STS equipment
- Thread starter DebiB1
- Start date
My husband is working his way through STS, but I haven't had the courage to try it yet. 
So, I'm not personally very familiar with the series and could be thinking of something different than what you're asking. So, if my answer doesn't make sense, feel free to ignore it. I'm thinking, though, that you might be talking about her Turbo Barre or Fit Tower. Neither is being sold anymore. My husband had to drive 3 states away to pick up a used (and overpriced) Fit Tower. We had to pay more than what it would have cost new, but we'd been looking for one for quite some time, so we couldn't be picky about price or having to drive so far to get it. I believe STS used the Turbo Barre. Later, Cathe came out with Fit Tower. The fit tower can be used in place of the Turbo Barre. Gold's Gym made the fit tower. When I contacted them, they said they no longer made it. I contacted administration (on this site) and when I asked if another tower was going to come out, they didn't know. They verified that none of Cathe's towers (I believe their was a third one - before Turbo Tower) are being made or sold. If you can't find a used one, I'll bet people on this forum will have some ideas for you. I did a search (years ago), and ran into some old threads where people talked about using a part of certain types of treadmills, the edge of their rebounders, etc. for certain things that one would do on the tower. So, if you're talking about the tower, perhaps others can give you ideas of how to do the exercises in a way that won't require the tower? The tower takes up a bit of space. So, I would try to find a way around using one if it's just for one series. If you do barre workouts as well, though, it would be worth looking for a used one. I also use it to make some exercises less painful for my wrists, like tricep dips.
So, I'm not personally very familiar with the series and could be thinking of something different than what you're asking. So, if my answer doesn't make sense, feel free to ignore it. I'm thinking, though, that you might be talking about her Turbo Barre or Fit Tower. Neither is being sold anymore. My husband had to drive 3 states away to pick up a used (and overpriced) Fit Tower. We had to pay more than what it would have cost new, but we'd been looking for one for quite some time, so we couldn't be picky about price or having to drive so far to get it. I believe STS used the Turbo Barre. Later, Cathe came out with Fit Tower. The fit tower can be used in place of the Turbo Barre. Gold's Gym made the fit tower. When I contacted them, they said they no longer made it. I contacted administration (on this site) and when I asked if another tower was going to come out, they didn't know. They verified that none of Cathe's towers (I believe their was a third one - before Turbo Tower) are being made or sold. If you can't find a used one, I'll bet people on this forum will have some ideas for you. I did a search (years ago), and ran into some old threads where people talked about using a part of certain types of treadmills, the edge of their rebounders, etc. for certain things that one would do on the tower. So, if you're talking about the tower, perhaps others can give you ideas of how to do the exercises in a way that won't require the tower? The tower takes up a bit of space. So, I would try to find a way around using one if it's just for one series. If you do barre workouts as well, though, it would be worth looking for a used one. I also use it to make some exercises less painful for my wrists, like tricep dips.
Jane Power-Grimm
Cathlete
Hi DebB1.
I agree with Braille. The Turbo Tower and then the Fit Tower are the products Cathe has sold/used in the past but are hard to come by now. If you can't find a used one, any squat rack would work. In fact, a standard squat rack may be preferable. The Fit Tower is great for chest presses (by putting your step bench under it), but it is too short for use as a squat rack. Without a proper squat rack, I have to hoist my barbell over my head so I am not able to go more than about 45 lbs. Like Cathe, I found that I have to wear a weighted vest to add more weight when doing squats/lunges but this works well.
In terms of the pull ups and chin ups in STS you can use a Fit Tower or Turbo Tower (as do several of Cathe's crew). But if you don't have one, a pull up bar attached to a door frame also works. I have 2 long bands attached to it that take some of my body weight and make them more doable. You just put one foot in the bottom of the looped band and away you go!
I agree with Braille. The Turbo Tower and then the Fit Tower are the products Cathe has sold/used in the past but are hard to come by now. If you can't find a used one, any squat rack would work. In fact, a standard squat rack may be preferable. The Fit Tower is great for chest presses (by putting your step bench under it), but it is too short for use as a squat rack. Without a proper squat rack, I have to hoist my barbell over my head so I am not able to go more than about 45 lbs. Like Cathe, I found that I have to wear a weighted vest to add more weight when doing squats/lunges but this works well.
In terms of the pull ups and chin ups in STS you can use a Fit Tower or Turbo Tower (as do several of Cathe's crew). But if you don't have one, a pull up bar attached to a door frame also works. I have 2 long bands attached to it that take some of my body weight and make them more doable. You just put one foot in the bottom of the looped band and away you go!
Hi Jane,
This may help you per your above quote. I sit on the short end of my weight bench (so that when I am facing forward, the long end of the bench is behind me.) I then have the Fit Tower placed so that when I am sitting on the weight bench, the Fit Tower is straddling the weight bench and placed about even with my torso/arms (the Fit Tower is slightly behind my upright torso). I have the barbell holders placed about even with my ears when I am sitting on the weight bench with the Fit Tower straddling the bench and slightly behind my torso.
Now, when I am sitting on the weight bench, the barbell on the Fit Tower is perfectly lined up with the top of my shoulders behind my head. All I have to do is stand up and the barbell is on my shoulders. I do not have to worry about lifting the barbell up and over my head. I still use a weight vest, but I can go way heavier with the barbell since I just stand and start squatting, versus lifting that barbell up and over my head.
Jane Power-Grimm
Cathlete
OMG!! That is brilliant! Thank you so much Gobias! I totally get this and will do this in the future. That tip alone makes me want to do STS starting today!
Awesome, thanks.LOL, glad you understood my description - it was hard for me to describe it! This was a game changer for me because now I lift about twice as heavy. I also seem to squat a lot deeper since I keep the weight bench under my butt to "catch" me if needed. Therefore, I feel more confident squatting deeper with the heavier barbell as I know the weight bench will catch me if I get stuck.
I am actually doing another found of STS starting next week.
I have a fit tower but not the barbell clips. At the time the additional cost of the barbell clips would have put the total cost of the fit tower including shipping over the limit where I would need to pay extra taxes and duties. I have a separate squat rack. I like the idea of using the weight bench to "catch" me when doing barbell squats. Will have to try that and see if I can squat deeper.
Gobias, that is clever! I have a question. If you don't know, maybe someone else has tried your idea without the weight bench? I don't have a weight bench, but I do have the longer step and 10 risers (5 for each side). Is there any reason that I wouldn't be able to use your set up with my step equipment? Do you think it would be safe, or if I lost my balance or something would it be substantially less safe than a weight bench? I don't know if my size would matter, but I'm 5'3 1/2 and 104 lbs. My husband is 245 lbs. (he's lost 35 lbs. with Cathe!) and 6'. I'm thinking it would work for me? My husband, though, has bad knees (give out sometimes), so I'm wondering if my set up would be stable enough for his weight. The risers have rubber 'feet' and we set the step and risers up in our living room, which has a wood floor. I don't lift very heavy yet, because I have bad wrists and am afraid I'll drop the weights and damage our floor, but my husband lifts heavy - very heavy. Do you think your method would work for both of us with the equipment that I have available? We had to get rid of our weight bench when we moved (space issues).
Debinmi, thank you for bringing that up. The step that I bought is supposed to have a 500 lb. weight limit, but it drops to 350 lbs. once the risers are under it. I figured that was fine, but I didn't even think to add the amount of the weights. My midlife brain fog is getting the best of me - again. I'll have to ask him how much he's lifting, but I have a feeling it's enough that it could be risky. I've never been convinced the weight limit on my step is actually what it claims it is. It doesn't seem any different than steps with a lower limit. Now that he's finally on a fitness path, I sure don't want to suggest anything that would put him out of commission. Thanks again!
I'll have to ask him how much he's lifting, but I have a feeling it's enough that it could be risky. I've never been convinced the weight limit on my step is actually what it claims it is. It doesn't seem any different than steps with a lower limit. Now that he's finally on a fitness path, I sure don't want to suggest anything that would put him out of commission. Thanks again!
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