands for Tough love.

I have done a couple of the Ab circuits workouts so far and I love those. I'm sort of an Ab obsessed. I'm desperate to achieve great looking abs after having two kids and two C-sections I just know there's got to be hope outside of an expensive plastic surgeon. :D My kids are 14 and 12 now so I can't say that its from just having a baby. LOL!! I was a bit of a glutton for a tough workout today so I did some Treadmill Cardio walking and jogging, sprinting intervals- 2.55 miles worth, then I did STS disc 1 with you, and then STS Ab Circuit- No equipment abs, it was awesome!! There's one thing I can say you can never go wrong with a great workout with Cathe and it will be for real tough but fun workout. You always have perfect form as does your crew and there is always a sense of fun while doing the workout. In my teens and early twenties I hated working out and avoided it. In my late twenties on up I've worked out because I wanted to look better. Now, in my early forties I workout to feel great and keep up my mobility, and fitness. I do still want to lose weight and get a lean cut figure too, but its just not the first thing I focus on in my fitness priorities list. I'm trying to eat cleaner and substitute good healthy things for the bad or illegal stuff. So, that's a good positive step forward.

I really love STS so far and I am excited with the prospects on making big changes that will come from doing the STS work. It will be challenging but fun journey that we are making with you and its going to be great! Thank you for making STS, it rocks and so do you Cathe!

Next mountain for us climb STS week 1 Disc 2 and may the force be with us!:D

Hugs!

Nora
 
Hi all!!
Am also struggling to type OUCH! I thought I was the only one up late! just finished, WHoo! I'll have nightmares of pushups:DLOL Loved it, loved it. I too had topause a few times trying to set up. But I'll get that rhythm eventually. Sometimes it came in handy though.;). Its great to have company,and knowing I won't be the only one growning picking up a pencil tomorrow. HEHE.

Did I mention thoughs pushups were tough??? It deserved an encore:p

meezAnimatedBodyshot175x233pushu-1.gif


Just one more push up!
 
Hi Cathe I complete succesfully disc 1 (also disc 26). obviously I wasn't able to do all the push up but I'm close to the glory!!!!! I love the set and the atmosfere that you and the crew create every time. I'm can't explain all in the details becouse the linguage (I'm italian) but you are the best and I so happy to have all your dvds.
 
I started STS with everyone who started yesterday , and I was BLOWN AWAY ! I LOVED it ! (where's the icon with hearts all around it ??)

I think the 1RM testing was VERY accurate. Although I admit I WAS wondering especially on the exercises that I BARELY could eek out that last rep....what do I do when we go to 70% ???? Will I really be able to do that weight ????:eek:
and SOMEHOW I ended up with one that was WAYYYYYY off ! It had me down as doing side lateral raises on the ball (one at a time) with 15 pounds !!!!!:eek::eek: WHAT ?? I ended up guessing and doing it with 6 and I maybe could have done 8 , but NO WAY 15 !!! I'm not sure what happened there, but everything else was right on the money.

I had to do quite a few of the pushups on my knees, but honestly was surprised at how many I did on my toes. Also I LOVE the accountability of recording everything and checking in (with CATHE, no less !). I started to fast forward through the bootcamp abs, just thinking there was NO WAY I could do one more pushup at that point, and then I thought that I had to at least TRY and do a couple, and I ended up doing them all !!! I shocked myself !!

There was so much to love . I did the extended stretch and think I will ALWAYS add that on . I loved the feel of the workout, I love how it pushed me, but I felt the "fun factor" too. It wasn't all serious business. Cathe I loved that you showed when you were really feeling the last reps on biceps and a few of the others ! I knew I wasn't alone !:) The music is motivating, the set is great..... I'm very excited about the program and doing this rotation right now !!
I have had a few problems along the way (with the workout manager, calander, 1 RM testing ) and I have gotten SO MUCH help . I post a question and right away I have responses with the answers I needed. Cathe "friends" are the best !!!:D
Cathe TV is a great idea and I will definitely be checking that weekly for tips and suggestions.

I am a little disappointed that today isn't disc 2 ! But I will enjoy my cardio and look forward to Wednesday .;)

Becky
 
Hi everyone,

I did Disc 1 yesterday morning and I am feeling it today in the chest and a little in the bis.

The push ups always get me. If I am on my toes, I can only get about half way down. Hopefully one day I can get all the way down. If I go to my knees I can get all the way down. So that will take some work. by the end of the push ups I had to be careful with the hand placement as sometimes it will hurt my shoulder.

All in all, I enjoyed the workout and I will be doing Disc 3 on Wednesday instead of Disc 2 as I like to put in more rest between upper body workouts and I also want to do plyo legs on Saturday so this way I will be "rested" in the lower body for that.

I enjoy and upper, lower, upper rotation better than upper, upper, lower. I don't think it will make a difference, will it Cathe??

Glad to be on board with everyone.

Rhonda
 
Hi Cathe,

LOVE STS even more than I thought I would! Disk 1 flew by before I knew it. I love how quickly it moves and you have no time to get bored or even think (or groan) about what is coming next. Definitely push ups were the hardest part of this workout. I modified A LOT to get through all of those. I did slow down on plenty of the sets in order to get through, but I did get through all of the reps! 1RM very accurate..had to work for the last few. Thanks for such an awesome program. Looking forward to disk 2 with you!
 
Good Morning to Cathe and Everyone-

I did disk one yesterday morning. Despite doing it at the insane hour of 5:30am, it felt really great to finally get started.

Cathe, you asked for our challenge areas....I am going to just say the whole workout was a challenge, lol :p

In particular though, my toughest bit, (not including the pushups of course like everyone else) was the barbell curls in their various configurations. I must have been particularly strong on 1RM testing day because the weight yesterday was ridiculous, but I did make it through just about all of the 21's (sorry for what I yelled at the tv at that point) lol ;)

My other particular favorite note from the workout is how you get about 3/4 of the way through and you can really no longer feel your upper body anymore. lol You manage to somehow get through the rest of it and do all the exercises with good form, but it was like watching and feeling the muscles work from afar. I guess I have discovered a new talent, out of body experience. That can go in the advertising for STS as a bonus benefit. lol :eek:

Thanks for all the inspiring posts everyone. Off to work for now. Enjoy your day. :D

Mary
 
"I was shaking and sweating by rep 20 and forget about after that....by rep 24 things got ugly...I sounded WAY TOO PERKY on video. How on earth is that possible? I'm going to have to have a talk with that woman ;)"


Welcome to our world, LOL, or the "She wants me to do WHAT????" club.

Finished up disc 1 yesterday. I so enjoyed the variety and the mixing the different muscle groups. I did pretty well with the pushups. Surprisingly well with the declines and staggered, but did need to finish the last 10 of the 30 on my knees. I look forward to being able to bang out all 30 on my toes in the near future!!



The 50 minutes FLEW!! This is gonna be fun. Bring it!!
 
I did Disc 1 yesterday as well. For an hour afterwards, I couldn't type very well and couldn't lift my glass to drink very steadily. Today I was expecting major DOMS, but no - I just feel pleasantly worked. I did some abs and stretching this morning, which was nice. I'm a bit afraid of Disc 2 tomorrow afternoon, with the pull ups and chin ups! I'm planning to put my body bar across two stable chairs and use that to start. (If that doesn't work out for me, I will do these exercises at the gym since I will be there for a Spinning class tomorrow morning.)

Cathe, I'm so thrilled that you are doing this with us and even more thrilled that you are sounding like a regular person! Well, a very fit regular person, but struggling right along with the rest of us.

Stebby
 
Wow....

Time just flew by. I was breathing hard and loving it! My ultimate goal was to do just one push up. I am up to 16 and kept up with the rest by alternating on/off my knees (thanks for the CatheTv tips). Success!
I was not able to check in yesterday since I was on a high all day with a sense of accomplishment.
Today on the otherhand, my chest is asking me to hurry up and finsh typing. :D
I usually don't feel sore until the next day, but I did my workout monday at 5:00am and was sore by late afternoon.
I am so Happy and sore, hee hee!
Wendy
 
I really enjoyed reading your post, Cathe - you are so funny!!!

Is it wrong for me to feel better that you, too, struggled with this workout??

Disc 1 is so tough for me! I have to admit that body weight exercises are typically very, very tough for me. And all those pushups - yowza!!! But I can't help but get stronger, right??

And I am so glad I did my 1RM tests. I was ready to pick up a weight which I thought would be challenging, but when I checked my workout card, I found I was about to lift a dumbbell 15 lbs lighter than I should have!!!

I have a question - I find it much easier to do the straddle pushups if I keep my feet very wide and far apart. Is this an okay modification? Or do you suggest keeping my feet a bit closer together and dropping to my knees (which I need to do circa rep 2!)?

By the way, I love, love, love STS. I have never, ever experienced a fun factor with weight workouts the way I have with STS. Thank you so very much for all your hard work!!
 
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