STS CHECK IN....DISC ONE

[Cathe Friedrich]

Go ahead and pick on me Jilly ...yes, I'm feeling it...and lovin it

Sure, take a wider stance on the straddles push ups. It gives you better balance AND still totally fires the inner chest, tri's and shoulders.

Stay strong and smile big

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!!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Sharihart, Stebby, Melissa D, Mary & Wendy

Way to go Sharihart!!!!

Stebby and Melissa D...Yes, I'm right there with you!!!!

Mary...those bicep 21's got me really good too. Biceps are usually more strong point, but not yesterday . Great observation on out of body experience. I had one ( or two) too

Wendy, so glad to hear Cathe TV segments are helping you. Stay Strong!!!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Funny, I'm thinking what DIDN'T we do, lol. Yes, all of those various push up positions are core/chest intensive. If you have not done push ups in a while and made an attempt to do a good portion of every variation offered, it is normal to feel run over by a truck today . It will go away soon. Light stretching is in order today

Glad I am not the only one feeling it under the arms/outside chest area but mine also goes down my rib cage??

Not sure what we did to hit these areas, maybe it was all the stabilizing the core in the pushups?

Rhonda

 

[motherofsix]

STS ROCKS

HI Cathe and Fellow STSers,

I made it through Disk 1 and am feeling the burn. This is Tuesday, I am still feeling it. The workout was fun, fast, and tough. The 1 rep maxes and the workout card really helped in knowing what weight to use. I noted on my workout card that I needed to drop about 1-2 pounds on only 2 of the exercises. But the rest were dead on. So glad I took the time to do the 1RMs.

Cathe, I want to thank you for all your hard work. You workouts have given me back my energy and helped me to drop 16 pounds in the last 16 weeks. I have gone from a size 12 to a size 8. I had a very difficult summer--stress fractured my left foot from doing too much and then when it was healed I broke my little toe on the same foot. I began eating junk and had gotten up to 142 pounds by Oct. 27th 2008. I posted on the ask Cathe Forum about starting over and I truly appreciate your reply. I will always remember to --"Listen to my Body." I am 5' 5" tall and now weigh 126 pounds. My goal is to get to 120 pounds--BUT I am going to listen to my body and will not push it if my body is happier at a different weight. I am actually fine at the weight I am right now. If I drop any more pounds that is fine. I am just very happy to have my energy back and am having a blast doing the STS workouts. I did the "No Equipment Abs" on the Ab Circuits DVD after I completed Disk 1. I knew that it would be tough because whenever you say "no equipment necessary" I know it will whip my butt.

I have tried to do workouts from other instructors, but I always come back to you because nobody pushes me like you do. Your workouts work for me. I am a 47 year old mother of six terrific children, ages 8 to 24, and I have the energy of a 20 year old. Thank you for all the hard work you and the entire cast and crew of STS put into such a huge project. I waited over a year for it, and am so glad I did. STS was my present to myself for working out with you and getting my life back. I am looking forward to your next project. And yes I will pre-order it and wait patiently for it because everything you produce is the BEST.

You ROCK Cathe!
God bless,
Heather

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Connie, Phyllis, Debbie, Karen, Carrie

Connie, When it comes to push ups, quality over quantity!!! You are sore and that's what counts. Keep up the great work

Way to go Phyllis!!!

Debbie...High Five to you and hubby!!

Karen, feeling soreness in weird places counts just as much as feeling it in normal places. It's all good

Carrie, I'm loving the Users Guide way more than I ever thought I would. Great quick reference for guidance before, during, and after the workout. I love that I can make notes in it for each workout. It will be fun to go through and see how I have improved from week one to week four in this mesocycle. Stay Strong

 

[Diane15]

Hi everyone!
My husband & I just did Disc 4 last night & let me say, it doesn't get easier!!
The time flew by as everyone else said, and my upper body was so fried afterwards.
By the way Cathe, I'm doing your rotation with the cardio, & for disc 4 you had us do the Yoga-based abs. Well, after doing all those pushups, I could hardly hold those planks, & that levitation hold? Forget about it! Something to work up to I guess! Anyway, thanks for a great series.
Diane

 

[ReenaPP]

Hi Cathe and Fellow STSers,

I completed Disc 1 yesterday and definitely felt the quivers during push ups (had to go to knees by 24 in the set of 30; the speed of the pushups is faster than gym style and that sort of threw me for a loop . I really enjoyed the workout and it did fly by.

Question for Cathe (and would love to hear feedback from other STSers as well
Subsequent to the workout, I felt a good soreness in my upper body, but have experienced more intense soreness after doing the Gym Style Series. While I was definitely working hard during the exercises, I didn't feel as though I was struggling to finish the set as the crew was at times on the dvd. I checked my workout card for the 1RM and the suggested weight for some exercises did seem on the lighter side to me, but then I checked the 1RM it was calculating off of and that seemed about right. So, my question is did I do anything wrong with my 1 RMs? Or am I right where I should be because we are doing 60% of our 1RM at this point? Or should I use my workout card as a guide and adjust my weight if I feel like it isn't challenging me or I am not struggling at the end? Just want to make sure I get the most out of the series and I haven't inadvertently done something wrong that will skew my results. Like a good little soldier (lol), I followed the directions provided online and in my STS guide to calculate the 1RMs.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

As always Cathe, thank you for another great product and for sharing your experiences with us! You're the best!

 

[CassieRN]

How much fun was that?!

Wow, what a workout...and it was just the first one!

Honestly, you have really outdone yourself I think that the 1RM is pure genius because it really pushed me to lift much harder than I would normally. I kept thinking, "This is an ENDURANCE workout?! OMG, what will the next two cycles be like?!"

Loved/hated all the pushups I couldn't do all of them like you guys but you know what, I DID all of them with modifications. So if it didn't hurt too much I would reach around and pat myself on the back! I think that it will be so much fun to come back and do the workout again after completing the whole series and see what changes I can see.

Also, I LOVE the CatheTV segments!!!! I bought STS for myself and also for my baby sister (I know she's 39 but she's still my baby sister!) and she has had 3 back surgeries. I was so excited to see the modifications you provided and called her right away to let her know that she CAN do this.

Cathe thanks so much for all that you have put into this! I have been working out with you since 1997 and while I have suffered setbacks (mostly that torn ACL and 3 surgeries to get the darn thing repaired!) but your workouts always push me to be the best I can be. I even made it back out on the slopes this year and honestly, I don't think I could have done it if I hadn't been doing your workouts.

So this 44-year-old mom of two couldn't be happier today

Can't wait to read about disc two!

Good luck everyone!

Cassie

 

[Amy Steppe]

Cathe,

If my one rep max is an uneven number like 16 pounds or 13 pounds, what do I do?

I have never seen dumbbells in odd numbers.

Can you help?


When you finish the workout and get a chance to write, please let me know how you did. If you have any questions regarding this workout, feel free to post them here.

High Fives, Good Night and Sleep well!

Cathe[/QUOTE]

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Belinda! How is it going so far? I would say the 3 month rotation is great for the following: a person who likes fast change, is already familiar with a lot of my workouts, is an experienced weight lifter, can't commit to long programs, gets bored easily. The 6 month program is great for the following: a person who is new to weight training and or not familiar with my previous workouts, enjoys the familiarity of a workout and while enjoys change, doesn't want too much too soon, one who can commit to a long term rotation with full focus and commitment.

Overall, you are going to get great results no matter how you slice the program. It comes down to a personal preference and knowing how your body and mind respond to exercise. If you like constant change do the three month, if you like to really feel familiar with whats coming and enjoy a repeat performance even more the second time around, then do the 6 month.

The only time I will say that the 6 month rotation is definitely better than the 3 month rotation is when a person is new to weight training. There is just so much variation and content for a newbie to digest and benefit from at that fast learning curve.

Hope tha helps Belinda. Miss you!

Hi Cahte,

I decited to do the 6 month rotaiton, what are the benefits vs. one or the other? I do love STS! Hight fives!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Amy! That's where the weighted gloves come in handy. They give you the ability to add a pound when you get into those situations. You can also try wearing weight adjustable wrist weights. Take Care!

Cathe,

If my one rep max is an uneven number like 16 pounds or 13 pounds, what do I do?

I have never seen dumbbells in odd numbers.

Can you help?


When you finish the workout and get a chance to write, please let me know how you did. If you have any questions regarding this workout, feel free to post them here.

High Fives, Good Night and Sleep well!

Cathe

[/quote]

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Kathryn, Tanline, Fitgirl ATX

Kathryn, great idea on font size increase for your workout card. High five to you and hubby too.

Good for you tanline

FitgirlATX...High Five on getting through those push ups.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Thanks for the feedack Heather! Woo hoo, congrat's on your weight loss. You have been so committed and wonderfully rewarded. Nothing beats feeling healthier and more energetic. Stay strong!

HI Cathe and Fellow STSers,

I made it through Disk 1 and am feeling the burn. This is Tuesday, I am still feeling it. The workout was fun, fast, and tough. The 1 rep maxes and the workout card really helped in knowing what weight to use. I noted on my workout card that I needed to drop about 1-2 pounds on only 2 of the exercises. But the rest were dead on. So glad I took the time to do the 1RMs.

Cathe, I want to thank you for all your hard work. You workouts have given me back my energy and helped me to drop 16 pounds in the last 16 weeks. I have gone from a size 12 to a size 8. I had a very difficult summer--stress fractured my left foot from doing too much and then when it was healed I broke my little toe on the same foot. I began eating junk and had gotten up to 142 pounds by Oct. 27th 2008. I posted on the ask Cathe Forum about starting over and I truly appreciate your reply. I will always remember to --"Listen to my Body." I am 5' 5" tall and now weigh 126 pounds. My goal is to get to 120 pounds--BUT I am going to listen to my body and will not push it if my body is happier at a different weight. I am actually fine at the weight I am right now. If I drop any more pounds that is fine. I am just very happy to have my energy back and am having a blast doing the STS workouts. I did the "No Equipment Abs" on the Ab Circuits DVD after I completed Disk 1. I knew that it would be tough because whenever you say "no equipment necessary" I know it will whip my butt.

I have tried to do workouts from other instructors, but I always come back to you because nobody pushes me like you do. Your workouts work for me. I am a 47 year old mother of six terrific children, ages 8 to 24, and I have the energy of a 20 year old. Thank you for all the hard work you and the entire cast and crew of STS put into such a huge project. I waited over a year for it, and am so glad I did. STS was my present to myself for working out with you and getting my life back. I am looking forward to your next project. And yes I will pre-order it and wait patiently for it because everything you produce is the BEST.

You ROCK Cathe!
God bless,
Heather

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hurray to you and hubby Diane! You are going to have a six pack to die for this summer.

Hi everyone!
My husband & I just did Disc 4 last night & let me say, it doesn't get easier!!
The time flew by as everyone else said, and my upper body was so fried afterwards.
By the way Cathe, I'm doing your rotation with the cardio, & for disc 4 you had us do the Yoga-based abs. Well, after doing all those pushups, I could hardly hold those planks, & that levitation hold? Forget about it! Something to work up to I guess! Anyway, thanks for a great series.
Diane

 

[bayerngirl]

Hi Belinda! How is it going so far? I would say the 3 month rotation is great for the following: a person who likes fast change, is already familiar with a lot of my workouts, is an experienced weight lifter, can't commit to long programs, gets bored easily. The 6 month program is great for the following: a person who is new to weight training and or not familiar with my previous workouts, enjoys the familiarity of a workout and while enjoys change, doesn't want too much too soon, one who can commit to a long term rotation with full focus and commitment.

Overall, you are going to get great results no matter how you slice the program. It comes down to a personal preference and knowing how your body and mind respond to exercise. If you like constant change do the three month, if you like to really feel familiar with whats coming and enjoy a repeat performance even more the second time around, then do the 6 month.

The only time I will say that the 6 month rotation is definitely better than the 3 month rotation is when a person is new to weight training. There is just so much variation and content for a newbie to digest and benefit from at that fast learning curve.

Hope tha helps Belinda. Miss you!

Thanks Cathe, for clearing it up for me and everyone else on this forum! I can't wait for Bicps and Tricps workout tomorrow! I miss you too I am so excited to do STS with you for the next few month! Take care!

 

[rjroubi]

I'm a day ahead......I had to start the rotation on Sunday due to my work schedule, but I will be following along and checking in.

As I do the rotation, I'm getting quite an education about my body as far as my strengths and weaknesses. For one, I learned that I can handle regular pushups much better than wide stance...hmm...weaker chest muscles and possibly stronger triceps. I guess I have another goal. Anyway.... Cathe your tips alone and information on just these first few STS DVDs are really helpful. I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying the workouts....no muscle is left untouched!!! Thanks again for such a quality production.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Great question ReenaPP. Yes, you are where you need to be. You are in the muscle endurance phase, not the hypertrophy phase (which is more like the gym style workouts). Each mesocycle has its own purpose and this one is for muscle endurance, stamina building, laying the ground work for the next phase of hypertrophy. Meso 2 will not be nearly as fast paced. That being said each week of each meso presents a new challenge. So next week when you do this workout you will feel, yet again, differently. Have "fun"!

Hi Cathe and Fellow STSers,

I completed Disc 1 yesterday and definitely felt the quivers during push ups (had to go to knees by 24 in the set of 30; the speed of the pushups is faster than gym style and that sort of threw me for a loop . I really enjoyed the workout and it did fly by.

Question for Cathe (and would love to hear feedback from other STSers as well
Subsequent to the workout, I felt a good soreness in my upper body, but have experienced more intense soreness after doing the Gym Style Series. While I was definitely working hard during the exercises, I didn't feel as though I was struggling to finish the set as the crew was at times on the dvd. I checked my workout card for the 1RM and the suggested weight for some exercises did seem on the lighter side to me, but then I checked the 1RM it was calculating off of and that seemed about right. So, my question is did I do anything wrong with my 1 RMs? Or am I right where I should be because we are doing 60% of our 1RM at this point? Or should I use my workout card as a guide and adjust my weight if I feel like it isn't challenging me or I am not struggling at the end? Just want to make sure I get the most out of the series and I haven't inadvertently done something wrong that will skew my results. Like a good little soldier (lol), I followed the directions provided online and in my STS guide to calculate the 1RMs.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

As always Cathe, thank you for another great product and for sharing your experiences with us! You're the best!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Thanks Robin. Keep up the great work!!!

I'm a day ahead......I had to start the rotation on Sunday due to my work schedule, but I will be following along and checking in.

As I do the rotation, I'm getting quite an education about my body as far as my strengths and weaknesses. For one, I learned that I can handle regular pushups much better than wide stance...hmm...weaker chest muscles and possibly stronger triceps. I guess I have another goal. Anyway.... Cathe your tips alone and information on just these first few STS DVDs are really helpful. I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying the workouts....no muscle is left untouched!!! Thanks again for such a quality production.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Thanks Cassie. I love your energy and enthusiasm. Keep working hard!

Wow, what a workout...and it was just the first one!

Honestly, you have really outdone yourself I think that the 1RM is pure genius because it really pushed me to lift much harder than I would normally. I kept thinking, "This is an ENDURANCE workout?! OMG, what will the next two cycles be like?!"

Loved/hated all the pushups I couldn't do all of them like you guys but you know what, I DID all of them with modifications. So if it didn't hurt too much I would reach around and pat myself on the back! I think that it will be so much fun to come back and do the workout again after completing the whole series and see what changes I can see.

Also, I LOVE the CatheTV segments!!!! I bought STS for myself and also for my baby sister (I know she's 39 but she's still my baby sister!) and she has had 3 back surgeries. I was so excited to see the modifications you provided and called her right away to let her know that she CAN do this.

Cathe thanks so much for all that you have put into this! I have been working out with you since 1997 and while I have suffered setbacks (mostly that torn ACL and 3 surgeries to get the darn thing repaired!) but your workouts always push me to be the best I can be. I even made it back out on the slopes this year and honestly, I don't think I could have done it if I hadn't been doing your workouts.

So this 44-year-old mom of two couldn't be happier today

Can't wait to read about disc two!

Good luck everyone!

Cassie

 

[Stephie]

STS Check in

Hi Cathe,

I actually did disc 7 this morning. (DH and I run a hiking trail near our house together -well, sort of together, he waits about 20 minutes for me to finish - every Friday so I changed my weight days to T, Th & Sat.) Anyway, I just wanted to join the fun of the check-in. I am thrilled with the program, although unfortunately I'm not melting away like Heather. I have found that I am STARVING and having a hard time keeping my consumption down. I hope that this will even out but in the meantime, at least I don't seem to be gaining weight even though I'm eating more.

I am happy to report that I've convinced DH to do STS with me. He's 2 weeks behind but says he really likes the workouts, even though they're not what he usually does. He's happy with the "burn" he's getting. Now I just have to convince the boys....

Thanks again Cathe for this great program. Even if I'm not "melting away" I just love the challenge and the feeling of "Well, if nothing else, I accomplished my workout today." Well, aside from maybe all those push-ups!

Take Care,
Steph